36 Weeks Pregnant? Here’s What No One Tells You (But You Need to Know!)

EP 111:

You made it, bestie—you’re 36 weeks pregnant! 🎉 The finish line is in sight, but let’s be real… these last few weeks can feel like a rollercoaster on turbo speed. From tight hips and weird dreams to knowing when contractions are “just practice” and when it’s go-time—this episode spills it all.

In this week’s guide, I’ll walk you through:
 ✔️ What’s really happening in your body at 36 weeks
✔️ Surprising hacks to survive the final month without losing your mind
✔️ How to prep for labor (mentally and physically) so you feel confident walking into the big day
✔️ Breastfeeding prep you can start before baby arrives

PLUS: a bonus tip most OBs don’t even mention that can actually make labor smoother. 👏

👉 Grab my Bump To Bundle Blueprint course to get the exact tools, tips, and step-by-step guidance for labor, birth, and breastfeeding prep. It’s like having a doula, lactation consultant, and best friend in your pocket.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

•  Get the Bump To Bundle Blueprint 
•  How NOT To Tear During Birth
• Subscribe to my YouTube channel for new weekly episodes 

Transcript

0:05

Hi, I'm Stephanie Poole, founder and CEO of Birth Prep Academy. I'm on a mission to help pregnant moms prepare for their first hospital birth. I'm sharing revealing conversations about what it really takes to successfully transition into motherhood. So join me. Here to discover things like what to expect in childbirth, how to prepare for your birth. We'll also talk about breastfeeding and so much more. I'm so grateful to share it all with you right here on Oh Baby, the podcast created for pregnant moms preparing for their first hospital birth. Let's get started. So you are 36 weeks pregnant. Oh my goodness. Congratulations mama. You are officially in the home stretch, but let me tell you, this last month can actually feel like a whole roller coaster on Fast Forward. And here's the thing, nobody really tells you what it's actually like right now, like how to manage your super tight pelvis, what those crazy dreams might mean, or how to prep your body for labor without stressing yourself out. Stick with me because by the end of this video you are gonna know the real signs. Your body is gearing up for labor and what's normal versus when to call your provider. We're gonna talk about little known hacks to survive the last four weeks without losing your mind. And how to prep for breastfeeding before your baby even arrives so that you don't panic later. Oh, and I've got a bonus tip that most OBEs never mention, and it's a total game changer for making your labor smoother, so you're not gonna wanna miss this one. Now. With that being said, let's hop right in. Let's start by talking about what's happening in your body right now. At 36 weeks, your baby is practically ready to make their debut. They're about 18 to 19 inches long and way around six pounds. Basically something like a small watermelon. Your pelvis is looser thanks to a hormone called relaxin, which is prepping your joints and ligaments for labor. This is why you might be waddling a little or feeling that extra achy sensation in your hips and lower back. Now let's talk about something that I've mentioned before, which is the Braxton Hicks contractions, and you're gonna hear me talk about it over the next few weeks because we are in the home stretch. So you're gonna likely see them starting to creep in if you haven't already. In fact, they're probably showing up more frequently. So remember, these are practice contractions, not the real deal, but they do help your uterus get ready for labor. Now, here's a pro tip. If these contractions start feeling regular, painful, and intense, or if you notice your water breaking, don't wait. Call your provider immediately. Timing. These contractions can save you stress later. And by the way, I have a contraction timer, PDF, that is free to download. I'll leave it linked in the description box below, so be sure to check that out. Now coming up next, I'm going to show you three things that your doctor might not mention that can actually speed up your labor naturally. And one thing you should never try on your own. Stay tuned for tip three because it's a total game changer. All right. Now, before we jump into all of that, goodness, let's start by just talking about some practical hacks for these last few weeks. First up is the pelvic floor prep. Now you might be wondering what is that? I'm so glad you asked. It is things like gentle stretches, squats and perineal massage. And here's a spoiler alert. I do have a mini course that will be dropping. Very soon. If you want exclusive access at an exclusive price, you definitely wanna check the description below to learn more. All right. Now this pelvic floor prep is really important because as I mentioned before, it can really help to reduce tearing and also making your pushing a lot easier. So definitely you want to get in on, preparing your pelvic floor. The next thing I wanna cover is energy management. This is not the time to marathon. Clean your house. Focus on just short bursts of activities like walking or light prenatal stretches to keep your circulation up without overdoing it. Now let's move quickly to sleeping tips. Using pillows to prop between your knees or under your belly can really help reduce that sciatic nerve pain that can kick up in these last few weeks as you are carrying around a little bit more weight because of the baby growing at such a rapid pace, using pillow. To prop up during this time really helps your sleep to be more tolerable, even if you're still waking up every two to three