Your birth time is approaching and you should be excited to meet your little one. As these are common symptoms in the third trimester of pregnancy, you may have fatigue, heartburn, etc., but your baby will continue to grow until your due date. At the 32nd week, you may notice some changes in your body and your baby`s movements. Read this study to find out what to expect at 32-week pregnancy.

Baby Growth

The 32nd week will bring with it many new experiences. For one, your baby will tap and squirm rather than jump as usual. This is largely due to the lack of space in your womb as your baby has grown quite a bit. Your baby may be head up (this is known as the breech position) but may return to the normal birth position before birth. Your baby`s growth rate will now be high because it will gain about fifty percent of its weight from now until birth. By this time, the baby`s lungs are fully developed and the baby has a good chance of survival in case of premature birth.

There may be a decrease in baby movements at the 32nd week, as the fetus is now large enough to be squeezed inside the uterus. You may also feel as if your baby`s kicks have weakened, even though the baby is moving as much as before. This change may become more evident in the 34th week. From time to time, you may want to check your baby, especially when its movements seem to have decreased. To do this, calm down, sit down and relax. Then take note of how often you feel its movements. If it moves less than 10 times in two hours, it may be worth contacting your doctor.

Baby Size

At 32 weeks of pregnancy, a baby weighs 1702 grams and is about 42.4 cm from head to toe. Your baby surrounding your womb can`t move around much now as it`s squashed into, but it`s only a matter of time before it has all the space in the world. Baby now looks like a totally tiny newborn.

Common Body Changes

1. Swollen feet: Edema is common during pregnancy and you may notice swelling in your feet and ankles as a result. This happens because of excessive water retention in these areas. If your feet hurt, get comfortable, heelless shoes.

1. Change in the color of the nipples: Your nipples will darken considerably as your breasts prepare for your newborn baby. This is because of the antibacterial oils they produce to keep the area sterile.

1. Leaky breasts: Your breasts may begin to leak and this is a sign that they are getting ready to breastfeed after your baby is born. Colostrum will leak from your nipples quite often, so be sure to wear a padded, water-absorbent bra if you need to go outside.

1. Excess vaginal discharges: Your vagina is preparing for delivery by preparing a thick layer of mucus around the walls, making them slippery. Carry a sanitary pad with you when you need it, as this can be a bit inconvenient.

Pregnancy Symptoms

Here are some of the symptoms you may experience at 32nd weeks of pregnancy:

1. Feeling faint: You may feel faint for a variety of reasons, especially not having enough blood sugar. Always have a sugary snack ready.

1. Hemorrhoids: Rectal varicose veins can occur due to constipation and they are quite painful and tender. Try to soothe them with ice packs, but stubborn ones need medical attention.

1. Constipation: Your intestines are not in better shape as your rapidly growing fetus is squeezing your organs sideways. The pressure placed on them can make your daily stool movements infrequent and more difficult.

1. Itchy skin: As your baby grows, your tummy will stretch more. This can cause dryness and cracks. Humidifiers are suitable for relieving discomfort.

1. Painful burning sensation in the chest: The most common symptom, it may get worse as your baby grows and puts pressure on your digestive system. Try to eat less but more often. Consume digestive aids such as buttermilk and curd more often.

Abdomen

In the 32nd week, you can expect your stomach to change between 28-36 cm from top to bottom. During this time, your baby will fall into the pelvic cavity to prepare for birth, and the pregnancy will cause the tummy to come out much lower than before. Sometimes this drop happens during childbirth.

Ultrasound and Tests

At week 32, the ultrasound scan is important as it can tell you a few details such as:

1. Fetal growth: Your doctor will tell you if the baby is growing normally.

1. Fetal placement: Your baby should be head down towards the cervix, but can sometimes be in an inverted position.

You can also do a 3D ultrasound scan to observe the smallest details of your little one`s face and body. If recommended by your doctor, ultrasound scanning is essential at 32 weeks of pregnancy.

1. Fetal Non-Stress Test

The reason for getting this name is that no stress is placed on the fetus during the test. It is done at the earliest when the pregnancy reaches the 28th week, but it is usually applied between the 32nd and 35th weeks of pregnancy.

During the test, the baby`s movement, heart rate and variability in heart rate are monitored for 20-30 minutes. Just because the baby isn`t moving doesn`t mean there`s a problem, it may be sleeping.

2. Biophysical Profile Test

Biophysical profile scanning is an application that combines ultrasound examination with non-stress testing. This scan will help the baby`s health; examines heart rate, respiratory movements, bodily movements, muscle elasticity, amniotic fluid. A value between 0-10 is obtained by giving 0 or 2 points to each factor. Although this test can be performed from week 26, it is usually started at week 32 of pregnancy.

What to Eat?

During the 32nd week of pregnancy, you should make sure that your diet includes iron-rich foods because iron is important during this period. This is because your blood volume has increased by about fifty percent. Iron is an essential part of hemoglobin, the protein needed to carry oxygen. Make sure you eat iron-rich foods like spinach, broccoli, red meat, legumes, and ask your doctor for a multivitamin supplement if your diet doesn`t meet the nutritional requirements for it.

Baby`s nails, teeth, hair and bones have formed but are still sensitive. Strengthening them is important and requires adequate daily calcium. Foods like dairy products, leafy vegetables, and grains are great sources of calcium, so be sure to include them in your diet.

Avoid foods containing fat and refined sugar. Eat smaller portions of meals often and try to eat less meat and much more fresh vegetables and fruits, whole grains and nuts. Alcohol consumption is absolutely out of the question.

Care Tips

Pay attention to these recommendations for a comfortable experience at this stage of pregnancy.

1. After this point, you may want to make some preparations for an early birth, just in case, as babies can live outside the womb. One thing to consider is the pain relief method to choose. There are a few, but you can refuse them all if you want a natural, drug-free birth.

1. Have a set of diapers, blankets and pillows available for your baby.

1. If you are a working mother, you may be entitled to 8 weeks of statutory leave at the 32nd week of pregnancy. But if your health and job allow you to work, you should get a health report from your doctor that you can work for 5 more weeks. In this way, by adding 5 weeks of the 8-week legal leave before the birth to the 8 weeks after the birth, you can take 13 weeks off and spend 5 more weeks with your baby.

Don’ts

1. When you prepare the hospital bag, do not forget to put something for yourself. Have a few sanitary pads, as you will definitely need to use them after delivery.

1. Do not neglect your exercises, especially swimming or yoga, as they provide relief from back pain and pelvic pain. But only exercise after consulting your doctor.

Shopping

Now you can plan how to decorate your little one`s room. Buy maternity clothes and bras as well as clothes to wear after giving birth. Bottles, diapers, newborn clothes and small soft toys... You can also buy a small pram to move your baby around the house or for a walk outside. The items you will need to search the most when choosing are basic items such as car seats, baby carriages, baby carriers (kangaroo, sling, etc.). When buying these items, be sure to review as many items as possible, get to know their features, get advice from your environment, and evaluate price-performance.

You are approaching! Take care of yourself, eat well and stay happy until you have your baby. If you are happy, your little one will be happy too!