36th week: The bump is at its highest

Weeks and days
35+0 to 35+6
Month
9
Trimester
3

This week, the fetus gains from about 2,530 to 2,750 grams. The uterus reaches its highest point, at the lower edge of the ribs. If the baby is still lying bottom down, turning it from the outside is possible from 36+0.

Side view of a round baby bump in the 36th week of pregnancy, the hands resting beneath the bump, warm window light
around 2.7 kghow heavy your baby is at the end of the week

Week 36 of 40

Calculate your week
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How big and how heavy is the fetus?

050100150200250300350 mm34th week292 to 30135th week301 to 31036th week310 to 31837th week318 to 327

310 to 318 mm

By the end of the week, the fetus weighs about 2,750 grams. From head to heel, it measures about 44 centimeters.

Crown-rump length according to the values from Archie et al. 2006, weight according to the WHO growth charts.

This week

Your baby

  • The baby swallows amniotic fluid and passes some of it out again. This trains the stomach, kidneys, and bladder.
  • The wall of the uterus now fits closely around the baby. When the baby kicks, it massages the baby's skin and muscles.
  • The cerebral cortex forms more folds.

Your body

  • The uterus is now at its highest, right at the lower edge of your ribs. After that, it sinks a little again.
  • Your ribs may hurt because the baby kicks against them from below. If the pain is severe or sits directly below the ribs, have it checked because of possible preeclampsia.
  • Yellow stains in your bra usually come from the first milk (colostrum). It is rich in antibodies.

What matters now

  • If the baby is suspected to be in the wrong position, health insurance in Germany pays for an additional ultrasound from 35+0.
  • If the baby is still lying bottom down at the end of the week, talk to your doctor or midwife about turning it from the outside (external cephalic version). It is possible from 36+0.
  • In Switzerland, the RSV vaccination is recommended up to 36+0 if the due date falls between October and March. In Austria, the RSV and whooping cough vaccinations should be given no later than four weeks before the due date.

Get checked right away: regular contractions before 37+0, your water breaking, bleeding from the vagina, fewer baby movements than usual, severe headache, vision problems, or pain directly below the ribs.

Gestational sacPlacentaFetus with heartbeat

On ultrasound

  1. 35+0

    Head circumference is on average about 315 mm.

  2. 35+0

    Abdominal circumference measures on average about 307 mm.

  3. 35+0

    Position: From now on, health insurance in Germany pays for an ultrasound if the baby is probably in the wrong position.

In Austria, the fourth ultrasound is scheduled up to the 38th week of pregnancy. In Switzerland, basic health insurance does not pay for a routine ultrasound in the 3rd trimester.

Frequently asked questions about the 36th week of pregnancy

Which month is the 36th week of pregnancy?

The last week of the 9th month of pregnancy, in the 3rd trimester. Figures such as 35+4 weeks also belong to the 36th week of pregnancy.

Can the baby already arrive in the 36th week of pregnancy?

Yes. A birth now is a late preterm birth. In a large study from the USA, 6 out of 100 babies born at 35 completed weeks had respiratory distress syndrome. One week earlier, it was about 10 out of 100.

Can the baby still turn in the 36th week of pregnancy?

Yes, some babies only move into the right position when labor begins. Turning the baby from the outside succeeds in about half of women. If the baby stays in the breech position and a cesarean section is planned, it usually takes place about one week before the due date.

I have no colostrum yet in the 36th week of pregnancy. Is that normal?

It varies. Some pregnant women produce colostrum weeks or months before the birth. The actual milk comes in about 3 to 5 days after the birth.

Sources

Updated on 31 October 2026 · Fertilio Editorial Team