What to expect 32 weeks pregnant?

What to expect at 32 weeks pregnant. What happens during the 32nd week of pregnancy?

How big is baby at 32 weeks pregnant?

Baby is anywhere between 1.5 and 1.8kg, which is just under 4lbs. They are now about the length of a kale leaf.

What skills is baby working on at the moment?

This week they are really honing in on their skills such as sucking, coughing, moving their limbs of hiccuping.

Are baby hiccups during pregnancy normal?

Hiccuping is a really normal thing that baby’s do in the womb. It is a common thing that most pregnant women experience. One thing to note with hiccuping is that hiccuping shouldn’t be counted towards your baby’s movements. If you are worried about movements and you feel baby hiccuping, this alone shouldn’t be something to reassure you. So if you have any concerns about your baby’s pattern of movement, always contact your local triage. The number will be on the front of your hospital notes. If though, baby’s movements are their usual pattern and your baby is hiccuping, this is ok.

This week baby is continuing to pile on the fat and now their skin is no longer transparent. This is because of the amount of fat that is now deposited under their skin.

What to expect at 32 weeks pregnant – My body?

You may be starting to think about finishing work for maternity leave. The tiredness of having work as an extra responsibility whilst growing another human can be significant. Also your work duties may be becoming increasingly difficult. Even things like sitting down at your desk may be really uncomfortable now. Or jobs where you are spending a lot of time on your feet may also be equally challenging.

You are now well into your trimester and these things may be starting to take their toll. Now is a really good time to starting thinking about the date you will begin your maternity leave, if you haven’t already.

Hopefully you have already been given your Mat B1 form from your midwife and this form has already been given to your HR team (if relevant for you).

Should I have the whooping cough vaccine when pregnant?

Your midwife may have already spoken with you about having the whooping cough vaccine. Whooping cough is something that has spiked in recent years, particularly in babies who are not yet old enough to have had their vaccine. One of the most effective ways to protect your baby from whooping cough is to have the vaccine yourself whilst pregnant. This means that baby will have the antibodies passed to them through the placenta. So that between the time that baby is born but yet hasn’t had the vaccination, baby will have some cover from whooping cough.  The best time to have this is between 16 and 32 weeks, but you can still have it beyond 32 weeks. If you have not had yours yet and you would like it, contact your GP surgery.

Watch the full video of  32 weeks pregnant with midwife, Beth.

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