32 Weeks Pregnant
What’s up with your baby when you are 32 weeks pregnant? Well, she’s starting to get ready for her big debut, tipping the scales at almost four pounds and topping out at just about 19 inches. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair. Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth. You’re gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she’ll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. At 32 weeks pregnant, your blood volume has increased 40 to 50 percent to accommodate you and your baby’s growing needs.
In these past few weeks, it’s all about practice, practice and more practice as she hones the skills she’ll need to thrive outside the womb, from kicking to breathing or sucking to swallowing and sucking. Speaking of sucking, your little one has been able to suck her thumb for a while now. Another thing you’ll notice when you are 32 weeks pregnant is that as more and more fat accumulates under your baby’s skin, she’s becoming less transparent and more opaque!
Your body may start prepping for delivery day by literally flexing its muscles when you are 32 weeks pregnant. If you feel your uterus bunching or hardening periodically, those are just practice contractions, otherwise known as Braxton Hicks. These rehearsals when 32 weeks pregnant, which are typically experienced earlier and with more intensity in women who’ve been pregnant before, feel like a tightening sensation that begins at the top of your uterus and then spreads downward, lasting from 15 to 30 seconds even though they can sometimes last two minutes or more. If they aren’t the real thing, they’ll stop if you change position – you can try walking if you’ve been sitting or getting up if you’re lying down.
To minimize that gassy feeling when you are 32 weeks pregnant, aim for eating six small meals a day instead of the three large ones so that you don’t strain your digestive system which is being taxed enough by your growing belly bearing down on it.
When 32 weeks pregnant, your slower metabolism which has slowed down to give the food you eat, more time to enter the bloodstream and nourish your baby, can cause bloating. Stick to your pregnancy diet and drink plenty of water to avoid constipation, which aggravates bloating. Your growing uterus is cramping your bowels, making them sluggish and irregular. Get some regular exercise (anything helps, from brisk walks to prenatal yoga), and drink plenty of fluids when you are 32 weeks pregnant.
Feeling faint or light-headed at 32 weeks pregnant can be a result of any number of things, including low blood sugar. Always carry a protein-and-carb-rich snack in your bag to munch on when you feel dizzy. With your uterus pushing up near your diaphragm and crowding your stomach, the consequences may be shortness of breath and heartburn. To help relieve your discomfort, you could try sleeping propped up with pillows and eating smaller meals more often. Granola bars, trail mix, or soy chips are a great choice, and may keep light-headedness at bay.
When you are 32 weeks pregnant, hemorrhoids, which are actually varicose veins in the rectum, can be quite painful, especially if you spend a lot of time sitting. Ice packs or witch hazel can soothe, as can warm baths.
Without any warning, you may feel a painful spasm in your calves and no one is quite sure what causes the pain or why it is worse at night when you are 32 weeks pregnant! Many say that it is lack of calcium and magnesium in your diet. Ask your practitioner whether you can take an extra calcium supplement would be a good idea, and be certain you’re devouring your dose of daily dairy of cheese and yogurt!
That swelling belly is getting itchier and itchier, as the skin stretches and dries out by the time you are 32 weeks pregnant. If slathering creams or moisturizers don’t help, you can try calamine or some other type of anti-itch lotion that soothe more-stubborn cases. Or add oatmeal to your bath and have a soak in warm – not hot water.
Your breasts get bigger when you are 32 weeks pregnant – they may also leak a yellowish fluid called colostrum, which is the precursor to breast milk. This liquid, packed with protein and antibodies, is the first milk that your baby will get. If the leaks are getting uncomfortable, it would be a good idea to try wearing nursing pads.
Here are some general tips that you may want to work on and keep in mind to plan ahead for the D-Day:
A tried-and-true prenatal tool and a window into the wonderful world of your womb is the ultrasound. While the FDA has yet to establish rules on these prenatal photography studios, they do warn against having ultrasounds for fun (as opposed to for medical reasons), since such three-dimensional imaging machines use much higher power than the typical ultrasound machines at your doctor’s office. Many medical professionals fear that nervous moms-to-be will come away upset that there’s something wrong with their babies since these are often not done by a pro. If you do choose elective sonograms, do so wisely only after you consult with your practitioner. While there’s nothing more precious than seeing your baby in three dimensions, limit your visits to one or two, each no more than 15 minutes in length. Some studios charge up to $300 for a photo, CD-ROM, and a video of the fetus, so don’t forget to bring your wallet along!
Childbirth is an intensely personal experience, as is your decision whether or not you want to have additional family members, friends, or labor coaches in the birthing room with you. Some husbands or partners may be confused about their role in the birth or reluctant to participate if others are present. If you bring outside relatives, make sure your partner is on board with the plan.
You may be under pressure from your mother or mother-in-law who wants to be present for the birth of their grandchild — regardless of your wishes to keep the experience private. If you want to be alone with your partner, don’t be afraid to enlist hospital staff for support in carrying out your wishes and keeping relatives out of the delivery room.
Labor and delivery nurses come and go according to their shifts, so if you’d like to be attended continuously by one person, a private labor coach or doula is a good option. In fact, some research shows that women attended by labor assistants have shorter labors, fewer labor complications, and healthier newborns. You should also give serious thought to having a doula present if you’re set on having a drug-free birth.
Your friends and family will want to pitch in after your baby’s born, but many new moms are too overwhelmed to direct household help. Start preparing right now and see if anyone offers to help during the newborn weeks, write down their name and number. Select one friend to set up a schedule and see so that all the friends who wish to help are given a date on which they can bring you a meal. Create a master grocery list so you can hand it off to a friend. Create a childcare or ride schedule for older children. Line up a friend or neighbor to take out your garbage, walk your dog or feed your pets.