36-Week-Old Baby
The little bundle that used to live in a carrier is now leaping out of your arms and making moves…sometimes even dangerous ones. You turn around and baby’s across the room, making baby proofing ever more pressing. It’s an exciting time, as nerve-wracking as it might be. Here’s a closer look at what you can expect in 36-week-old baby development.
Growth
On average, a 36-week-old boy is 28 inches long and weighs 19.2 pounds. The average size for girls at the 36-week mark is 27.3 inches long, weighing 17.7 pounds. Your pediatrician will chart baby's growth at well visits—but don’t be afraid to ask any questions.
Emerging skills
Your 36-week-old is doing all the things. With independent sitting likely crossed off the list, it’s time to scoot and crawl and even start pulling to stand. Baby’s also babbling and getting ready for those first words, as well as learning about cause-and-effect: like that swiping at a block tower with your hand will send it toppling to the ground.
Feeding
While breast milk or formula are still the menu mainstays, by 36 weeks baby is settling into a pattern of solids-based meals and snacks that's starting to look more like your own. If you’re breastfeeding, you can keep up with your usual five or so sessions a day. If bottle-feeding, you can continue giving your 36-week-old around five bottles a day, typically not exceeding 32 ounces in 24 hours. This could also be a good time to get ahead on baby’s skills with a sippy cup, since the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends phasing out bottles between 12 and 18 months—but says you should ideally start practicing earlier. Continue to offer baby three meals and a couple of snacks a day, but no big deal if they don’t eat a full meal every time.
Sleep
Sleep is crucial for your 36-week-old's growth and development, so they should be getting around 12 to 16 hours during each 24-hour period. Nine to 12 of those should happen at night (hopefully, in an uninterrupted stretch), with the rest occurring during one morning and one afternoon nap. That's the goal, at least. Separation anxiety, teething and more can cause night wakeups—which you can’t always prevent. Continue to stick to your nap schedule and bedtime rituals to set the stage for good sleep habits.
Baby has been on a solid two-nap-a-day schedule for a while, but seems to be on a nap strike now. What's going on?
Chances are you're dealing with a sleep regression. It’s possible baby is avoiding a nap in order to practice a new skill (crawling? Pulling up?) or maybe is just in the mood to play or hang out with you. Whatever the reason (and you might never know what it is), make sure you’ve optimized your nap schedule to baby’s sleep needs and keep offering consistent nap times. Be patient—eventually, baby will get back to napping regularly.
Baby is suddenly scared of things that didn’t used to bother them. What’s happening?
Maybe your little one has developed an aversion to the dark bedroom or the loud vacuum cleaner. Or perhaps your former social butterfly now shies away from strangers. It's natural to worry about these sudden changes, but starting around 8 months, new fears can be a normal part of baby's social and emotional development. You'll find the most success by simply avoiding or minimizing the scary things. If the dark is a problem, add a nightlight to the room. When you can't avoid a fearful situation, make it a point to comfort and reassure baby as much as possible to help them feel safe. If you're going to a family gathering with unfamiliar faces, for instance, snuggle baby close while you greet people.
Modeling emotional intelligence
Now that baby’s inching closer to toddlerhood, it’s time to start thinking about modeling actions and behaviors that teach kindness and emotional regulation. You can do this by working on regulating your own emotions, such as practicing calming down in frustrating situations. Also, point out behaviors that you’d like baby to emulate. For example, you can say something like, "Daddy is sharing his umbrella with Mommy. Thank you for sharing, Daddy." Finally, you can show baby how to verbalize feelings without making hurtful statements about others. If baby’s crying in their car seat, you can say, "You're mad because you don't want to be in the car."
Babyproofing
Now that your 36-week-old is on the move, it’s time to get serious about putting up gates, protecting sharp corners, anchoring furniture that could tip over, tying back loose cords, locking up low cabinets, covering outlets and more. If it all sounds like a lot, don't worry: Our baby proofing checklist has you covered.
- Set boundaries when you’re feeling touched out. It’s easy to get “touched out” when you’re in near-constant contact with baby. Taking preventive steps to reclaim your space before you're on the verge of losing it tends to work best. Block out time for yourself on the calendar every day, even if it's just taking a walk while your partner or a caregiver handles baby’s needs. Remember: It's perfectly okay to set boundaries for yourself.
- Baby gates. With baby becoming more and more mobile, it’s important to block off stairwells and other hazardous household areas with properly installed baby gates.
Chances are, your trusty baby mirror has been a source of fascination for baby for months. Continue nurturing this pleasure by playing mirror games: Touch different parts of baby's face and name them, saying, "This is your nose!" or "That's your hair." You can also make different faces in the mirror and name the corresponding emotions.
Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.
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