32 weeks pregnant: doubts? All you need to know!

At around 32 weeks of pregnancy , the future baby’s lungs are fully formed. This greatly increases your chances of survival in case of premature birth this week. A pregnant woman may notice a small amount of fluid coming out of her nipples. It is colostrum, a substance that will feed the baby in the first few days. Your baby is constantly growing until delivery! In her belly you will notice her kicks more intensely, especially at night. He is very active and looking forward to meeting his parents. All his organs are almost ready for birth.

During these weeks, pregnant women usually gain about half a pound a week, this is when the baby grows and increases in weight, approximately a little less than half the weight (about 250 grams) your baby increases.

Symptoms and contractions:

Now there’s a lot more blood circulating in your veins. Its volume increased approximately 45% in relation to the beginning of pregnancy, when fertilization took place. This has explanations, such as the need to maintain new life in the belly, but it also leads to a number of symptoms to consider. However, much of this blood is lost after delivery.

Events that take place:

• The weight that the mother gains is about 500 grams per week.
• Uterine growth, which can cause fatigue , tiredness, or difficulty breathing, putting pressure on the diaphragm.
• Acidity in the stomach.
• Constipation: The uterus exerts more force against the intestine, making it difficult to pass stools due to delays in digestion.
• Inclination of the spine: The load to bear is much greater, as the baby puts on weight at a dizzying pace. This requires a tilt of the spine in your lower and lumbar region towards the belly, to better support the weight of the uterus in the rest of the weeks. You will mainly notice it in your posture when walking.
• Low back pain: Due to the symptoms and abdominal above, stretching and the force exerted on the nervous tissue, in the final stretch of pregnancy you can suffer from cramps and pain in your back , as well as in regions close to your belly.
• Leg cramps and foot swelling: You probably notice how the tingling runs up and down your legs. It’s common, but if you find the discomfort becoming unbearable, go directly to the doctor to find a solution that improves your well-being.
• New hormonal changes that alter your energy and mood.
• Stretching of the anal muscle, which leads to the involuntary release of gases. Don’t be ashamed of it!

At this time of pregnancy, it is very common to experience hemorrhoids , which are a dilatation of the veins that are at the level of the rectum. This dilation occurs for several reasons. The first is the decrease in venous return from the lower part of the body, due to the pressure exerted by the uterus on the veins in this area, together with the vasodilation that occurs mainly in the last stage of pregnancy.

In addition, the presence of constipation , a very common symptom in pregnancy, also helps the appearance of hemorrhoids , requiring a very significant increase in pressure inside the belly to be able to go to the bathroom. For this reason, it is very important to prevent constipation with very simple measures.

The most common symptoms that produce hemorrhoids are itching and itching in the anal area which can be resolved with some ointments that can be prescribed by your doctor. In case hemorrhoids are painful and bleeding occurs after going to the bathroom, it is important to see the doctor because there may have been areas of thrombosis or mucosal damage that require a visit by a specialist.

Body changes:

Your blood volume is now 40-50% greater than it was before you got pregnant, because now your body has to take care of the baby too. This extra amount also makes up for the blood you may lose during labor. You are now putting on about a pound a week and about half of that weight goes to your baby.

The uterus is pressed close to the diaphragm and into the abdomen. This can cause a feeling of shortness of breath, as well as heartburn . As the baby grows, the increasing concentration of weight in the belly causes its posture and center of gravity to change.

Also, your abdominal muscles are stretching, hormones are causing your ligaments to relax, and your uterus, enlarging, could be putting pressure on some nerves. All of these can contribute to causing pain in the lower back and also in the buttocks and hips. If you experience a lot of pain or a tingling sensation in your legs, tell your doctor.

The baby at 32 weeks of pregnancy:

32 weeks of gestation is where the baby gained the most weight. Currently, it weighs close to 1700 grams and its height is almost 45 centimeters… Almost half a meter! On the other hand, you also gain a few pounds these days, a part of which goes into fetal development. This event is important because the baby needs a lot of fat at birth to protect itself from cold and extreme temperatures. However, the first few weeks will burn a lot of the fatty tissue.

