36 weeks pregnant: what happens to the fetus and the expectant mother?

At 36 weeks of gestation, all thoughts of a woman are busy with the upcoming birth. It's time to decide on the obstetric institution, read the reviews of women in labor, visit the selected maternity hospital and sign an exchange card. You should not hesitate, because the baby may "want" to our world at any time.

At this time, according to statistics, about 10% of babies are born, and in the case of multiple pregnancies, the probability of giving birth this week is as much as 30%.

How many months is it?

The third trimester continues. The 35-36 obstetric week of pregnancy ends the ninth obstetric month. By more usual calendar standards, 8 months and a week have passed, 34 weeks have gone from conception. The Negale Rule used by obstetricians states that pregnancy lasts 280 days from the first day of the last menstrual period. Thus, obstetric pregnancy lasts 10 months, and not 9, as is commonly believed.

Before giving birth, a woman has very little time left - about a month. The estimated date of birth, which is calculated according to the above rule, is only an approximate guideline for the expectant mother and the doctors who are watching her. In fact, only 5% of women give birth strictly in the PDR, in all other cases, childbirth occurs either earlier or later than the specified period.

Therefore, it is difficult to unequivocally answer the question of how much is left before delivery if the beginning of the 36th week of pregnancy is in progress. They can happen in a few days, and in a few weeks - everything is purely individual. What is happening now with the woman and her baby?

Feelings of a future mother

Even very patient and philosophical women at 36 weeks begin to "whine", complain and complain of unbearable fatigue. Everyone understands that it is better for a child to be full-term before 40 weeks, but the desire to give birth as soon as possible now is beyond common sense. It becomes difficult for a woman to walk, do household chores and even sleep does not bring relief, since most expectant mothers now begin to suffer from insomnia.

In about a third of women at 36 weeks, the stomach "drops". This means that the baby descends in the uterine cavity below, pressing the head against the exit from the small pelvis. Lowering the uterus below reduces the height of its bottom, it immediately becomes much easier to breathe, heartburn disappears, but the pressure on the pubic bone and bladder grows.

If the baby decides to go down this week, this does not mean that he is in a hurry to be born. It may take several weeks from the moment the baby descends to delivery.

Thus, only a third of pregnant women begin to feel better. The rest still have to brace themselves and take courage: all the "delights" of late dates this week will open in all their glory.

Stirring fetus

The motor activity of the fetus has decreased markedly. The kid can no longer make sweeping movements and coups. The uterus became very cramped and uncomfortable. Therefore, the baby spends most of the time in a compact flexion position, tucking the legs to the tummy and pressing the chin to the chest. His movements now cause inconvenience to the expectant mother: they can be painful and unpleasant.

However, such rare movements still need to be counted daily. There should still be at least 10 of them in 12 hours. The counting rules by this time are usually already well known to the expectant mother: the baby's hiccups do not count for movement, and a series of 2-3 movements is considered not as several episodes, but as one movement.

The reasons for deviations in the child's motor activity may be different. Most often it is a matter of hypoxia. Oxygen starvation at the initial stage causes too frequent movements, sharp and painful. So the baby tries to get more oxygen, massages the placenta with its hands. If the hypoxia is already long and deep, then the activity of the baby decreases. This is how the child begins to conserve oxygen, and the protective mechanism "works".

Hypoxia is extremely dangerous for the fetus, because it can cause irreversible processes in the brain, nervous system and even lead to the death of the child. Oxygen deficiency detected on time allows doctors to quickly make a decision on early delivery in order to save the baby. That is why doctors recommend that women count the movements of their child every day, write down the result in a table that can be obtained at the antenatal clinic or said and printed on the Internet.

However, the decrease or increase in activity is not always caused by oxygen deficiency. Anything can affect the baby's movements, or rather, his desire to make movements: the weather outside the window and the level of atmospheric pressure, the well-being of the expectant mother, her diet, mood and general condition. If a woman herself wants to sleep, her baby will doze too.

The daily routine is now about the same for mother and child, although there are exceptions - babies who stubbornly do not want to sleep at night. With a high degree of probability, such a regime will remain in the child in the first weeks after his birth.

