You at 36 weeks pregnant If your baby's head has 'engaged' (entered the pelvic cavity), you might be feeling more pressure lower down in your pelvis. You might even feel baby's head putting pressure on your cervix, which can be quite uncomfortable. You'll probably need to go to the toilet even more often.
At 36 weeks of pregnancy, experiencing lower back pain and stomach tightening is a common occurrence that many expectant mothers may encounter. As the body prepares for childbirth, the ligaments and muscles supporting the uterus stretch and become more flexible, resulting in sensations of tightness in the stomach area.
Around 36 weeks, you may feel your baby drop lower as they settle into your pelvis. This is sometimes called “lightening,” as the process may release some pressure from your lungs and diaphragm.
These are the "practice contractions", which can feel uncomfortable but should not be painful. You could also be getting a sudden urge to spring clean. That's your "nesting" instinct kicking in. Just don't overdo it: you should try to rest as much as possible.
A few hours before labour begins, you may also feel some digestive discomfort, and even have diarrhea. This upset stomach is your body's (clever) way of preparing you for delivery (by evacuating anything that might get in the way).
Labor contractions usually cause discomfort or a dull ache in your back and lower abdomen, along with pressure in the pelvis.
If you have any of these signs or symptoms before your 37th week of pregnancy, you may be experiencing preterm labor: Change in your vaginal discharge (watery, mucus or bloody) or more vaginal discharge than usual. Pressure in your pelvis or lower belly, like your baby is pushing down. Constant low, dull backache.
If your baby drops down into your pelvis, you may feel additional pressure in your lower abdomen, which may make walking increasingly uncomfortable. If your baby is very low, you may feel lots of vaginal pressure and discomfort as well.
Doctors recommend that babies remain inside the womb until at least 39 weeks, if possible, for the best outcomes. Babies born at 36 weeks may face challenges, such as health complications and developmental delays into childhood. Being aware of these difficulties allows the parents and doctor to put a plan in place.
Some women may develop pelvic pain in pregnancy. This is sometimes called pregnancy-related pelvic girdle pain (PGP) or symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD). PGP is a collection of uncomfortable symptoms caused by a stiffness of your pelvic joints or the joints moving unevenly at either the back or front of your pelvis.
In the days before labour starts, you might notice some subtle signs. It can be hard to tell them apart from your normal pregnancy discomforts. You might notice a change in the discharge from your vagina or a few cramps in your abdomen. You may have a low, dull ache in your back that can come and go.
Baby dropping signs and symptoms
You need to urinate even more often than before because of increased pressure on your bladder. You have increasing discomfort when you walk. (You may waddle.) You may have back pain as your baby puts increased pressure on the muscles and joints in your lower back.
How Do You Feel 24 Hours Before Labor? Some of the most common things women experience when labor is 24 hours away are cramps and contractions. You might feel that your stomach is becoming tight and may experience discomfort in your lower back. Along with that, you might also experience cramps in your pelvic area.
However, a sudden increase of fetal movements is a sign of acute fetal distress, such as in cases of cord complications or abruptio placentae. Decreased fetal movements are seen in cases of chronic fetal distress such as preeclampsia, hypertension in pregnancy, etc.
You may feel a bit anxious about or afraid of giving birth. This is very common. Pregnancy and childbirth are major life events, so don't be hard on yourself for having these feelings. Talking to your midwife and doing some positive things to prepare for labour may help.
Maternal stress has also been shown to have a significant association with increased fetal motor activity at 24, 30, and 36 weeks gestation [28].
Aches, pains and looser joints
This will help your body stretch and flex during delivery, but you may feel discomfort or pain in your pelvic area. As your due day approaches, it's also common to feel a bit wobbly, particularly in your hips and lower back.
Early dilation often feels like menstrual cramps as the cervical changes cause pain and cramping noticed in the lower part of the uterus. It is the same sensation and location as menstrual cramps. Active labor tends to be felt in a larger area but can be a similar sensation as cramping (with more intensity of course).
The first stage of labor and birth occurs when you begin to feel persistent contractions. These contractions become stronger, more regular and more frequent over time. They cause the cervix to open (dilate) and soften as well as shorten and thin (efface) to allow your baby to move into the birth canal.
Lightening – feeling the baby drop. With your first baby, this usually occurs 2-3 days before your due date. After it occurs, you might experience frequent urination, pelvic pressure, or increased swelling or cramps in your legs, often in one leg more than the other.