At 36 weeks pregnant you are in the third trimester, with about 4 weeks to go until a 40-week due date. Weeks are counted from the first day of your last period, so this is roughly month 9 of pregnancy.
How big is your baby at 36 weeks?
Around week 36, your baby is often compared to a romaine lettuce. Fruit and vegetable comparisons are a friendly way to picture the size, not an exact measurement.
From the INTERGROWTH-21st international standard (University of Oxford), the median estimated fetal weight at 36 weeks is about 2.59 kg. Most healthy babies fall between roughly 1.91 kg and 3.38 kg (about the 2nd to 98th percentile). Scan estimates carry some margin of error, so a number on its own is rarely a reason to worry. Our guide on reading the weight on your scan report explains more, and the baby weight checker lets you enter your own report.
The third trimester runs from week 28 until birth. The baby gains most of its weight now, and your body prepares for labour.
Your body at 36 weeks
Baby may drop lower, so breathing gets easier but pelvic pressure increases. Check-ups become more frequent.
What is going on
The baby may settle head-down into your pelvis, called lightening. You may breathe easier but feel more pressure low in the pelvis, with more frequent urination.
What can help
Check-ups are now often weekly. Ask your doctor to explain the signs of labour and when to come in.
Other weeks
34 weeks pregnant · 35 weeks pregnant · 37 weeks pregnant · 38 weeks pregnant
See all weeks on the pregnancy week by week page, or try the interactive week-by-week guide.