Pain

Pain at 36 weeks gestation is present in every woman, even if the pregnancy proceeds without complications, pathological weight gain and other "troubles". The body of the expectant mother, like a brave astronaut, courageously endures colossal overloads. Feelings this week are rather uncomfortable, women feel like "seals" and "hippos", fatigue is increased.

The uterus, although now more slowly, continues to increase in volume, and therefore the ligamentous apparatus, which holds the reproductive organ, is greatly stretched. This causes mild aching lower back pain. If a woman has to stand for a while or sit in one position, then her back begins to hurt. This pain is aching in nature. In the area of the tailbone and lower back, it pulls, tingles and aches several times a day.

Therefore, a woman should not go far from home so that at any time she has the opportunity to lie down, rest, take a nap in order to improve her condition.

Training contractions, familiar not by hearsay to the vast majority of pregnant women, at 36 obstetric week may become more frequent. Do not be afraid: the body of a pregnant woman is preparing for an important process, which is childbirth.

An interesting pattern: in pregnant women with their firstborn, false contractions are almost always present, they begin long before the birth itself, so by 36 weeks the expectant mother has time to get used to them. But with the second or third pregnancy, Braxton-Hicks spasms may first appear right now or a week or two later.

Training contractions cannot be considered harbingers of childbirth. They do not in any way affect the dilatation of the cervix, do not cause the processes of smoothing the cervix, its shortening. You should not worry if training contractions are not observed at all: there are women in whom false contractions do not occur, but this does not affect the birth process in any way. Symptoms of false contractions are as follows: the uterus comes to a short-term tone, the abdomen "turns to stone", after a few seconds or minutes the contraction recedes and does not return. This is the main difference between such fights and real ones.

If labor has begun, the contractions will be repeated at regular intervals, and these intervals will become increasingly shorter, and the contractions themselves will be more painful.

It is simple to “fight” against false contractions: it is enough to drink “No-shpu”, lie down quietly for half an hour, read a book or watch TV, take a warm shower. If the fight is genuine, and not training, such methods will not bring any results.

Perineal pain is another common complaint at 36 weeks. The pubic bone hurts due to the pressure of the fetal head, as well as due to the specific process of divergence and softening of the pelvic bones. Under the influence of the hormone relaxin, the ligamentous and bone apparatus becomes more mobile, this is necessary so that the baby's head can come out of the small pelvis during childbirth. Women note that the pubic pain is more painful at night when a woman goes to bed, and also in the morning when it’s time to get out of bed. It can be difficult to walk at times, but severe pain usually goes away if you "disperse."

If the pain is constant, acute, it is impossible to endure it, while movements are difficult, you should definitely inform the doctor about this, the development of symphysitis is possible - a dangerous divergence of the pelvic bones, in which a woman is recommended to give birth by caesarean section.

Leg pain usually worsens at obstetric week 36. The weight of the fetus grows, as does the weight of the expectant mother. Knee joints and ankles can withstand such a load with great difficulty, the arch of the foot is slightly flattened, and therefore shoes that have always "sat" comfortably on the leg can become uncomfortable. To cope with this, a woman needs to rest and sleep more often with her legs raised, placing a small pillow or blanket roller under them.

If you have a toothache at 36 weeks, you should definitely visit your dentist. Dental treatment at a later date is considered dangerous from the point of view of the likelihood of a sudden onset of labor, because a visit to the dentist is always a big stress for the expectant mother. Any severe pain, no matter in what part of the body it is localized, is a reason to see a doctor. If the acute pain is accompanied by strange strange discharge, different from the usual, you need to immediately call an ambulance.

Among the new sensations at 36 weeks of gestation is the "tingling of needles" in the vagina. This is how expectant mothers describe these unusual and frightening sensations. It is about preparing the cervix for the upcoming birth. Small tingling sensations are a sign of gradual softening of the neck, its smoothing and shortening.

