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Mom’s Tip of the Week 32
Did you know ... ?
At 32 weeks pregnant, it’s time to shop for breast pads. These liners fit inside your bra and absorb colostrum, the nutrient-rich premilk that your breasts are making to feed your newborn before your milk comes in. Sometimes pregnant women’s breasts leak a bit of colostrum—don’t worry, it’s normal.
Your Baby at 32 Weeks Pregnant
What’s Happening in There
- Your baby at 32 weeks weighs about 4 pounds and measures around 18 inches from head to toe. She’s getting so big!
- She’s practicing her best moves. Now that you’re 32 weeks pregnant , your baby is spending a good portion of her time rehearsing everything she’s learned—breathing, sucking, swallowing, blinking, grabbing—so she’ll be ready for the big day.
- Her skin looks more like a newborn’s. At this point, your little one’s skin tone is changing from see-through to a color that more closely resembles what her own skin will look like after she’s born. The fat that’s being stored under the skin is also smoothing out those wrinkles she once had.
- She’s putting on the finishing touches. Eyelashes, eyebrows, and the hair on her head are all growing in.
- She’s probably upside down. If, at 32 weeks pregnant , she’s not already, she’s likely working her way into that position to better fit in her increasingly cramped quarters. More than 95 percent of babies are in this position by the time they’re full term.
- She’s sleeping like a baby. She’s sleeping most of the time, cycling between active sleep and quiet sleep. During quiet sleep, you may not feel as much movement, but your baby will soon move back into active sleep and squirm and stretch.
Baby Brain Waves
Your Baby’s Brain Is Developing
Right now, at 32 weeks pregnant, her brain is getting better and better at sensing the world around her, including odors. Your baby has long had the nerve cells needed to process smell, but by the third trimester, she has finally matured enough to put them to work. She might even make a face at stinky scents! After your baby is born, she’ll use these olfactory skills to single out the scent of her mom, which she’ll find quite soothing.
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