Week 36
Fat is deposited on the cheeks of your baby, and powerful sucking muscles also contribute to your baby’s full face. Your baby now weighs approximately 6 pounds (2,750 grams).

With about a month to go, now might be a good time to do all the interesting things before your baby is born, like taking a tour of the hospital’s birth facilities, putting the final touches on the baby nursery and ensuring that your house is going to be safe for the new addition to the family. Your baby could drop into the birth canal now at any moment. So make sure you have your hospital bags packed and everything is organized for when the magical time comes.

Starting this week, you may begin to see your health care provider every week. Your doctor or midwife may give you an internal exam to determine if cervical effacement (thinning of the cervix) or dilation (opening of the cervix) has begun.

You may experience engagement (also known as lightening), which is when the baby drops into the mother’s pelvis in preparation for labor. Your appetite may return because the baby is no longer putting as much pressure on your stomach and intestines, and if you’ve been experiencing heartburn, the baby’s descent may somewhat alleviate it.

Lastly, from 36 weeks onward, you need to schedule weekly prenatal care appointments.