Allocations

A woman at 36 weeks should monitor the secretions especially closely, because often the first symptoms of an incipient childbirth are the discharge or leakage of amniotic fluid, the withdrawal of the so-called mucous plug. Simple hygiene products - thin pads - will help a pregnant woman. They will visually "demonstrate" any changes in the nature of the vaginal secretions.

If a few weeks ago the amount of discharge became more abundant, now mucus may appear from them. Impurities of viscous mucus indicate the beginning of the discharge of the mucous plug - a layer that tightly closed the cervical canal throughout pregnancy. It begins to expand under the influence of estrogen shortly before childbirth. If a whole lump of mucus is found in the discharge, this indicates a complete discharge of the mucous plug. From this point on, you should be extremely careful: labor can begin at any time, douching and sex should be avoided so that the infection does not enter the uterine cavity.

But not always preparation for the birth process in the body is manifested by the discharge of the mucous plug. Sometimes it departs at the same time with the waters and by itself can go unnoticed. The water, in turn, leaves either in whole (this is a decent amount of liquid) or in parts (wet spots without color and odor will remain on the gasket).

Normal discharge for the specified period is considered to be a light, uniform consistency, odorless or accompanied by a slight fermented milk smell. Bloody discharge almost always indicates the onset of labor, placental abruption, or injury to the cervix. A greenish discharge that is dirty gray with itching and an unpleasant odor is a sign of genital infection, while a white yeast-like discharge with itching is a sign of thrush.

Any abnormal discharge should be a reason for an unscheduled visit to a doctor, taking a smear for analysis and starting treatment.

Therapy is urgent, because the health of the baby depends on the cleanliness and health of the genital tract, which will have to move along them during childbirth. Bloody and watery discharge - a reason to immediately take a horizontal position and call an ambulance - immediate hospitalization is needed.

The psychological state and mood of a pregnant woman

The 36th week of pregnancy does not add optimism to a woman, because childbirth is just around the corner, and fear of them is growing rapidly. In Russia, it is not customary to turn to specialists with such fear, this is considered something shameful, because in the public sense, the expectant mother should be courageous and decisive, ready for anything for the sake of her baby. All over the world, the practice of referring to a psychologist with a fear of birth pain is quite normal. A psychologist works in every antenatal clinic. Admission is free of charge, and therefore you should not think in stereotypes.

If the fear is strong and the woman cannot cope with it, it is best to contact a specialist who will tell you how to relax, stop being nervous and harass yourself and those around you with empty panic.

In general, the character of a woman at a later date deteriorates somewhat. The pregnant woman becomes moody, demanding, irritable, whiny, intractable and very touchy. That is why in the last month of pregnancy the number of misunderstandings in relationships, family conflicts is rapidly increasing, because men simply physically cannot feel what their wives are feeling at this moment, and, accordingly, it is not easy for them to understand them.

It becomes increasingly difficult for a woman to enjoy little things like a delicious chocolate bar or a good movie. She is already pretty tired of carrying a baby, she wants to feel lightness again. The dependent position in which a pregnant woman now finds herself, who constantly needs outside help to put on shoes, lift a bag of groceries, does not contribute to self-confidence and a joyful mood.

The best that relatives can now do for the expectant mother is to endure her forgetfulness, irascibility, claims and resentment. Everything will pass as soon as the baby is born. Other worries will appear, the hormonal background will change and the normal mood will gradually return.

Changes in the body

The body of a pregnant woman is in full swing preparing for childbirth. These processes are invisible and occurring at a subtle cellular and hormonal level, but rather rapid. Progesterone, which throughout the entire period ensured the preservation of pregnancy, created a normal "environment" for the development of the baby, begins to be produced in much smaller quantities.

But the concentration of estrogens increases, which now "fill" the entire preparation, which involves the muscles, ligaments, bone skeleton of the expectant mother, her uterus, genital tract, mammary glands, heart, blood vessels, bone and brain.

Uterus growth

The uterus is no longer growing as fast as before. The height of her bottom standing this week is 34-36 cm. The bottom supports the chest, the distance from the navel line to the extreme line of the uterine fundus is already about 17 cm. If the abdomen has not "sank", then this position of the uterus leads to great difficulties for the woman: it is hard for her to breathe, she suffers from heartburn, because the large uterus squeezes the diaphragm and stomach.

