36 weeks pregnant discharge?

Week-by-week guide to pregnancy
pregnant woman sitting down
When you're pregnant, you have lots of questions. Our week-by-week pregnancy guide is packed with lots of useful information. From what's happening inside your body, to how your baby is developing, and tips and advice on having a healthy pregnancy – this is your one-stop pregnancy guide!

1st trimester
2nd trimester
3rd trimester

3rd trimester

Our week-by-week pregnancy guide is full of essential information. From advice on writing a birth plan to what to expect at antenatal classes, you'll find it all here.

Week 28
Week 29
Week 30
Week 31
Week 32
Week 33
Week 34
Week 35
Week 36
Week 37
Week 38
Week 39
Week 40
Week 41

Week 36 – your 3rd trimester
What's happening in my body?

You'll have an antenatal appointment around now with your doctor or midwife. This will check on your blood pressure, urine, and the size of your bump.

You may not feel like going, as it's such an effort to get anywhere, but make them a priority. These appointments save lives as they can pick up on changes in your body that you might not be aware of, such as very high blood pressure.

Your baby may already have moved head down into your pelvis, which means that they're in position for labour (or "engaged"). However this doesn't mean that labour's on the way – it could still be weeks away.

If your baby's not head down yet, then you may be offered external cephalic version (ECV). This is where your doctor or midwife gently applies a helping hand to your bump to encourage the baby to turn - it's successful around half the time.
Common ways that babies are born

Here are the main ways of giving birth.
Vaginal delivery

Around 6 out of 10 births in England are vaginal births. This is the most common way that babies are born.

You may need help getting the labour started. This is called induction and can be done by breaking your membranes and/or drugs. You will then go through 3 stages of labour:

You will feel contractions as your cervix opens up (“dilates”) to around 10cm. This stage lasts 6 to 12 hours.
Your baby moves down the birth canal towards the opening of your vagina. You may get the urge to push. Then your baby comes out. This stage lasts up to 3 hours, if it's your first baby, or 2 hours if you've had a baby before.
Your womb contracts and the placenta comes out through your vagina. This could happen naturally or you may need an injection of a drug called oxytocin to speed it up. This stage is usually over within 30 minutes.

Read more about what happens during labour on the NHS website.
Caesarean section

Nearly 3 out of 10 babies are delivered by caesarean. This is a procedure that is ideally planned, but it can also be carried out in an emergency. A 10 to 20cm cut is made in your stomach and womb.

Your baby is delivered through the opening and brought over to you. Then you'll be stitched up and offered an injection of oxytocin to help your womb contract and reduce blood loss. The procedure takes 40 to 50 minutes. You may need to recover in hospital for a few days.

Read more about caesarean sections on the NHS website.
Assisted delivery

Just over 1 in 10 births are 'assisted', which means that the baby needs some help getting out with the use of a ventouse (suction cup) or forceps (surgical tongs). You will be offered a local anaesthetic or epidural (injection in the back) for pain relief. Some women will need an episiotomy (cut) to make it easier to get the baby out. If you tear, or need a cut, then you will be stitched up again.

Read more about assisted delivery on the NHS website.
Having a vaginal birth after a caesarean section

It is possible to have a vaginal birth after a caesarean section. It depends on why you needed a caesarean before. If there's no medical reason to stop you, then your chances of having a vaginal birth this time around are very good. Talk to your doctor or midwife about the pros and cons.
Baby sling safety

Many parents use a sling or baby carrier instead of a pram to keep their baby close to them. If you decide to use a sling, make sure you know how to use it safely, as a small number of deaths from suffocation have been linked to slings.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) advises the safest slings are the ones that hold your baby solidly against your body, in an upright position. Make sure you can see your baby, that their face is not restricted, and their airways are always clear.

The T.I.C.K.S rule to keep your baby safe when wearing a sling or carrier is:

T – Tight

I – In view at all times

C – Close enough to kiss

K – Keep chin off the chest

S – Supported back

Read more about sling safety and the T.I.C.K.S rule on the RoSPA website/
3rd trimester pregnancy symptoms (at 36 weeks)

Have you noticed a bit of wee leaking out when you laugh or cough? This is your body's way of preparing for the birth by relaxing the pelvic floor muscles around the bladder.

It may help to wear maternity pads – it's a good idea to stock up now as you'll need some after the birth. Also try to practise your pelvic floor exercises (read more in Action Stations below).

Your signs of pregnancy could also include:

painless contractions around your bump, known as Braxton Hicks contractions
sleeping problems (week 19 has information about feeling tired)
stretch marks (read about stretch marks on week 17's page)
swollen and bleeding gums (week 13 has information about gum health during pregnancy)
pains on the side of your baby bump, caused by your expanding womb ("round ligament pains")
piles (read about piles on week 22's page)
headaches
backache
indigestion and heartburn (week 25 talks about digestive problems)
bloating and constipation (read about bloating on week 16's page)
leg cramps (week 20 explains how to deal with cramp)
feeling hot
dizziness
swollen hands and feet
urine infections
vaginal infections (see week 15 for vaginal health)
darkened skin on your face or brown patches – this is known as chloasma or the "mask of pregnancy"
greasier, spotty skin
thicker and shinier hair

You may also experience symptoms from earlier weeks, such as:

mood swings (week 8's page has information on mood swings)
morning sickness (read about dealing with morning sickness on week 6's page)
weird pregnancy cravings (read about pregnancy cravings on week 5's page)
a heightened sense of smell
sore or leaky breasts (read about breast pain on week 14's page)
a white milky pregnancy discharge from your vagina and light spotting (seek medical advice for any bleeding)

Read Tommy's guide to common pregnancy symptoms.
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What does my baby look like?

Your baby, or foetus, is around 47.4cm long from head to heel, and weighs about 2.6kg. That's approximately the size of a romaine lettuce and the weight of a small turkey.

By now, your baby's lungs are probably mature enough to breathe outside the womb without any help.

Your baby will also be able to suck and digest breast milk. If you're not sure about breastfeeding yet, read about the benefits of breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding is good for your baby, as it helps to fight off infections. It burns around 300 calories per day. It's also great for bonding. There's no reason the size of your breasts should affect your ability to breastfeed.

Action stations

You should start to prepare the things you will need during the birth now. Make sure that your bag is packed and you that written down your hospital reference number and important phone numbers. Keep your notes where you can quickly grab them.