36 Weeks Pregnant

You're getting close now. Only 4 more weeks to go before your due date as your baby continues to prepare every day for extra-uterine life. You may have a sense of the calm before the storm at 36 weeks pregnant. You are getting closer each day to holding your baby, but birth is still not so close that it is imminent. For many mothers this is a time of pondering and trying to enjoy the last few weeks of their pregnancy. You may feel a renewed sense of wonder and respect for your body and how it just knows what to do. Or, you may just be feeling as if you're over the whole pregnancy deal and want the last few weeks to simply disappear.

Where's the mop and bucket?

Don t be surprised if you wake up one morning and it's as if blinkers have been taken off your eyes. There's dust and dirt everywhere and you won t understand how it's not been obvious to you before now. Welcome to the nesting phase. If you've been feeling a little jaded, you ll be amazed by a renewed sense of energy around now. You want to organise and sort, go through boxes and toss stuff out. After the baby is born, you ll be glad of having done a big cleanup. In the first few weeks after their birth you ll find it impossible to invest time into housework. Bear in mind though, some pregnant women get a little frenzied and place a lot of pressure on themselves and their partner. Try to focus on one job at a time and finish it before you move onto the next one. If family or friends make offers of helping - then say yes. This can be a time of real connection and building excitement.

But it's not my fault!

There is some biological explanation for mothers in late pregnancy to feel they need to organise their "nest" so, give into it. Mother Nature can be very hard to resist.

Your physical changes this week

• Sleeping may seem like a far off dream this week. It's become impossible to lie on your tummy and lying on your back is not advisable, so sleeping on your side becomes the only option. The problem is, you've only got two sides to alternate from so you may end up feeling a bit achy around your hips and thighs. Surround yourself with comfortable, supportive pillows in your bed and consider getting a padded under blanket to use under your bottom sheet. They actually work.
• Get used to having to go to the toilet a few times a night. Your uterus is becoming so big that your bladder doesn t need to fill with much urine to make you feel you simply have to go. Avoid changing too quickly from a lying position to being upright and let your blood pressure adjust. Leave the bathroom light on at night to guide your way. At 36 weeks pregnant clumsiness is a fact of life and you need to make sure you minimise your risks of stumbling over something in the dark.
• Your maternity care provider will be encouraging you to attend ante-natal appointments weekly from now until you have the baby. The usual range of checks will be made including your urine, blood pressure, weight, and uterine size. Your fundal height will be measured to see if it matches with your dates. If there is any discrepancy, you may be sent for an ultrasound to check the size of the baby, the amount of amniotic fluid and the placental size.
• In those quieter moments of your day, pull your top up and look at the movement going on in your tummy. You ll be able to see the outline of a little foot, an elbow or a knee. If you gently poke with your fingers in response to those movements, you ll find your baby prods back. Get your partner involved in these little moments so so they feel involved. If they talk to the baby though your abdominal wall, the baby is likely to move in response to their voice.
• Your pelvic bones will be separating and loosening in these last few weeks which can mean you feel sore and aching. You ll find yourself subconsciously placing your hands on your lower back, your tummy and your hips and even grimacing. You ll be giving other pregnant women understanding looks and know just what they are going through. Warm showers or baths, massage, rest and just being kind to yourself are all good ways to get through these final weeks.
• If your baby's head engages in your pelvis this week, you ll find you're able to breathe more easily. Your lungs and diaphragm can actually expand a little more and move into their normal positions. Well, almost.