Almost the entire abdominal cavity of a woman is occupied by the uterus, the rest of the internal organs are displaced, compressed. The inability to take a full breath makes the woman clearly feel that she is short of air. If it is not possible to sleep with an open window (winter outside, for example), then the woman is recommended from time to time to take a knee-elbow position and in it take several slow deep breaths and exhalations. This will avoid dizziness caused by lack of oxygen. Shortness of breath will decrease when the baby lowers his head closer to the "exit".

One of the most "suffering" in this period is the bladder of the expectant mother. This organ is so strongly compressed by the uterus that urination becomes frequent, the woman cannot “tolerate” at all, and at the most inopportune moments, “troubles” such as involuntary leakage of urine may occur if a pregnant woman coughs or laughs. The intestines also "get it". Its hinges are strongly pushed back, squeezed along the front wall, as a result of which the woman is tormented by constipation.

The pressure of the uterus and the kicks of the baby in the area of the liver and gallbladder are not only painful, they also cause disturbances in the flow of bile, which is manifested by periodic indigestion - diarrhea, nausea. The pressure from the uterus disrupts the blood supply to the lower body, resulting in hemorrhoids and varicose veins quite often.

The most dramatic changes at 36 obstetric week occur in the cervix. Its maturation is in full swing. According to some signs, doctors can now judge the likelihood of an early birth. The length of the cervix is now normally in the range of 26-27 mm. But the neck is shortened. If it opens, then by how many fingers of the obstetrician the cervix passes, they conclude when to expect the birth of a baby.

If a woman was previously diagnosed with isthmic-cervical insufficiency and she was put on a pessary or surgical stitches on her neck, more close observation is now required.

Early hospitalization is recommended for many pregnant women with such a problem, so that doctors in a hospital prolong the pregnancy to the maximum, after which they can remove the stitches or pessary and wait for an early birth.

A short cervix, the length of which is much less than normal, is a sign that labor will begin earlier than the day designated as expected for labor. A long neck may indicate that pregnancy may not be limited to 40 weeks.

Weight gain

Weighing in at week 36 is recommended every day. This is important in order to notice in time possible complications such as preeclampsia, because internal edema can often be detected only by sharp fluctuations in body weight. The numbers on the scales by this time frighten most pregnant women. To better understand where they came from, a woman should know that her weight is now the sum of a number of "good reasons".

About a third of the mass added to the woman's original weight is the weight of the fetus. The placenta and amniotic fluid together are also "invested" in the common cause: their weight is about 11% of the increase. The increased amount of blood circulating in the body of the expectant mother is about 12% of the increase, more than 5% is assigned to the weight of the mammary glands. A woman's own fat reserves are actually small. They make up only about 4% of the increase.

The fluid that accumulates outside the cellular structures takes about 13%. It is from it that you need to get rid of it to the maximum, if there is a tangible "advantage", the increase is pathological or edema appears.

What should be the normal weight gain for the specified period? The answer to this question lies in the features of the physique of the woman herself. If before the onset of the "interesting position" the lady was thin and tiny, then her weight can be added by 13.5 kg. Expectant mothers who did not have problems with extra pounds, but did not differ in thinness, the standards "allow" to gain plus to their weight by this week no more than 12 kg. Women who were obese before pregnancy, had problems with being overweight, can gain no more than 8 kg by 36 weeks.

Every week, a woman can add no more than 300 grams. To "keep within" such a strict framework, right now you need to eat less high-calorie food, because the baby is growing and gaining weight very dynamically. The problem of excess weight during pregnancy is not exaggerated at all, one should not assume that doctors "scare" expectant mothers so. Extra pounds complicate the process of childbirth, make the recovery period longer. If gestosis develops, then there is a danger of placental abruption, fetal hypoxia, its death, convulsive syndrome in the pregnant woman herself. It is not for nothing that gestosis is considered one of the "leaders" due to the mortality of mothers and babies.

