The 36th week of pregnancy is the period when there is still very little left to carry the baby. Now the main task of a woman is to regularly visit a gynecologist and follow all his recommendations.
Actively preparing for the upcoming birth, not only the body of a woman, but also the body of the fetus. The expectant mother may increasingly have training contractions, and the baby continues to gain weight, accumulate subcutaneous fat and kick quite noticeably from the inside.
What happens to the baby at 36 weeks pregnant?
At this time, the child practically does not release his finger from his mouth, constantly sucking on it. Thus, he hones the sucking reflex and trains the muscles of the mouth, which in the future will allow him to take his mother’s breast without any problems. The face of the crumbs is noticeably rounded, the cheeks become more plump.
The child is formed and almost completely ready for birth. Now he weighs about 2,7 kg, and his height reaches 46 cm or more.
The bones of the fetus have become noticeably stronger, but the sutures of the skull do not heal, and fontanelles remain between them – large cartilaginous areas. This gives mobility for the easiest possible passage of the head through the birth canal. After the birth of the child, the fontanelles gradually ossify and overgrow.
At the 36th week of pregnancy, the baby continues to actively move, although his movements are constrained, because there is very little space left in the uterus. However, he has already taken the final position. Ideally, the child should be head down. However, this does not always happen, sometimes the fetus may be in a breech or lateral presentation. It will no longer be possible to change his position, so doctors will consider the question of the method of delivery. You should not worry, because the child takes the breech or transverse presentation no more than in 4% of cases. Moreover, with breech presentation, the possibility of natural childbirth is preserved.
The nervous, immune and endocrine systems continue to develop continuously. The work of the heart and blood vessels is improved. The number of heartbeats per minute should normally be 140. The baby’s heartbeat is well heard with a stethoscope.
Surfactant continues to accumulate in the lungs. Thanks to him, the baby will be able to breathe independently outside the womb.
From this video you will learn how to prepare for the hospital, what to bring with you and what you need to consult with your doctor:
Indications for caesarean section
About a third of all pregnancies end in a caesarean section. In this case, the child does not come out through the birth canal in a natural way, but is removed from the uterus through an incision in the abdominal cavity. The cesarean section operation has clear indications for carrying out and no doctor will do it just like that. A caesarean section can be planned or emergency.
When a caesarean section is necessary:
The woman has a very narrow pelvis;
The woman suffered an injury to the spine or pelvic bone;
There is a tumor in the area of the birth canal;
A complication such as placental abruption develops;
There is a risk of rupture of the uterus or the threat of divergence of the old suture;
The woman’s uterus is underdeveloped;
The fetus experiences hypoxia;
A woman has diseases of the cardiovascular system, organs of vision, kidneys;
The fruit is too large;
The fetus occupies a transverse position in the abdomen.
If the doctor insists on a caesarean section, then you should not refuse. Remember that modern medicine allows you to perform this operation with minimal risks to the health of a woman and a child.
Postpartum procedures with a baby: