Week 36

Your Baby’s Development:

With only five or so weeks left to go, your baby is still packing on fat and his or her lungs are almost finished developing. Your baby is beginning to shed the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that protects the skin from amniotic fluids. Surfactant, a natural combination of fats and proteins, lines the inside of the lungs in greater amounts this week; this chemical compound makes the individual air sacs in the lungs more stable, which prevents his or her tiny lungs from collapsing from breathing air instead of amniotic fluid.

What You Should Expect:

Aches and pains are nothing new to you by now and they might continue to increase in severity until your baby is born. Remember to rest up often; after all, once you meet your bundle of joy, you will not get to enjoy an uninterrupted night’s sleep for some time. Be sure to change positions frequently to prevent stiffness and pain, take short walks frequently to keep your muscles toned and be sure you are drinking plenty of fluids to stay hydrated.