If your legs, arms, face swell at 36 weeks, you should definitely visit a doctor and take a general urine test. Protein in the urine is a sure sign of gestosis. And then everything will depend on the degree and manifestations of the complication. With a small dropsy, a pregnant woman may well bring the baby to term, and with preeclampsia, urgent delivery is indicated.

Other changes

A woman's breasts begin to change rapidly. She was already large, but now the glands are enlarged and become more sensitive. Nipples become coarse, colostrum may be excreted. The likelihood that there will be more colostrum is higher in multiparous, because the ducts of their mammary glands are wider, and the nipples, weakened by the breastfeeding of the first child, are not able to retain the nutrient fluid inside.

Colostrum, which was yellowish and thick, may change at 36 weeks and become thinner, white. This is a normal process, after childbirth this substance will become breast milk, but not immediately. During the first few days, the baby will consume exactly colostrum, which is fully consistent in its composition with all the needs of the newborn.

There is a misconception among women that if there is no colostrum at a later date, then serious problems can arise with lactation. These two things are not related in any way. As for the large amount of colostrum, this should also not be a cause for concern. If it causes physical inconvenience, soiling a woman's clothes, leaving oily and stubborn stains on it, then you can wear a nursing bra, which has special inserts that will help completely solve the problem.

Headaches at 36 obstetric week are a consequence of increased blood volume, as well as instability of blood pressure. The load on the heart and blood vessels is now greater than ever, the heart beats faster. The general condition does not help to compensate for these differences, there are headaches, dizziness, a feeling of weakness and fatigue.

It is recommended for a woman to rest in a darkened room that is well ventilated, in a horizontal position. This contributes to a noticeable improvement in well-being.

The hemoglobin in the blood begins to rise gradually. Even if a week or two weeks ago a woman was told that she had anemia during pregnancy, now hemoglobin is growing noticeably. In this regard, attacks of dizziness, cyanosis, "circles" under the eyes recede, and the state of health improves. The hemoglobin norm for women "in position" starts from 109 g / l. However, in the diet of the expectant mother, foods containing a lot of iron should still be present in sufficient quantities: buckwheat, pomegranate juice, green apples, persimmons, beets, and liver.

Under the influence of estrogen, a woman can begin to grow hair faster, and, unfortunately, not only on the head. All areas with physiological hair growth can become more "furry". At the same time, a noticeable lack of calcium affects: the nails begin to break, the skin becomes drier and more vulnerable, the gums bleed while brushing the teeth, and the legs "cramp" almost every night.

The susceptibility of a pregnant woman to various allergens increases. Even small amounts of pollen or house dust can cause coughs, runny nose, and skin blemishes.

Now the use of new cosmetics, creams should be excluded, and the amount of tested and familiar cosmetics should be minimized.

The sweat and sebaceous glands of the pregnant woman work very actively during this period. This fact requires a woman to strictly adhere to the rules of personal hygiene. In women at 36 weeks, dandruff often appears, moles and freckles become brighter.

Baby development

The kid sets new records for weight gain every day. At 36 weeks, it becomes heavier by another 200-300 grams. This increase is now characteristic of each of the remaining weeks. The weight of the fetus at 36 weeks of gestation is approaching 3 kg. Most often, the estimated weight of the fetus at this time is 2700 - 2900 grams. But these norms are rather arbitrary. Some babies manage to reach a weight of more than three kilograms, and some (quite normal and healthy) barely reach 2.5 kg. The average growth of babies this week is 45-48 cm.

The baby is almost ready to be born. He looks like a newborn, his organs and systems are formed and functioning. However, for him, of course, it is better to spend a few more weeks to a cozy mother's womb, because now the baby has entered its own "home stretch": he is learning to adapt to the new conditions that await him from the first seconds after birth.

What does a crumb look like

At 36 weeks, your baby is a pretty cute, moderately plump and cute creature. Subcutaneous fat has accumulated enough so that the baby's thinness disappears, cheeks and butt appear. The arms, legs have become more plump, the stomach has grown. The skin has acquired a pink tint, folds and wrinkles on it have smoothed out, blood vessels no longer "show" through the layers of the skin.

