Week 36 of Pregnancy: What's Going On Inside

Topic Overview

As your baby gets bigger, you may be getting more uncomfortable. It may be harder to walk around or to sleep well.

At this point, your baby may be spending a lot of time upside down. This "head-down" position can be more comfortable for your baby because of the pear shape of your uterus. It's also easier to give birth if your baby's head comes out first.

Wondering what your baby looks like now? As you enter the last month of your pregnancy, your baby is about the size of a honeydew melon. Average baby length is 320 mm (12.6 in.). And average baby weight is 2268 g (5 lb).

How your baby is changing

Here are some of the important facts and developments around 36 weeks.

• Until week 36 of pregnancy, your fetus is probably still small enough to change position a lot-from head-down to feet-down, or even sideways. You will notice more movement or less movement at certain times of the day and night.
• By the end of this month, the skin is smooth. The arms and legs look chubby.
• If your baby is born at a healthy weight during this month, chances of healthy survival are very good.