Welcome to month 8 of your pregnancy! At32 weeks pregnant, your baby is gradually preparing to push itself out of the womb as soon as possible! By this time you might get busy with the health insurance to-dos. The 32 week foetus is now like a squash, weighing 3.8 pounds and about 16.7 inches long. Your belly is definitely getting heavier with each passing day.
Read More:Week 27 of Pregnancy – Pregnancy Week by Week
32 Weeks Pregnant Symptoms
Light “ribbing”
In week 32 of pregnancy, you are likely to feel that the baby is crowding the area around your rib cage and is probably kicking the lower portion of it. At times the baby might stick up its foot up your lower rib cage. Try moving around and lying in different positions sideways to get the foot moving.
Heartburn
At this stage, indigestion is common as your body is going through major hormonal changes. Steer clear of oily and spicy foods. Along with indigestion, you are likely to experience heartburn and nausea. Consult your doctor if it causes too much discomfort. You will be provided with oral medicines to counter the heartburn.
Read More: Heartburn During Pregnancy
Increased Braxton Hicks contractions
As already mentioned during the earlier weeks, this will keep increasing more and more with each stage of pregnancy passing by. There are periodic abdominal contractions that signify that your body is toning the muscles in preparation for labour. If these cramps cause excruciating pain and constant irritation, consult your doctor immediately, as these may be signs of pre-term labour too.
Darker nipples
As you are getting ready to breastfeed, your nipples and areola are adapting to the changes in your body and mammary glands. Hence, you might see that they are turning darker and harder.
Sudden spurt in vaginal discharge
At 32 weeks pregnant, there is again a sudden increase in your vaginal discharge. This is another way your body is getting ready for delivery. The discharge prevents infections down there. The discharge is thick mucus. If you see that the discharge is more watery, it is a sign that your water might have broken. Consult your doctor immediately.
Read More:Vaginal Discharge During Pregnancy: Ultimate Guide
32 Weeks Pregnant Belly
By the time you’re 32 weeks pregnant, your belly should ideally measure about 30 to 34 centimetres from the top of the uterus to the pelvic bone. Around this period, the foetus might “drop” from near the rib cage to the pelvic region, where it will remain in a head-downwards position until delivery.
Pregnancy Ultrasound
You will most likely have a check-up during this week, to ensure that the baby’s development is fine. The baby is getting more cramped in there as it is rapidly growing. Your uterus might now feel heavier as you are carrying about 2 pints of amniotic fluid in which the baby is floating. As the baby grows, the amniotic fluid will decrease gradually. During the 32 weeks pregnancy ultrasound, you can see how the baby is floating upside down inside the womb, and is occasionally laughing while kicking you! The little one is getting naughty already!
Dos and Don’ts During Week 32 of Pregnancy
Dos –
Delivery Drill: Do a detailed tour of the hospital that you’ve booked for delivery. Visit the labour room and the postpartum room. Make sure that both your partner and you get slightly acquainted to the receptionist too. You might be wondering why. These should be done to avoid last minute doubts and searching operations that might keep you writhing in pain for longer.
Exercise: Keep doing the regular activities as much as you can. Walk short distances and do the basic stretches to keep your body active and your 32 week foetus energetic. Sitting and lazing around might lead to gestational diabetes and swollen legs.
Read More:Exercises to Avoid in Pregnancy
Make a post-delivery diet chart: Since you will not get a chance later, and you’ve got some spare time now, start making a diet chart to follow after delivery. You cannot jump back to the regular pre-pregnancy foods right after delivery. Ask your doctor what to eat in order to maintain good health. A positive health after delivery is vital as you will be feeding the child. The baby will continue to depend on you for nutrition.
Schedule your 34 weeks prenatal visit: It is better to schedule your 34 weeks appointment a couple of weeks ahead of time because the doctor’s chamber might get crowded during that week. As you are nearing the delivery date, at week 34 the doctor might want to check your health status.
Don’ts –
Eat too much roughage: Eat foods that are rich in fibre as they help in bowel movement, but remember to refrain from eating too much of the same. At times, pregnant women get constipated and tend to think that eating too much roughage might help push out all the matter at once. This, in fact, leads to loose motion and diarrhoea. Continuous loose motion can affect the baby’s health largely.
Wear the same underwear for long hours: At 32 weeks pregnant, you are experiencing increased mucus-like vaginal discharge. Make sure that you don’t wear the same underwear for too long. Try changing every four hours. Although this discharge protects you from internal infections, it might lead to uneasy feelings and external rashes.
Skip bathing: Although you end up feeling lazy most of the time during 32 weeks pregnant, never skip your daily cleansing routine. Since your body is now going through lots of changes that are leading to various discharges, make sure you clean yourself everyday in order to avoid further external diseases.
Climb the stairs too many times: Try to limit your movements to one floor as much as possible. Moving up and down too many times can make your amniotic fluid move, which might result in premature breakage.
At 32 weeks pregnant, you are officially into the 8th month of the journey. Follow your doctor’s advice and make sure that the baby is well taken care of. Spend some alone time with the baby and enjoy those happy kicks!