The skin itself has become firmer, smoother, this week the baby will almost completely get rid of lanugo - the original hairline. Along with the shedding of these fine hairs, there is noticeably less damp lubrication. Now grease is present only in those places where mechanical irritation due to friction is possible: under the armpits, under the chin, in the folds on the arms and legs under the knees, as well as in the groin area.

This is how about 90% of the fruits look now. However, there is another 10% - they have not yet dropped lanugo or only a small part of it.

If a baby is born with hair fragments, nothing bad will happen: these thin hairs, which are popularly called "baby bristles", will fall out in the very first weeks of independent life of the baby outside the womb.

In some children, at 36 weeks, hair on the head is actively growing, their length can reach five centimeters and it is already quite obvious that the baby will be a brunette or blond, since the hair has pigmentation. The auricles and nose became harder, the baby's cartilage at this time, in terms of hardness, almost approached the cartilage of the newborn. Kids now differ from each other in unique, only their characteristic facial features, eye color... Each has its own individual pattern on the fingertips (prints), the eyelashes have become longer, there are eyebrows, and nails grow. This week, the nail plates are already protruding beyond the phalanges.

The baby's body has become more proportional. The lower limbs are now longer than the upper ones, the head is of normal shape, although the bones of the skull are still quite soft and mobile. This is necessary in order for the baby's head to pass through the birth canal without problems for the brain. The baby's position is not very comfortable for him, but this is a forced necessity. Now the baby is grouped to the maximum, because he has yet to spend about 4 weeks in the uterus.

Fetal presentation

The position that the baby now occupies in the uterine cavity with a 99% probability will remain until the very birth. Head presentation, when the baby is located towards the exit from the small pelvis with the head, is most natural, the vast majority of children are now in this position. If the doctor ascertains that the baby is in breech presentation or he is located transversely in the uterus, at 36 weeks it will be determined in what way the delivery will take place.

Breech and transverse presentation are indications for a caesarean section. Spontaneous childbirth can be dangerous for the health of the baby and his mother. Such postures of the crumbs increase the likelihood of receiving a severe disabling birth trauma, as well as acute hypoxia, the consequences of which in most cases are irreversible and sometimes fatal for the child. The woman is assigned an approximate date for the caesarean section.

This usually happens on a scheduled basis between 38 and 39 or 39 and 40 weeks. It is important to have time to carry out the operation exactly as planned, without waiting for the independent birth to begin. Otherwise, the operation will have to be done in emergency mode.

Women whose baby is now positioned "incorrectly" are concerned about whether the baby can still turn into a more suitable position for birth. Such a probability exists, but, alas, it is minimal: the uterus has become too crowded for such changes in body position. However, the doctor will still recommend special gymnastics, standing in the knee-elbow position (cat pose) - in rare cases, it contributes to a change in the presentation of the fetus.

Nervous system

At 36 obstetric week, the baby's nervous system is almost formed and is working successfully. Completed the imposition of a special substance on the nerve endings - myelin. The brain “got heavy”, the cerebral cortex “acquired” convolutions and grooves. New nerve cells - neurons - continue to appear. They form neural connections. Thanks to this process, the baby can already survive if he decides to be born prematurely. After all, neural connections are also responsible for reflexes. Now the baby has already formed several dozen different reflexes, and this process does not stop.

The baby has sucking and swallowing reflexes, the grasping reflex is well developed. Motor activity is provided by dozens of tendon and muscle, as well as tonic reflexes.

The baby's skin reacts to changes in temperature, to touch, to pain due to developed nerve endings. If the loops of the umbilical cord accidentally touch the palms or feet of the baby, his fingers reflexively diverge in different directions, spread out in the form of a fan. If the umbilical cord touches the lower abdomen, the baby bends even more, trying to close the most important and weak point in the human body - the abdominal cavity.