hours. So definitely keep that in mind. Okay, so you guys know that I love to include fun facts about pregnancy and birth and all the things, right? So check this out. Studies show that women who practice those gentle prenatal stretches that I mentioned before and the perineal prep, they actually report less labor pain and fewer tears. So. I'm not just telling you something to give you something to do to as busy work. No. These things are evidence-based and have been found to improve the labor and birth experience, so keep that in mind. All right. Now let's talk about a few symptoms that I want you to watch out for. And I want to kind of cover what you could potentially be seeing and what you should reach out to your doctor for. So you could potentially see light spotting, or you could have some pelvic pressure or even some increased discharge. All of that is usually normal at this stage, right? There is a possibility that you could see some of those things, however. If you see a sudden gush of fluid, if you notice any heavy bleeding or severe pain, I want you to reach out to your doctor asap. Now, let me also say, if you notice anything that feels off to you that we didn't talk about here, or maybe we talked about it, right? Maybe you're feeling that pelvic pressure and although it is something that. Women notice at this stage, if anything about that pelvic pressure feels off to you, I want you to reach out to your provider. Mama, that is what they are there for, and they can help to assess where you are based on your medical history, and I always prefer with my own clients to err on the side of caution. I am very cautionary when it comes to my one-on-one in-person clients. I, I, I don't like to try and stretch it with them. I like for them, all of us, to be on the same page and for mom and baby to be well. And sometimes that means reaching out to your provider for things that just. Feel a little off, so don't hesitate on calling your provider if anything feels off to you or if you notice any of those symptoms that I've mentioned previously. All right. Now, I promised a tip that obs rarely mention. Later in the video, I'm going to reveal a simple five minute daily routine that can actually help your baby get into the best position for birth. And trust me, you'll wanna start this today if you haven't already. Now, before we dive into all of that, let's talk about preparing your mind and body for labor. There's a few different ways that you can actually do this. First up is visualization and breathing. Spend 10 minutes a day imagining your ideal birth. Use deep, slow breathing to relax your muscles and calm your mind. Also, now is a good time to pack your hospital bag, which spoiler alert, there's a free PDF in the description box. Y'all is stuffed. Just packed full down there. So don't skip the description box. Be sure to check it below. All right, so pack your hospital bag and you want to finalize your birth plan as well. I mean, at 36 weeks it's. Pretty much go time. Go time can be anytime, actually. So make sure that your bag is packed, snacks included, and your birth preferences are written down. Even if things don't go exactly as planned. Having a plan reduces anxiety, so it's worth putting some things on paper or. In your notes app, right? All right, now let's talk about that baby position. In order to encourage an optimal fetal position, you can try sitting on your birthing ball, opening up your pelvis really allows your baby to come down and get into the optimal position. Also, lean forward over some pillows or the birthing ball, and also do gentle hip circles. Actually, there's evidence that shows that babies in an anterior position, which means chin to chest facing your spine, often have shorter labor and fewer interventions. So if we can get baby into that optimal fetal position, then you are positioning yourself for a smoother birth. Now if you think that. This is it. Hold up. You know me. I like to bring the heat, so I've got a bonus hack at the end of this video that's gonna be perfect for first time moms who is terrified of breastfeeding because yes, you can start before your baby. Even arrives. Now, with that being said, let's talk about how you can really start preparing for breastfeeding. So one of the first things that you can do to start prepping for your breastfeeding journey is to simply harvest colostrum. You can gently express your colostrum if your provider approves. It's a small but powerful way to get your body ready. The next thing that you can do is a little nipple prep, and that simply means just moisturizing and gentle massages, which can reduce nipple soreness in the first few days. The next thing is for you to do mindset prep. The more you know ahead of time, the less stressed you'll be. So take a peek at some of the breastfeeding positions, some latch techniques and common newborn behaviors before your baby comes. So here's a quick recap. Your body is almost ready. Your baby is in home stretch, and a few small hacks like gentle stretching, positioning, and mental prep can actually make a huge difference. If you want a full step-by-step guide for these last four weeks covering labor, birth, and postpartum, I've got you covered with Bump To Bundle Blueprint. It's like having a doula, and cheerleader in your pocket. Click the link below to check it out and you can start practicing all of these hacks today so that you're confident. Calm and ready when baby decides it's time. And don't forget to comment below. What's your biggest worry at 36 weeks? I read every comment and I love chatting with you. So go ahead and drop it below so we can have a quick chat. All right, I'll see you in the next video. I.