Welcome to week thirty two!
You may have had your baby shower by now or have one scheduled. It is an exciting time to celebrate the upcoming birth of your baby with family and friends.
If you have not toured the birthplace that you have chosen, this would be a good time to do so. You will have a chance to ask questions specific to the facility such as visiting policies, labor tools available to use, and breastfeeding support or get answers to other concerns you may have.
If you have not toured the birthplace that you have chosen, this would be a good time to do so.
How my Baby Grows
- Your baby is now about the size of a cantaloupe and could be gaining about ½ a pound a week
- The soft, downy hair that covered your baby’s skin called lanugo is starting to fall off
- He/she weighs between 3-4 pounds now and is almost a foot in length if measured head to heal
Symptoms Mama may Feel or Experience
- Even though your baby would most likely survive at this point if born early with the assistance of a neonatal intensive care unit, he/she still has some important lung and brain development to complete so recognizing the signs of preterm labor is important because the sooner you stop it the better
- It is normal to feel some abdominal tightening from time to time now, especially if you are active
- However, if the tightening or intermittent lower back pain and pelvic pressure becomes frequent the first thing to do is find somewhere to lie down and drink a couple glasses of water, if they do not begin to space out and go away, call your doctor or midwife for further instructions
- Of course, if your bag of water breaks you should call your provider right away, this can happen as a slow leak or a sudden gush
- Your baby is pressing against all the vital organs in the abdomen as your pregnancy takes over and moves everything else out of the way which can lead to
- Bladder discomfort and frequent urination
- Shortness of breath
- Indigestion, nausea and/or vomiting
- Rib pain especially on the side that your baby is lying
- If your pregnancy has risk factors related to the growth or size of your baby or if you have certain diagnoses like hypertension, you may start twice weekly non-stress testing (NSTs) this week to evaluate how your baby is doing in his/her environment
- This painless monitoring gives your provider valuable information
- The nurse will place two straps with monitors around your belly while you sit in a recliner or on an exam table, one monitor is to see if you are having any uterine activity and the other will pick up your baby’s heartbeat
- By watching this strip for a minimum of 20 minutes your doctor or midwife will be able to assess certain things about how your baby is doing
- You may also have a biophysical profile (BPP) done if it is recommended, these ultrasounds measure your baby’s heart rate, muscle tone, movement, breathing and the amount of amniotic fluid to further assess the health of your baby
Thoughts to Consider
- Your body will work hard to contract and push your baby down through the birth canal
- The length and discomfort of labor is different for everyone, but it is a good idea to think about how you want to manage this pain, below are some of the most common methods
- Breathing and relaxation techniques can work nicely to manage discomfort when practiced ahead of time and if you are committed to an unmedicated birth, they can be combined with the use of essential oils, position changes, massage, movement, hydrotherapy and other natural methods-see our StorkAdvisor article on this topic in Go-to-Articles
- You may also be offered a narcotic medication given through your intravenous (IV) line, these work quickly and wear off quickly too, but can be repeated
- You will also likely be offered epidural or spinal anesthesia, this is administered by a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) or an anesthesiologist, they are given in the epidural space and offer the most coverage of pain
- It is helpful to discuss these methods of pain management with your doctor or midwife, you may even choose one and change your mind during labor based on how things are going
- If you are working with a Doula, you will be discussing your birth plan with her so that she can help remind you about your goals, encourage you during labor and help you practice the methods that you have chosen if you desire an unmedicated birth
Tips for a Healthy Pregnancy
- Share your birth plan with your provider and the nurses in labor and delivery when you arrive, but remain open minded based on how things are going, remember that in the end, a healthy mom and baby are the most important goals
- If you are planning an unmedicated birth, practicing your breathing and relaxation techniques right before bed can sometimes help you fall asleep
- Small, frequent meals will be easier to digest now that baby has taken over most of your abdominal cavity and they help maintain stable blood sugars so that you feel more energy throughout the day