In the brain, connections with the centers of respiration, logic and thinking, as well as with the centers responsible for the recognition of human speech, are reflexively "triggered". Long gone are the days when the spinal cord was in charge of all the nervous processes in the body. Now they are controlled by the brain. It receives signals from all organs and systems, from the senses. The kid hears well. He reacts to the voice of his mother, father, is frightened of unfamiliar voices and loud sounds... His vision is still limited to the perception of colored spots, but there is already a sense of smell and taste preferences. The organization of the child's nervous system is already highly individual, and it will manifest itself immediately after birth.

Internal organs

The formation of internal organs was completed in the embryonic period. Since then, the baby has come a long way in developing the functional abilities of all organs of his little body. The testicles in male fetuses at 36 weeks in most cases have already been lowered into the scrotum. This can be assessed during an ultrasound scan. If the gonads of the baby are still outside the scrotum, in the small pelvis, where they migrated from the abdominal cavity, this is not a reason for worry: for childbirth, the testicles of most boys descend.

All internal organs have increased in size.The formation of lobules of the liver and all structures of the kidneys is completed, the baby's lungs continue to accumulate surfactant. It has already accumulated a sufficient amount so that the baby, in the event of his premature birth, could breathe on his own, but for the smooth functioning of the lungs, it is necessary to dig up a little more surfactant. It is this process that will continue throughout the last weeks of pregnancy.

Your baby's kidneys produce more than half a liter of urine per day. The amount of amniotic fluid, where the baby pees, gradually begins to decrease. Due to the child's fluid excreted by the kidneys, its amount is maintained at a level normal for a given gestational age. The waters renew their composition every 3 hours, and due to this, a sterile environment is maintained inside the fetal bladder, completely safe for the child.

The baby trains the swallowing and sucking reflexes several times a day, because they will not let him die of hunger after his birth. The baby sucks on fists, swallows amniotic fluid. It goes into the stomach and from there into the intestines.

Undigested lanugo particles are deposited with bile in the intestines as the very first stool, which is dark green in color and is called meconium. The baby will begin to empty the intestines after birth. Meconium will be released on the first day after birth. In some cases, for example, with Rh-conflict, cord entanglement, hypoxia, the baby performs an act of defecation right in the womb. The waters turn cloudy and green. This condition requires an early delivery.

The small heart is fully formed, only the "oval window" remains open. It will close during the first year of the child's life. The heart pumps more than 20 liters of blood per day.

Viability

You should not be afraid of premature birth at 36 weeks. Children born at this time are quite viable. Complications for a small organism after childbirth at 36 weeks can also not be feared. They are rare enough. The lung tissue and nervous system are mature enough to help the child survive in his new environment. The subcutaneous fat, which made the baby plump and cute, will help him retain internal warmth and not hypothermia.

However, mom should prepare for the fact that her baby, who decides to be born this week, will be shown special medical supervision. For the first few days, he will be in the intensive care unit under the supervision of neonatologists. He will be placed in a special heated bed to keep the baby warmer, because he still has less subcutaneous fat than babies one month older in gestation.

If he has trouble breathing, he will be provided with oxygen and tube feeding. However, you should not be afraid of this: the child's chances of surviving and growing healthy and strong are very high.

Your child is on ultrasound

Basic examinations were left behind, including ultrasound. But at 36 weeks of gestation, such a study may still be needed. If the doctor insists on urgent delivery, then ultrasound is performed in order to assess the degree of maturity of the lungs, the position of the fetus and its estimated weight. Ultrasound can now be recommended for women with a previously established diagnosis of intrauterine growth retardation, in order to assess how the baby has grown. In case of multiple pregnancies, during pregnancy after IVF, ultrasound is performed more often than during normal pregnancy. This week, such women may undergo a control ultrasound examination aimed at assessing the readiness of the fetus or fetus for childbirth.

The standard protocol still includes fetometry, assessment of its motor activity and cardiac activity, the state of the placenta (it has already begun to age and develop its resource), the amount of amniotic fluid, and the baby's presentation.

