Week 36 Of Your Pregnancy

At week 36 your baby’s face is starting to fatten up although he or she probably won’t come out with chubby cheeks yet. Your baby has pretty much perfected his or her sucking technique in preparation for breastfeeding.

Hopefully now you are enjoying some down time. Don’t forget, there is nothing wrong with a nana-nap! Your baby is as big as a papaya. They have shed most of that fuzzy hair that’s been protecting their skin, as well as the creamy waxy coating known as vernix. They’ll be swallowing all of this and it will form a blackish mixture, known as meconium – also known as their first poo!

CHANGES TO YOUR BODY:

Your breast are probably noticeably larger as they prepare to fill so you can feed your baby. It’s not uncommon to leak colostrum in the weeks leading up to the birth, this is completely normal. If you’ve been thinking about breast feeding and are not sure what to expect, this article is great for highlighting the things people don’t talk about when it comes to breast feeding. It’s useful to read before it all kicks off for you, as you’ll be able to draw on it when you’re in the midst of it all.

As mentioned week 35, you’ll be due for your gestational diabetes test, so be sure to book it in if you haven’t already. If you’ve recently been diagnosed with gestation diabetes and want to read about how to modify your diet, go here.

LIFESTYLE CONSIDERATIONS:

Newborns generally need to eat every two to three hours around the clock, which can be extremely exhausting if you’re breastfeeding. It may be worth your while to buy or hire a breast pump this week so that you can express and store your breast milk for situations when you don’t feel comfortable breast feeding in public, or if you need to have a break and let your partner do a feed or two.

If you’re thinking about pain relief, it’s great to be informed and do your research. This article on epidurals is really helpful if you’re just not sure if you want to have one.

GENERAL ADVICE:

You may find that you leak a little urine when you cough or sneeze. This is a normal response to the growing uterus pressing down on your bladder. If it worries you, you can always wear a liner to prevent any embarrassing situations.

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