32 weeks pregnant
Your baby is the size of a

32 Weeks Pregnant: Your Baby’s Development

Ups and downs. Most babies settle in the head-down, or vertex, position by this week. Ideally, baby will stay put until you give birth. Then again, he or she might change positions several times before the big day.

As full as it gets. With about a litre (2 pints) of amniotic fluid in your uterus now, it's fairly easy for baby to switch from head-up to head-down. Over the next eight weeks, the amount of fluid will decrease as the size of the baby increases.

32 Weeks Pregnant: Your Symptoms

Light ribbing. Feeling your baby move is sweet, but it's less cute when a foot gets stuck up under your rib cage. Try lying on your side or changing positions to coax your little one into moving.

Check-up double-up. When you reach 32 weeks, most healthcare providers will want to start seeing you every two weeks instead of just once a month. Among other things, your provider will be on the lookout for signs of infection, premature labour or pre-eclampsia.

Delivery drill. A tour of the hospital where you'll be delivering will take you through the labour and post-natal rooms and acquaint you with registration procedures and paperwork. Knowing where to go and what to do in advance will prevent a last-minute scramble when you're in labour. You may also want to map out and practise two different routes to the hospital.

School days. Be an active participant in your childbirth classes: ask lots of questions and feel free to talk about your hopes and fears. Don't forget to bring your partner so that you're both prepared when the moment arrives.

Did you know? Baby’s skin is no longer hanging loose and it now looks pink and smooth thanks to new fat development. He or she is starting to look like the baby of your dreams! And now that your little one is probably in a head-down position, get ready for that big entrance into the world!

Quick tip for mums. Now’s the time to register for a childbirth class. You and your partner will get lots of helpful information about labour and birth, meet other pregnant parents-to-be and increase your confidence about the exciting big day ahead.

32 Weeks Pregnant: Your Checklist

• Try lying on your side or changing positions if your baby gets a foot stuck up under your ribcage

• Start seeing your healthcare provider every two weeks

• Take a tour of the hospital where you’ll be delivering

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