The fetal fetometry rates at 36 obstetric week are presented in the following table:

Such values are considered the average norm, your child may be larger or, conversely, miniature in comparison with them. A normal deviation from the norms is considered to be a deviation of no more than 2 weeks. The amniotic fluid index at 36 weeks is 10-20 cm, the thickness of the placenta is 28-46 mm, the degree of maturity is 2-3. According to the results of ultrasound diagnostics, the external and internal os of the cervix should be closed.

If now a woman wants to know the sex of the child, then it will not be easy to consider the sex differences. The baby is in a position in which his genitals are covered by the legs and umbilical cord. The likelihood of mistaken sex determination at this time is high.

Dangers and risks

The unstable and wobbly gait, which is common to all expectant mothers at 36 weeks of gestation, creates the risk of falling and getting injured. A woman, due to her huge belly, almost does not see her own legs, and this state of affairs is most dangerous in winter, when it is slippery outside.

The immune defense of a pregnant woman at this time is weakened, therefore, the likelihood of contracting ARVI, flu, chickenpox, bacterial infection increases, and even the most common cold can cause a woman a lot of inconvenience. For the fetus, infections that are not sexual, in fact, are no longer as dangerous as before, but for the mother they are undesirable.

If you have a sore throat, a runny nose, a fever, you must call a doctor at home. He will tell you how and how best to be treated now in order to avoid dangerous complications and not harm the baby with treatment. Many medications have already been approved for this period, but for each it is imperative to consult a doctor.

Lifting weights, severe stress and anxiety can now contribute to the onset of premature birth - it is better to refrain from them. The main motto of this week is peace and quiet! Only a healthy lifestyle and a reverent attitude towards her health will help a woman to prolong the bearing of her baby until the due date. Bad habits - alcohol and nicotine - also increase the likelihood of having a baby prematurely.

At 36 weeks, women may often have nosebleeds. Nosebleeds at this time in most cases are not dangerous and are quite physiological. However, it is imperative that you notify your doctor about them. At this time, the woman's attempts to fight constipation with the help of laxatives are also dangerous. Drinking magnesium or powerful medications that thin fecal masses can provoke the other extreme - diarrhea, which is now undesirable from the point of view of a high probability of dehydration.

Analyzes and examinations

Since now a woman attends an antenatal clinic about once a week, a general urine test should be done with the same frequency. Before each appointment, a woman must definitely look into the laboratory of the antenatal clinic and hand over a jar of materials for research. Week 36 is no exception. This analysis, despite its simplicity, is highly informative. According to the composition of urine, the doctor will now be able to assess how the woman's body works, whether the kidneys cope with the increased load, whether the woman has gestosis and gestational diabetes.

With the identified pathologies of the placenta, her premature aging, a woman is prescribed a blood test for hormones. If the pregnancy is burdened by complications, a CTG may be prescribed for a woman at 36 weeks. If there were no complications and there are no complications, they come to CTG according to the plan next, 36-37 obstetric week.

The rest of the tests are prescribed according to individual indications. If hemostasis is impaired, a coagulogram is done. With a difference in Rh factors, if the mother is negative, the woman's venous blood must be examined for the presence of anti-rhesus antibodies in it.

Recommendations for the expectant mother

At 36 weeks pregnant, in addition to all the above recommendations, the following tips can help a woman:

try to eat fewer foods with calcium content, as this can now lead to premature hardening of the baby's skull bones and greatly complicate the process of childbirth;
a flight at 36 weeks is dangerous for a woman and a baby, so it is better to plan travel and trips for later;
sex is not prohibited, provided that the woman does not have a threat of premature birth and the mucous plug has not come off (orgasm is useful for a pregnant woman, it helps the birth canal and uterus to prepare for childbirth); otherwise, as well as if the expectant mother has an obstetric pessary, intimate relationships are prohibited.

Reviews of pregnant women

Many expectant mothers at 36 weeks complain not only of their general condition and worsening health, but also that now they have no appetite at all. It is popularly believed that lack of appetite is a sure sign of an imminent birth. In medicine, there is another explanation for this: the body begins to get rid of everything "superfluous" for childbirth, to cleanse itself.