On your body, your toenails and fingernails have been fully formed and your growth will not stop. In fact, you may need to cut them right after birth. Your hair is developing, although the color and texture you have now can vary greatly over the next few weeks or months of your pregnancy. However, some don’t make it until later and only have a little hair, similar to lanugo.

The skin, which in the second trimester was wrinkled and translucent, from 32 weeks of gestation is stretched by the fat accumulated in the child and becomes opaque. Only a few small veins are visible, but the organs can no longer be seen. It’s very smooth!

Over these weeks, the fetus is finishing the maturation process in most organs, which would allow it to adapt better if it were born at this time. From this moment on, if birth occurs, the chances of survival are very high, over 90%. In any case, if there is a threat of premature delivery, medication should be used to stop the contractions. In addition, as the lung maturation process is not yet complete because there is not enough production of lung surfactant, we must administer steroids to help complete this process and reduce breathing problems if the baby has been born.

The amount of amniotic fluid has been drastically reduced by the thickening of the fetus, which begins to occupy most of the uterus and its position is almost ready for delivery. Although he has less space, he will continue with his movements despite what they say about his decrease in activity. If you notice that the baby moves less in these weeks, ask your gynecologist to find an explanation.

Falls:

Many pregnant women claim that their babies are more active at night, but no one is quite sure why this is. The traditional explanation is that women notice the baby’s movements more when they are still and silent.

But at least one study found a different answer: A group of researchers in Canada followed pregnant women who had to rest in bed and determined that babies were more active at night, even if their mothers were lying in bed 24 hours a day.

One possible explanation is that babies like to move, and when you’re sleeping, your baby has more incentive to move around on his own.

Fetal position:

At 32 Weeks of Gestation , in most cases, babies have adopted a longitudinal position with the spine parallel to the mother’s, with her buttocks, at the top of the uterus and upside down, her back is usually found on the left side and legs to the right. It will be the position that facilitates vaginal delivery.

In these 32 Weeks of Pregnancy , parents will be able to feel the pregnant woman’s belly and recognize some parts of the future newborn’s body, probably the baby will react by moving his feet when he feels your touch.

baby size:

At 32 weeks gestation , your child’s length is almost 42 centimeters and weighs approximately 1.8 kg. This is the moment when, in general, he is laziest, face down, the most favorable position to face the “trip” that will allow the birth of the child (only 4% of children remain with the butt oriented) to “the exit”. All organs (stomach, intestines, lungs, heart, kidneys) are undergoing the “grooming test” to be able to function perfectly at birth.

In the remaining two months before delivery, the fetus will still add half a kilo per month, approximately, until it reaches the 3.5 kilos of the average that babies weigh at birth.

Control:

This is a good time to start preparing the perineum at the time of delivery. Some studies have shown that performing perineal massage after 32 weeks of gestation reduces the rate of episiotomies and/or ruptures in uncomplicated vaginal deliveries. These massages should be done daily, with rosehip oil , making a discreet but maintained pressure on the lower part of the vulva, in what is called a vulvar hairpin. With this, we will achieve greater elasticity of all the tissues so that they can expand without problems at the time of delivery to facilitate the exit of the head.

At this stage of your pregnancy you will have already started childbirth classes. The purpose of these classes is to first get to know the entire birth process, as this reduces anxiety and fear of the unknown. They also explain the things you should bring to the hospital, as well as what symptoms should make you go to the hospital.

Curiosities:

A curiosity that attracts special attention refers to the kicks you feel in your belly at night at 32 Weeks of Pregnancy . Mothers clearly state that it is because they are more awake at night, although there is no solid scientific explanation for this.

Many experts say that, in fact, when pregnant women are at rest, they feel the baby’s movements more intense at night. There is still a lot to find objective reasoning, and this could be related to the mother’s circadian rhythm or a change in hormonal physiology at night.

Finally, it is worth noting the importance of eating properly, because in these 32 weeks of gestation and the ones that remain, both the baby and the mother will gain a lot of weight and all kinds of nutrients are needed, from vitamins and minerals to proteins and carbohydrates. . Eating healthy will influence your health after birth.

Another detail: do not smoke during pregnancy or breastfeeding. Toxic substances are transmitted to the fetus and it is an act of maternal irresponsibility. Support without alcohol, tobacco or caffeine as they are all harmful.