Your Baby at 32 Weeks Pregnant
 At 32 weeks pregnant, your baby may weigh up to 3.7 pounds. He or she could be measuring about 16.7 inches long from head to heel. Your child is reaching his or her maximum length at this point in development.
The amount of amniotic fluid in your womb is reaching its highest level at 32 weeks pregnant. After this week, the level of amniotic fluid will stay rather constant until you're 37 weeks pregnant, when it will begin to decrease.
Your baby is getting rounder and fatter at 32 weeks pregnant. Your baby is gaining more fat and muscle underneath his or her skin, so by the time your little one arrives in the world, he or she will be chubby and adorable.
At 32 weeks pregnant, your little one's fingernails have grown long enough that they reach the tip of his or her fingers. Your baby may even be smiling. It is not uncommon for unborn babies to smile, sticking out their tongues, and even make faces. Now that your baby's face is more mature and developed, his or her face is much more rounded and cute.
Your little bundle of joy's muscle tons is improving, so each movement that he or she makes is smooth. Moving around in the womb helps your child with his or her coordinating, as well as increasing his or her muscle mass, and it strengthens your baby's bones.
By 32 weeks pregnant, some babies will have settled into their labor position - with head down, chin tucked into chest, and bottom up.
Mom's Changes at 32 Weeks Pregnant
At 32 weeks pregnant, your uterus typically measures about five inches above your belly button. If you're pregnant with twins at 32 weeks, your uterus is probably the same size as it would be at 40 weeks in a singleton pregnancy. You are getting larger and larger each day.
You have five weeks to go until your baby is considered full-term and ready for life outside the womb. You should expect your belly to simply grow and grow in the upcoming weeks.
You should start being more aware of posture changes at 32 weeks pregnant. Try to stand up straight (as best you can). Bad posture can make many of your pregnancy symptoms – such as backaches and leg cramps – even more of a problem.
Pregnancy Symptoms at 32 Weeks Pregnant
 At 32 weeks pregnant, all that extra weight that you're toting around is probably taking its toll on your body. Your third trimester aches and pains are going strong, and you may be feeling quite exhausted and worn out.
Fatigue is a pregnancy symptom that you feel will never disappear. At 32 weeks pregnant, it's normal to feel worn out. You can blame your fatigue in these final weeks on the dramatic increase in the hormone progesterone, which is helping your body get ready for the difficult task of labor and delivery. If it's possible, try to take as many breaks as you can. Napping may also give you a much needed boost of energy.
Back pain is a common annoyance at 32 weeks pregnant. Hormonal and physical changes contribute to an achy, painful back in the final trimester. You may be able to get some relief from your back discomfort by using a heating pad or a cold compress on the painful area.
| | Helpful Tip:
If your nighttime potty breaks are bothering you, make sure that you drink plenty of water in the hours before you go to bed. Don't drink immediately before you go to bed. | | |
Heart Palpitations at 32 Weeks Pregnant
During pregnancy 32 weeks, you may notice heart palpitations – the feeling that your heart is racing or beating way too fast. This is a common pregnancy symptom at 32 weeks pregnant, due to the increased blood volume that's typical to pregnancy. (Your blood volume peaks this week.) In addition, stress and hormonal changes can also contribute to the sensation that your heart is beating irregularly.
Mild heart palpitations aren't anything to be worried about, but you should discuss this symptom with your healthcare provider. Heart palpitations, especially those paired with chest pain or shortness of breath, can be a sign of a more serious medical illness.
Weight Gain at 32 Weeks Pregnant
 By 32 weeks pregnant, you are probably still gaining about one pound per week. Your huge belly is probably making it difficult for you to find a comfy position to sleep. All that weight that you're carrying around is probably also contributing to your back discomfort or pain. Control your back pain with a prenatal massage or pregnancy pillow.
Your weight gain at 32 weeks pregnant may be 25 pounds, more or less. Expect to gain another five or ten pounds before your baby is due.
Remember, you want to aim for the recommended weight gain for your size. Normal sized women should aim for a total weight gain of 25 to 35 pounds; overweight women should only gain 15 to 25 pounds when pregnant; and underweight women should gain 28 to 40 pounds. Staying within your recommended amount of weight gain is easy! Just eat a healthy balanced diet, and exercise regularly, even if you just go for a daily walk.
In Depth Look at Cesarean Delivery
 Each and every woman who is expecting should prepare herself for the possibility of a cesarean birth. By doing so, if the need arises, you will feel more informed, educated, and relaxed about the procedure. This birthing process can sometimes induce fear and anxiety in women who are uninformed.
So what exactly does a cesarean entail? Cesarean delivery (C-Section) is the birth of the baby through an incision made on the mother's abdomen and uterus. It is a surgical procedure that is performed in the operating room. Sometimes cesarean sections are planned, while others are performed as the result of an emergency that develops. Typically 1 in 4 babies are born by cesarean every year. Whether or not you are planning a C-section, it is a good idea to educate yourself about the procedure. Knowing what to expect will help relieve any fear or anxiety you might experience should the need arise to perform a C-section.
Reasons for a Cesarean Delivery
Many women know long before the actual birth of their baby that they will be delivering by C-section. You are probably wondering what would cause someone to plan to have a Cesarean Delivery. Here are a few reasons:
- Previous cesarean birth.
