Pregnancy Week 36: Fetal Development, Infant CPR & Your Labor Playlist Pregnancy Weekly

About Baby

Baby weighs about 6 pounds now and may be 18 to 19 inches long. She's as long as the head of romaine lettuce you bought for that Caesar salad. Baby’s growth is about to slow way down. Phew! Don’t want her too big before she makes her way through the birth canal. Are you thinking she’s still pretty big for that narrow passageway? Well, her bones and cartilage are still on the soft side, so that will help her make the trip easier on her and you. Bones and cartilage are not the only thing that will finish developing after birth. Her digestive system, while developed, will take a little time to get used to not having an umbilical cord to rely on. At the end of week 36, your baby is considered “early term.” Full-term is right around the corner!

Photo: Baby at 36 weeks of development

About Mom

Lightening may occur at any time now (no, it’s nothing to do with a thunderstorm). Lightening is the process of your baby lowering into the pelvis, and it occurs just before labor begins. But remember, not all pregnancies and babies are the same, so some do not drop at all before labor. If your baby does drop, it will take some pressure off and you should be able to breathe a little easier. Your energy may increase around this time, too, due to an increase in adrenaline and just the excitement of your baby arriving so soon.

Have you thought about taking an infant CPR class? We don’t like to think about the prospect of a child stopping breathing, but being prepared can save a life. The fact is that almost one in four parents do not know how to administer infant CPR. Take a class at your local YMCA, American Red Cross or community center. Why not throw a CPR party and invite your friends and family? Get with your local hospital or community center about qualified teachers to teach the life-saving skill at your home or rec center. Add some appetizers and it’s a party that could save a life!

The UK charity, St. John Ambulance, has released a short video that uses nursery rhyme characters to remind caregivers and parents of what to do in such an event. Watch the infant CPR video!

Labor and Delivery Playlist

Ready to create your music playlist for labor and delivery? Music can be a great way to motivate and relax you through pregnancy. Download a variety of songs to keep yourself together during the phases of raging hormones and your impending labor. Here’s a few fun songs to consider for the labor and delivery process:

• "I’m Coming Out" by Diana Ross

• "I Will Survive" by Gloria Gaynor

• "Can’t Stop the Feelin’" by Justin Timberlake

• "Push It" by Salt-N-Peppa

• "At Last" by Etta James

• "Under Pressure" by Queen David Bowie

Here are 57 more songs for your pregnancy playlist! 

Bump Talk

“In giving birth to our babies, we may find that we give birth to new possibilities within ourselves.” – Myla and Jon Kabat-Zinn, mindfulness and meditation experts 

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