You're getting close to the end and the arrival of your precious bundle when you're 36 weeks pregnant. If you go right to the end you only have four or five weeks left, but it is likely that you doctor has told you that you could go into labor at any time. You might be feeling a bit overwhelmed at this point and finding it hard to get comfortable when you lie down. You might also be anxious that you don't have enough things bought for the baby or that the nursery is not exactly in shape.
It is at this time that you start to get a nesting feeling. You want everything to be clean when the baby arrives so you may find yourself cleaning the house or apartment more. This is one way of keeping busy and active. Your belly is very big at this stage, making it difficult for you to sit in a chair or to get up when you want to stand. You probably can't see your feet when you look down once you are in a standing position. At the same time, you will probably be a bit uncomfortable due to the itchiness of the stretch marks on your abdomen. The best thing to do about this is to apply lots of lotion on your stomach to help relieve the itchy feeling.
The baby probably weighs about 6 pounds by now and is about 13 inches long. At this time, the baby will start to move down into the birthing position. You may notice, or someone may tell you, that your stomach ahs dropped. This is one of the signs tat the birth is very close. You may feel the dropping or you may feel nothing at all. It is also called lightening and once this happens you will feel more comfortable because there will be less pressure on your lungs and ribs. You may also feel urges to eat more and at unusual times.
Other changes that will start to occur at 36 weeks include changes to your bladder. You may have to urinate a lot more often and may not be able to hold the water as you once could. This is because the baby in the lower position is now pressing against the bladder. You can try to cut down on the amount of fluids you drink and lean forward as you urinate to ensure that you do empty the bladder completely.
Some of the other changes could include:
* Constipation
* Hemorrhoids
* Backache
* Pain in the buttocks
* An increased feeling of heaviness
By now, there is no danger to the baby if he/she were to be born at this stage. All the organs have developed and the baby would be able to breathe outside the uterus. Baby fat is developing on the arms and legs and there are dimples on the cheeks, knees and elbows. The sucking movements have developed so that the baby will suck the milk as soon as it is born. The gums have also hardened and the brain is rapidly developing. The baby is also blinking its eyes at this stage
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