You are 32 Weeks and 4 Days 52 days to go…
By this stage of pregnancy, your baby’s fingernails have grown and reach the tips of his fingers.
Your baby today
This image shows that the bridge of your baby’s nose is now more
fully formed. The face is taking on a more rounded shape and some
babies may look quite chubby from now on. Shadows around the top and
sides of the head will increasingly give the illusion of hair.
By now, your baby’s fingernails
have reached the tips of the fingers. The fingernails first appeared at
12 weeks, and since the development of the arms is consistently ahead
of the legs, the toenails started to develop four weeks later. The
future nail begins at the tip of each finger or toe, where a nail fold
is formed. At the base of this nail fold, the cells start to harden into
nail, in a process known as keratinization. The nails grow from new
cells formed in the soft nail bed. It takes nine weeks for the nails to
reach the fingertips and it will be another four weeks before the
toenails reach the tips of the toes.
The nail is actually all
the same color, but the white part of the nail appears white because it
does not have the nail bed, with its rich blood supply, beneath it to
give the illusion of color. Since the nails already reach the
fingertips, it probably won’t be long after the birth before your baby’s
nails need trimming—they are very fine and soft and you may find it
easier to trim them by nibbling them away rather than trying to cut
them. Or cut them with baby nail scissors while your baby is asleep and
not wiggling around.
… Your body
Yoga is excellent exercise
for the mind and body while you’re pregnant, and may be a cornerstone
of your birth preparations if you choose to take active birth classes .
An instructor will tailor a routine for your body and the stage of your
pregnancy. The individual stretches shown below are ideal for opening
up the pelvis and strengthening the legs. By practicing them while
you’re pregnant, you’ll be able to use them more effectively and
confidently during labor. When you’re practicing squatting, it may help
if your partner supports you from behind.
Get into a squatting position. Squat only if you find it easy to hold this position with your heels on the floor and your back straight.
Sit with your left leg stretched out in front of you and right leg bent. Gently twist your body, placing your hands on the floor for additional support.
Sit with one leg stretched out behind you, and the other tucked beneath your belly. Stretch upward, breathing deeply throughout.
You are 32 Weeks and 5 Days 51 days to go…
To get used to the fact that your newborn will arrive very soon, start focusing on life after the birth.
Your baby today
In this image of the baby lying on his side, the arm is
positioned beneath the head and is partly outside of the 3D view. This
allows the ultrasound scan to look within the arm. Part of the bones in
the elbow and forearm are seen here as bright reflections.
Friends and family might now begin talking about what will happen after the birth and what it will be like for you to have a baby.
If this is your
first baby, you probably can’t really envisage what it will be like to
be a mom, and even if you have had a baby before you’ve never had a
second or third and so don’t know what it will be like to have another
one. Of course you know that life will continue, but it can be difficult
to see past the labor to the realities of life with a newborn. As ever,
keep talking to those close to you about how you feel, be it excited or
scared and unprepared (usually all three in rapid succession). Talk
about what you think or hope it will be like after the baby is born, for
example when are grandparents and other key people going to visit, and
whether you would like a christening or naming party—or perhaps neither
of these. This may help you get used to the idea that not only are you
pregnant but there is a baby coming.
… Doctor
| Q: |
How will I benefit from going to prenatal classes?
|
| A: |
You’ll get the opportunity to share information, ideas, fears,
and concerns about childbirth in a comfortable environment, and to
discuss and decide upon issues that will affect the way you choose to
give birth. You’ll also meet other parents-to-be. Often friendships
formed at classes continue after the birth as you support each other in
your new parenting role. In most classes, you’ll be given advice about:
Tried-and-tested labor techniques, such as breathing through the pain, massage, suitable sustenance, and some positive visualization exercises Pain-relief options and a range of natural alternatives How to present (and preserve) your birth plan The practical and emotional support a birth partner can offer The items required for a hospital or home birth (see … Doctor and Items for your hospital bag).
You’ll be advised
on how to prepare yourself for the birth, what to expect in the first
few days, and how to encourage healing afterward, as well as being given
tips on caring for a newborn, including diaper changing, bathing, and
establishing breast-feeding.
|
Prenatal classes
are a wonderful opportunity to swap ideas and information with a group
of people in the same position as you. Long-term friendships can be made
here.
In a first birth, the cervix dilates by about 0.5 cm every hour, compared to 1.5 cm an hour for subsequent babies.
First-time moms push for around an hour, compared with about half an hour for a second baby.
