32 Weeks Pregnant
32 Weeks Pregnant: Your Baby’s Development
Your baby is getting closer and closer to looking like the baby you will meet when he is born. For example, his eyelashes, eyebrows, and even the hair on his head are now all in place. He’s recently started shedding the lanugo — those fine hairs that covered your baby’s body — and most of it will be gone by now, though some babies are born with a little lanugo still on show. Your baby may be standing on his head now, or sometime soon; most babies move into the head-down position at least a few weeks before birth. Don't be surprised, though, if your little acrobat decides to change positions several times before he's born. You might feel him jostling into place as he flips. More and more fat is forming under your baby’s skin. This has slowly turned your baby’s skin from see-through to its current, opaque state. That’s not all: Your baby’s toenails have been growing and are now visible. Get those baby nail clippers ready — you’ll be cutting those teeny-tiny nails soon enough! If you are 32 weeks pregnant with twins, check out our twin pregnancy week-by-week guide.
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The Size of the Fetus at 32 Weeks Pregnant
Now that you are 32 weeks pregnant, your baby weighs about 3 and 3/4 pounds and measures around 11 inches, crown to rump. At 32 weeks, the average fetus is about the size of a napa cabbage! Cute! The below visual is an illustration of what your little one might look like and how your baby may be positioned at 32 weeks.
Mom’s Body at 32 Weeks Pregnant
During pregnancy, you may experience changes in your mouth, teeth, and gums that might cause some discomfort. These might include:
Sensitive gums. If your gums feel more sensitive, or if they swell or bleed when you brush or floss, it might help to rinse with salt water and to use a softer brush.
Teeth feel looser. Hormonal changes can cause your ligaments to relax, and these same hormones may also affect the tiny ligaments that hold your teeth in place. As these ligaments relax, your teeth may feel looser. Rest assured: It’s unlikely you’ll actually lose a tooth for this reason, and this feeling usually goes away after you’ve given birth.
Mouth sores. You may get these sores because your immune system is working overtime to remove germs from your mouth. The good news is that the sores typically go away after pregnancy.
It’s important to floss daily, brush twice a day, and keep up with your regular dental checkups every six months. Experts recommend arranging any elective dental procedures to happen in the first half of the third trimester (around about now), if they weren’t taken care of in the second trimester. Your dentist may recommend postponing any major dental work until after you’ve given birth.
32 Weeks Pregnant: Your Symptoms
At 32 weeks pregnant, here are some of the symptoms you may be experiencing:
Leg cramps. Have you been experiencing sharp, painful cramps in your calves? You’re not alone! Unfortunately, this is a common symptom of late pregnancy. It’s not known why these leg cramps occur. Try to stretch your legs before going to sleep at night. If you experience a cramp, flex your foot upward and back and massage your calves in downward strokes. This should help.
Diarrhea. It's never pleasant, but you could come down with a bout of diarrhea at 32 weeks pregnant or at any time. If this happens, make sure to drink plenty of water to stay hydrated. Sometimes, diarrhea can also be a sign of preterm labor, so if you notice any symptoms like abdominal cramps, pelvic pressure, low backache, regular contractions, or your water breaking — with or without diarrhea —contact your healthcare provider immediately.
“Pregnancy brain.” You might have heard of this and be wondering whether symptoms like forgetfulness and difficult concentrating are actually caused by your pregnancy, or whether you’re just imagining things. Experts aren’t quite sure. Read up on “pregnancy brain” to find out more.
32 Weeks Pregnant: Things to Consider
32 Weeks Pregnant: Ask Your Doctor
What kind of vaginal discharge should you contact your healthcare provider about?
When will your baby be fully developed?
Is it OK to bend over at 32 weeks pregnant?
Will you need to see your healthcare provider more often from now on? If so, when?
Are any of your past pregnancy complications likely to reappear this time around?
What labor pain relief options are available, and which is recommended for you?
32 Weeks Pregnant: Your Checklist
If a friend or loved one is hosting a baby shower for you soon and you’re planning to have a gift registry, now is a good time to prepare. Use this baby registry checklist to make sure you’ve got the essentials covered.
Stock up on any baby gear and nursery essentials you’re still missing. If you haven’t already, start to plan the layout of the nursery, and think about how you'd like to decorate it.
Do a practice drive to the hospital or birthing center so that you can time how long it takes to get there. You might want to plan some alternative routes, should there be a traffic jam or road construction on the day you go into labor.
Ask if you can do a tour of the hospital or birthing center. This is a good chance to familiarize yourself with hospital policies and learn about the options that are available to you.
Familiarize yourself with our contractions tracking chart so you’ll know how to time contractions when the time comes.
If you’re looking at which exact items to add to your baby shower registry or to purchase yourself, spend some time this week browsing our lists of the best baby products as voted and reviewed by thousands of Pampers Parents.
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