Thirty-Five to Thirty-Six Week Visit
Body Changes
Sometimes a feeling of faintness or dizziness can occur late in pregnancy. This may be from low blood pressure, which can occur if you stand for a long time or from standing up too quickly. When standing for a long time, move around frequently and drink lots of fluids. Give yourself frequent rest periods and put your feet up. Dizziness may also be from low blood sugar or from anemia (low iron). Eat healthy foods in small amounts at frequent intervals. Another discomfort that may be more noticeable is pain in the groin or lower abdomen from the stretching of your ligaments. You may also experience a backache. Good posture, good body mechanics, and stretching may help.
Fetal Growth
Your baby is now about 18 inches long and may weigh as much as five to six pounds. If born now, the baby’s chances for survival without intensive care are excellent. You are probably getting anxious for labor and birth to happen. Some feel as if the time has gone by too fast and others feel they have been pregnant forever.
Specific Instructions for this Month
- Make sure you have a pediatrician.
- Pack your bag!
Group B Streptococcus Test (GBS): With cultures, samples are taken from your vagina, perineum, and rectum at your obstetric visit. If your culture is positive for GBS, you should receive antibiotics during your labor to help GBS from being passed to your baby. GBS is one of the many bacteria that do not usually cause serious illness to the mother but left untreated, can be harmful to your baby during labor and delivery.