Your Nutrients of This Week¹

Balanced Nutrition
At 36 weeks, your balanced nutrition now is not only nourishing you and your baby, but also is establishing a strong foundation for breastfeeding and your body’s timely recovery after delivery. So well-balanced nutrition is essential.

Your Wellness Tips This Week

Gentle Exercise
Continuing consistent gentle exercise can give you long-term energy. Walking is a great example of exercise you usually can continue through labour.

Your Baby's Development at Week 36²

At the end of 36 weeks of pregnancy, your baby will be considered full-term! Although he has more growing to do after that time, it’s exciting to know his arrival is approaching quickly.

• Your baby has grown almost completely into his skin that was once so oversized.
• He now has a fully rounded face, in part because his powerful sucking muscles are now developed and ready to get to work.
• Although your baby’s bones are hardening, his skull remains soft and flexible for his birth.
• At 36 weeks of pregnancy, your baby probably weighs about 2.7 kg or slightly more, which may make it harder for him to move or stretch.

Your Changing Body at Week 36

Your body continues to make both physical and mental preparations for the big day that’s fast approaching. Here’s what you can expect at your 36th week of pregnancy:

Feel the Need to Nest?³
If you feel an unusual surge of energy and a compelling need to clean, decorate, or organise, you might be experiencing what’s called nesting.

• Nesting can be useful in moderation if it helps to occupy your mind during the wait for your baby to arrive.
• Accomplishing tasks now can give you more time after your baby is home. It’s a good time to launder 0-3 month clothes and place them in drawers, prepare your baby’s crib, and set up the diaper pail.
• Just try not to overdo it and wear yourself out.

Noticing Symptoms? ²
You might continue to notice several of the typical late-pregnancy symptoms.

• Your cervix might start to dilate in the weeks, days, or hours before the birth of your baby. Every woman and even every pregnancy is different.
• Joints and tissues in your body continue to soften and loosen as your body prepares for your baby’s birth. This might be especially significant in your pelvic area.
• You might continue to feel hip pain on one side or lower-back pain.
• Braxton-Hicks contractions might become more frequent as you edge closer to your due date. Remember, these practical contractions play an important role in helping your body rehearse for childbirth.
• You might notice more practice contractions after physical activity or if you are not getting enough fluids.

What are Braxton-Hicks (false labour) Contractions?⁴

• Irregular and remain irregular
• Don’t get closer together as time passes
• Often are weak and stay that way (might have stronger contractions followed by weaker ones)
• Stop when you rest, walk, or change positions
• Vary in length and intensity
• Don’t affect your cervix
• Pain usually felt only in the front

What are True Labour Contractions?⁴

• Regular intervals or regular pattern
• Contractions grow closer together over time
• Increase in strength/intensity over time
• Keep coming no matter what you do
• Usually last 30 to 90 seconds (shorter when they begin and get progressively longer and stronger)
• Cause cervix to dilate (open)
• Pain begins in back and moves to front

References:

1. Healthhub. Healthy Eating in Trimester 2. Available [Online] at: https://www.healthhub.sg/live-healthy/1716/healthy-eating-in-trimester-2. Accessed on 30 August 2023.
2. What to expect. 36 Weeks Pregnant. Available [Online] at: https://www.whattoexpect.com/pregnancy/week-by-week/week-36.aspx. Accessed on 30 August 2023.
3. American Pregnancy Association. Nesting During Pregnancy. Available [Online] at: https://americanpregnancy.org/healthy-pregnancy/pregnancy-health-wellness/nesting-during-pregnancy/. Accessed on 30 August 2023.
4. MedicalNewsToday. How to tell if contractions are real. Available [Online] at: https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324326. Accessed on 30 August 2023.
* Comparison among all maternal milk in Singapore as of January 2022, as declared on the label.

IN-SIM-JUL-2024-1721734810