Your baby’s development

At 36 weeks pregnant your baby is getting plumper each day and gaining as much as 5oz a week by this late stage. If this is your first baby, their head may already be pointing down and be ‘engaged’, getting ready for birth – but don’t worry if you can still feel them squirming about, it’s perfectly normal. Your baby now measures about 47cm in length and probably weighs around 6lb so there’s not much room left in there!

36 weeks fetus
Broccoli pictogram

Baby on board! Explore your pregnancy journey

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You & your body

Because your womb is pressing against your bladder, you won’t be able to hold your wee for very long, so constantly needing to wee and regular trips to the toilet will become an irritating feature of life during these last few weeks of your pregnancy.

To make sure you get enough rest at night during the last few weeks of your pregnancy, it’s a good idea to reduce your drinking before bedtime – but be sure to make up for it during the day. Always take a loo trip just before you snuggle down, and try to make sure you empty your bladder completely.

Did you know?

The relief you may be starting to feel under your ribs around now is known as 'lightening'. This is your baby moving lower down into your pelvic cavity to get prepared for the big day! 

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