- Mechanical obstruction to the birth canal that prevents vaginal birth, such as a displaced pelvic fracture.
- An active herpes infection.
- Multiple babies such as twins or triplets.
- The placenta is covering the cervix.
- Patient Choice cesarean birth.
Some women plan on a vaginal delivery but find themselves in an emergency situation during delivery, thus a C-section must be performed to ensure the health and well being of both mother and baby. Some of the more common reasons for cesarean delivery during labor include:
- Labor is not progressing. This is called failure to progress. It is typically caused by weak contractions, a large baby, or a small pelvis. One third of all cesarean births are caused by failure to progress.
- The baby is not tolerating labor well. The baby's heart rate keeps slowing down during contractions. This may be due to a weak placenta or the umbilical cord is being compressed.
- The baby is breech. This means that the baby has its feet or buttocks in the birth canal instead of the head.
- Bleeding from the vagina. This is caused by the placenta separating from the uterine wall or the placenta being too close to the cervical opening.
- Prolapse of the umbilical cord. This is when the umbilical cord drops in to the vagina. This can pinch the umbilical cord and decrease the blood supply to the baby.
You are probably concerned about the risks associated with a Cesarean section, particularly the risks to your newborn. The good news is that the risks to a newborn baby are relatively minimal.
The major risk to the baby is having difficultly breathing for a short period of time immediately following delivery. This is called transient tachypnea of the newborn. This sometimes occurs because lung fluid may not be expressed as well when a baby is born via C-section compared with a vaginal delivery. This does not happen often but can be scary for a new parent. This condition typically resolves relatively quickly.
What Happens During a Cesarean Section (C-Section)?
 Whether you are planning on a cesarean delivery or not, it is a good idea to know what exactly the procedure entails. Remember, not all cesarean sections are planned, so knowing what to expect will definitely help you feel more comfortable should the need arise.
If you require a C-section, you will be asked to sign a consent form. This states that you are allowing the doctor to perform the procedure. You will then undergo some routine blood testing.
Finally, a nurse will start an intravenous (IV) in your arm. The IV will be used to keep you hydrated during your surgery, and it will also be used to give you medication.
Once all the preparations are completed, you and your support partner will be brought to the operating room. Just as with a vaginal delivery, your support partner will be allowed to attend the birth.
After arriving in the operating room, you will receive either a general or regional anesthetic. The most common anesthetic used is a regional anesthetic. There are two types of regional anesthetic: the epidural and spinal. With both of theses analgesics, you are awake during the cesarean delivery.
With either procedure, the anesthetist will numb the skin over the spine with a local anesthetic, then the spinal or epidural needle is inserted, and the anesthetic medication is placed close to the spine. The spinal anesthetic causes complete numbness of the abdomen and legs. The epidural anesthetic causes less numbness and works quite well. The choice of anesthetic depends on your operating team's preference.
Very rarely, a general anesthetic is used. With a general anesthetic, you will be put to sleep during the delivery of your baby. The general anesthetic is used mainly in emergency situations that do not allow the time needed to place either an epidural or spinal anesthetic. General anesthetic carries a greater risk of complications, so it is usually avoided unless the situation warrants its use.
After your anesthetic is given, the nurse will place a Foley catheter in your bladder. A Foley catheter is a thin tube used to help you eliminate urine. Keep in mind that you are now numb and, therefore, will not feel this procedure.
Finally, the lower abdomen will be shaved and prepped with an antiseptic solution. Now you are ready to go!
The physician will then check to see if your anesthetic is working well before the surgery begins. He will usually make a small horizontal or "bikini" cut above the pubic bone. Sometimes, however, the doctor will make an incision in a vertical direction in order to make it easier to deliver your baby. You can expect to hear your baby cry about 5 minutes after the doctor begins. The entire surgery will only take 30 to 40 minutes.
What Happens After The Cesarean Delivery?
 After the cesarean delivery, you will be brought back to the recovery area. There the nurse will monitor your vital signs and make sure you do not have any pain. This usually takes about 45 minutes. Some hospitals will bring your baby to you at this time, and others will wait until you return to your room. You may breast feed your baby anytime after delivery. When you return to your own room, you will be able to visit with family and really get to know your newborn baby.
Even though you will be in your room, the nurse will be checking on you often during the first few hours - much more so than if you had a vaginal delivery. She will be monitoring your vital signs, making sure that your uterus is not bleeding excessively, and making sure you do not have any pain. You will also have to stay in the hospital for a bit longer than if you had a vaginal birth - from 2 to 3 days.
During the time at the hospital, you will probably experience some or all of the following:
- Mild uterine cramping.
- Light vaginal bleeding.
- Some incision discomfort.
This is all very normal. Remember, you just had surgery and a baby!
As you leave the hospital, you will be told to watch for fever, increased pain, or heavy vaginal bleeding. If you experience any of these, do not hesitate to call your doctor.
You also need to be aware that you are recuperating! All patients after cesarean delivery should avoid heavy lifting, strenuous activity, douching, tampons, and sexual intercourse until your doctor clears you for such activities at a follow-up visit. You will see your physician for follow up visits at 2 and 6-week intervals. You should expect to feel back to normal by six to eight weeks.
A cesarean birth, whether planned or not, has become a rather routine procedure. Now that you know what to expect, you can relax, enjoy your pregnancy, and look forward to holding your brand new bundle of joy.
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