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Week 36
(counting from first day of last menstrual period)
Around 34 Weeks After Conception

Please keep in mind that this information is approximate. Each pregnancy is different and growth rates vary. If you have any questions, please check with your care provider.

Fetal Development:

With four weeks to go, ourbaby is almost ready. S/he could drop into the birth canal at any time now. This week, the fat is dimpling on the elbows and knees as well as forming creases in the neck and wrists. The baby's gums are very rigid. Multiples: Twins may be around 5 pounds now. The National Organization of Mothers of Twins Clubs (NOMOTC) reports that the average birth weight of a twin is 5 pounds, 5 ounces and arrives between the 36th and 37th week.

Maternal Changes:

About a month to go ~ you'll probably be visiting your care provider once a week at this point. The average weight gainnow is between 25 and 30 pounds. You should be consuming about 2400 calories per day. Make them count! Your body is working hard now and needs quality fuel. If you haven't been tested for Group B Strep, ask your caregiver about it. It's also a good time to take a tour of the hospital/birth facilities if you haven't yet. Multiples: You're probably really ready to get "this over with" as you become increasingly uncomfortable. Discuss your feelings with your doctor. Talk to your local Twins club for support.

Signs of Labor:

Here are some of the signs that labor is approaching. You may not experience all of these symptoms or be aware of them. Visit our Signs of Labor page for more detailed information . . . Lightening ~ aka the baby dropped Bloody Show ~ aka the mucous plug Rupture of Membranes ~ aka your "water broke" The Nesting Urge ~ aka you want to clean everything in sight Effacement ~ aka ripening of the cervix Dilatation ~ aka opening of the cervix Diarrhea ~ aka you know this one Contractions ~ aka OUCH those labor pains!

Ideas for Dad:

It's a bit beyond the scope of this guide to create a parenting"how-to" for newborns. However Dad, there are a few basics you need to know. Yes, you WILL be nervous about picking up a human being that is slightly larger than a football knowing that it is YOUR child. You will NOT be asphyxiated when you change Baby's poopy diaper. Baby's vomit is not toxic waste, and you will NOT die of poisoning when Baby spits up an entire feeding on your new shirt. Seriously, it is nerve-wracking to hold a squirming baby, especially when their little necks are so floppy. The more you hold and handle your baby, the more comfortable you'll become. You should be able to do whatever Mom does for the baby, except of course, breastfeed. You'll develop a deeper bond with Baby and s/he with you by being involved. Week 37 (counting from first day of last menstrual period) Around 35 Weeks After Conception Please keep in mind that this information is approximate. Each pregnancy is different and growth rates vary. If you have any questions, please check with your care provider. Fetal Development: Average size is around 6.5 pounds now! The babypractices breathing movements preparing for life outside the womb. His/her grasp becomes firm, and s/he will turn toward light. Multiples: Twins are considered "term" at 37 weeks, and their lanugo will begin to disappear. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 82% of twins weigh less than 6 pounds, 10 ounces at birth. Be sure to visit our Multiples Mania Cubby for lots of info from multiples parents like yourself! Maternal Changes: Vaginal discharge may be heavier now and will have more cervical mucous in it as your body prepares for labor. What position is your baby in? Is it head down or butt first? Whichever position your baby is in now is generally the way s/he will stay. If your baby is breech, you may need a cesarean or your care provider might recommend an external version in which your abdomen is manipulated in such a way that it turns head down. This is successful 60 to 70% of the time. The baby could come at anytime. Is your hospital bag packed yet? Multiples: You're considered term at 37 weeks for twinpregnancies. If You're Planning to Breastfeed: If you're planning to return to work outside the home at some point after delivery, you can still breastfeed your baby. Many moms pump their breasts at work so that baby's careprovider can feed her with expressed breast milk in bottles. Other moms are able to visit the baby during the day for a few feedings while other others take their babies to work with them. Explore your options BEFORE you go back to work (preferrably before you begin maternity leave). Read our articles: Breastfeeding, Pumping and The Working Mom in our Working Parents Cubby Working It Out; Breastfeeding at Work in our Breastfeeding Cubby Ideas for Dad: Remember the Boy Scout motto "Be Prepared"? Unexpected things happen during labor and delivery so try to plan for as many things as possible while keeping in mind that flexibility is important. Try to have all the little details completed beforehand so you can handle the unexpected events. Just what are these little details? How about . . . hospital registration routes to the hospital mapped out and have more than one route in case a road is blocked for whatever reason know where the entrances to the hospital and the parking lots are located lists of phone numbers written out - you might forget an important person or even their number when you're excited/nervous, etc roll of change for the pay telephone or a battery charger/electric cord for your cell phone (but check with the hospital to see if they'll allow you to use a cell phone inside the hospital - most will not!) mom's hospital bag and whatever YOU need at the hospital (change of clothes in case you come from work, etc) infant carseat IN THE CAR ready to go arrange for who will care for any older children if they aren't attending the birth have the camera, video recorder, etc in the car YIKES! All of those last minute details! With these out of the way, Dad, you can be there for mom so take the initiative and be a good Boy Scout. Be prepared! Week 38 (counting from first day of last menstrual period) Around 36 Weeks After Conception Please keep in mind that this information is approximate. Each pregnancy is different and growth rates vary. If you have any questions, please check with your care provider. Fetal Development: The baby may be gaining an ounce a day now. His/her intestines are accumulating lots of meconium (baby's first bowel movement). The circumference of the head and the baby's abdomen are about the same size. Maternal Changes: False labor contractions are irregular and can be very painful. These contractions may be felt in various parts of your body (back, lower abdomen, pelvis). True labor contractions start at the top of your uterus and then spread over the entire uterus, through your lower back and into the pelvis. True labor will become stronger and more painful and won't be alleviated by changing position. Ideas for Dad: You catch a glimpse of Mom's profile and see that big belly . . . and you feel instantly guilty. She's tired, cranky, sick ofpregnancy, can't sleep because she has to get up every 30 minutes to go to the bathroom, has chronic heartburn and indigestion, and her mood is reflective of these late-pregnancy discomforts. You feel responsible, and you know what? You ARE responsible! But let's think about that for a minute. Mom can't conceive without Dad, and Dad can't without Mom. That makes pregnancy a team effort. It's true that you don't have to go through the physical discomforts of pregnancy, but you do have your share of worries and a myriad of conflicting thoughts ~ and you have to watch someone you love change before your very eyes. What's a Dad to do? You know already and that's why you're reading this guide. Just be there for Mom. It's a big job, and you're the best one to do it! You can't bear the brunt of pregnancy physically, but you can help Mom lighten the load considerably. And what do you do when Mom screams at you that "this" is all YOUR fault? Calmly remind her that you couldn't have done it without her part . . . and then run for cover!