Welcome to Week 32 of Your Pregnancy!
Your Baby in Week 32 of Pregnancy
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Your baby is urinating almost a pint every day and week 32 of pregnancy is no exception! Their kidneys, bladder and organs are working within the urinary tract system to expel the urine. A pint may not seem like much, but it sure is when they aren’t getting bottles or breastfeeding yet!
Fact: Just imagine, by the time your baby is out of diapers, you will probably have changed more than 7,000 diapers!
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All five senses on your baby are in working order by week 32 of pregnancy. The little nose has the ability to smell, the mouth can taste, the fingers will know touch, the ears can hear and the eyes can see. The senses all are working and learning to function together. Once your baby is born, their brain will work extra hard to process all of the senses and assimilate them for recognition. They will learn to see your face and associate it with “mother” and caregiver. They will also quickly learn that a bottle or breast feeds them and what the taste is. That little brain will get worn out fast from processing everything, so your baby does require a lot of sleep, both for their mental and physical growth.
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Your baby has the ability to suck, swallow and breathe all at the same time around week 32 of pregnancy! All of those practice movements in the womb have helped them become super coordinated. Ok, maybe not super coordinated, but this is actually a complicated task for them to accomplish “outside the womb”.
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Are you planning on having a baby shower? If so, week 32 of pregnancy would be a great time to tell the organizers to plan for one. You are feeling “big” but you aren’t sick anymore and the last few weeks of tiredness leading up to the birth haven’t set in. A baby shower at this point may actually be a great boost.
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During week 32 of pregnancy, your baby’s liver begins to store iron. The iron stores are used in the future for blood production by the bone marrow and for enrichment via the liver. Eating foods that are high in iron right now would bulk up your baby’s iron stores even more. Iron-rich foods include pork, beef, lamb, liver, tuna, shrimp, salmon, spinach, broccoli, asparagus, turkey, nuts, egg yolks, raisins, dates, kidney beans and soybeans. Balance the iron-rich foods with lots of water so that you don’t become constipated. Constipation is the only down side to getting plenty of iron in your diet.
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Any baby born between week 32 of pregnancy and week 36 would be considered a “preemie”. A preemie is short for premature baby. Some preemies need help with lung efficiency and breathing, but the survival rate is very high for babies born during this time. Preemies are small, since they haven’t added on all of the fat stores which typically develop during the last 4 weeks of pregnancy.
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Your baby is working hard to develop immunities against outside world illnesses by week 32 of pregnancy. The white blood cells are getting stronger and collecting immunities from your system for use in their own system. These natural immunities may prevent them from getting a form of influenza, it may build up their resistance to certain allergens, or it may even prevent them from getting a cold. Immunities are part of our DNA and are very complicated to figure out. Just know that your immunities and good health are being transferred in part to your baby so you’re already nurturing him or her for life outside the womb.
Your Body in Week 32 of Pregnancy
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The hormones running rampant in your body may activate the milk in your breasts in week 32 of pregnancy. Don’t worry though – it doesn’t mean your baby will be coming soon! The hormones are getting your body ready for delivery, and leaky breasts may just be an early side effect for you. Chances are, your breasts won’t leak until after delivery.
Your hormones are softening your tissues, expanding your hip bones to enlarge the birth canal, getting in pre-production mode for milk, not to mention helping develop all of the senses and systems of your boy or girl. Hormones are doing tons of work in your body, so you will just have to deal with them for a few more weeks – and their pesky side effects too!
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Since you have now hit week 32 of pregnancy, you will begin to see your doctor every two weeks. The doctor will keep measuring your fundal height, monitor your weight and take urine samples to check for sugar. Since the baby is bigger and you are bigger, there is more to watch for, which necessitates the frequent visits. The doctor may also begin to check your cervix to see if it has dilated or thinned. Both of which are signs your body is getting ready for delivery.
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As the body prepares for the birth of the baby, your cervix dilates from 1 to 10 cm. When you hit ten, you will be ready for delivery. Once your cervix has thinned, it is easier to dilate, but that doesn’t mean it will. Or the alternate can be true - your cervix can be dilated to five, or even six for several weeks before you deliver, without having any other symptoms! It’s all a waiting game at this point!
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