32 weeks pregnant: Baby’s development, symptoms and top tips

This week, your baby is about 42.4 cm from head to heel and has gained another 0.2 kg, bringing them up to about 1.7 kg.

Skills development

Your baby is considered fully formed now, but is still working on the functions and skills needed for life in the outside world. This includes laying on plenty of fat, which will insulate them against the cold and hot and make sure they stay just the right temperature. They are also practicing their breathing – though right now that means breathing in amniotic fluid!

Skin thickening

Up until this week your baby’s skin was transparent. Now, though, it has developed a more normal, opaque look.

Heading down?

In the final stages of preparing for birth, your baby is probably in the desired head-down position. Don’t worry if not, though, as there’s still time for the baby to flip.

Your pregnancy will become more and more onerous, depending on the size of your bump and your fitness. It’s now a good idea to stop doing things you find difficult, and your partner, friends and family need to step up and help you out by doing things that need to be done, like assembling the baby’s furniture.

You should have told your employer by now when you want to start your maternity and paternity leave and sorted out your application for maternity pay. You may also be entitled to parental allowance or child benefit, so you should start looking into that as well and applying for it if you’re eligible.

Noticing preliminary contractions

Although you’re often short of breath, this symptom actually eases a little when the preliminary contractions start. Around three to four weeks before you give birth, you’ll feel your belly harden or tighten with considerable intensity, which can cause stomach ache and make you feel a bit nauseous.

These contractions are also known as false labour, and your bump moves down a little as a result. It means your lungs are no longer being squeezed by the uterus, and you’ll find breathing easier again. On the other hand, you’ll need to go to the toilet even more often as the pressure on your bladder increases, and your stomach will now only be able to process even smaller portions.

What’s the difference between Braxton Hicks and real contractions?

Braxton Hicks can be intense but should not be especially painful. It’sa muscle tensing. On the other hand, real contractions can feel a bit like a rope has been wrapped around your uterus and is being pulled from both ends – a much more significant squeezing of the muscle that causes pain in your abdomen and in your back. Real contractions will gradually increase in intensity, growing closer together and more painful as labour progresses, whereas Braxton Hicks do not intensify. If you’re not sure what your experiencing, try monitoring it for a while. If the contractions disappear and you have no other symptoms, it was probably Braxton Hicks. If you’re ever concerned, don’t hesitate to seek medical advice.

Your baby’s movements become more intense

You won’t just feel your baby moving at certain points of your belly, but all over it. They now have a larger body and are trying to move around in your womb to get into the right position for birth. Keep up with the stretches and gentle exercise to ease the discomfort.

The symptoms from previous weeks continue

Your legs and feet may still be painful and swollen. This is more likely if you’re pregnant during the hot summer months – it’s less common and less intense in winter. The issue of having to go to the toilet a lot remains, and the signs of minor stress incontinence won’t have gone away just yet either.

Weight gain

Both you and the baby are growing fast now, and you might start to wonder how your skin is coping with all this stretching. If you haven’t had stretch marks before now, this might be the week they appear. Don’t panic about weight gain, but if you notice dramatic swelling or you’re concerned your health is suffering as a result of your weight, talk to your midwife. They’ll be able to check for signs of pre-eclampsia and provide nutrition advice if it’s deemed necessary.

Colostrum

Colostrum is the first milk your body produces and it’s full of all kinds of magic to get your baby off to the best possible start. Colostrum doesn’t always wait for your baby to be born to make an appearance, and you might find your breasts are already leaking. Later – once your baby reaches full-term at 37 weeks – you might think about harvesting colostrum. It’s not recommended to start before then.

Pelvic pressure and back pain

The lower down your baby moves, the more pressure they are putting on your pelvis, causing instability throughout your body. For some women, this can feel debilitating, making it difficult to do really basic things like getting dressed or climbing the stairs. If you’re struggling, talk to your midwife or GP who may be able to refer you to a physiotherapist. Rest assured, for most people these symptoms disappear after your baby is born.

32-week scan

If there are any concerns about your baby’s health, you might be offered an additional ultrasound at 32 weeks. This gives doctors more information about how well your baby is growing. If everything is well, this will probably be your last scan. However, further scans are sometimes booked to track baby’s growth ahead of delivery. This might be because the baby is smaller than expected, or bigger than expected, and has a bearing on your birth plan and whether or not an early delivery is advised. 

Nutrition

Keeping your energy levels up is especially important while your pregnancy is wearing you down. Eating well will help with that, and ensure you have all the nutrients you need to keep you strong through these final few difficult weeks. Eating more regular, smaller meals will help your digestive system cope in its current cramped conditions and ease heartburn and indigestion, which can be very troublesome in your final trimester.

Pelvic tilts

Pelvic tilts help to realign your pelvis into the neutral position and alleviate some of the discomfort caused by carrying a baby. They will also help to strengthen your core, setting you up for an easier birth and better postnatal spinal health.

Using a gym ball, try sitting with your legs at a 90˚C and a straight spine, then curve your spine so that your tailbone comes underneath you before rolling back the other way. It’s easier to follow along with a video than to follow written instructions. You can do this exercise as often as you need to in a day. Aim for about 20 – 30 repetitions per session.

Bump-friendly exercises

In fact, a gym ball is your friend in these last few weeks. It helps you get into positions you surely couldn’t otherwise manage, and may even encourage your baby into the right position for birth.

In addition to home exercises, you might want to join a pregnancy yoga class, which is a great way to stretch and strengthen your body, take some time for yourself and your body, and meet other expectant mums.

Although your due date is some way off yet, you should be on the lookout now for signs that you’re going into labour. If you experience any of the early signs of labour, such as contractions, waters breaking, or the ‘show’ (mucus plug coming away from the cervix), go to your maternity unit.

Your baby’s movements are the best indicator of their wellbeing, so monitoring movements is really important. If you are concerned that movements have reduced, go to your maternity unit for monitoring.

Other symptoms not to ignore are things like vaginal bleeding and severe abdominal pain, which requires medical attention. Likewise, if you’re experiencing any symptoms of pre-eclampsia (blurred vision, blinding headaches, sudden severe swelling), you should see your midwife or GP.

Why is 32 weeks pregnant a milestone?

At 32 weeks, everything is fully formed except the lungs. If your baby was to be born now they would need special medical care, but they’d have a really good chance of being ok.

Is the baby fully developed at 32 weeks?

Though the lungs continue to develop up until birth, everything else is fully formed and functioning. Your baby is busy laying on fat and will soon be ready for life outside the womb.

What is my baby doing inside me at 32 weeks?

Your baby is still very active and you should feel regular movements to indicate all is well. However, they do have less room than they used to, so movements might feel different. They will be spending a lot of time sleeping, and may be moving into the right position for birth.

What to expect at a 32-week ultrasound?

32-week ultrasounds are not standard practice in the UK. If you’ve been referred for an ultrasound at 32 weeks it is likely because of concerns about the baby’s growth. In this case, the ultrasound technician will focus on getting all the measurements they need to answer those questions.

How big should bump be at 32 weeks?

Amazingly, your bump measurement follows the number of weeks into your pregnancy you are. So at 32 weeks, your bump should measure 32 cm from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus.

Got questions? At the HiPPBabyClub, we bring you real-world advice and support from HiPP parents, midwives, nutritionists and more. Join our Baby Club to find out more.