Another week over! Again not much to report except that my belly is getting bigger. I’m not getting swollen ankles very often, which is good. I am definately slowing down though. I’m puffed after climbing a single flight of stairs, I don’t walk as fast as I used to and get tired more easily. It’s getting harder to bend down to pick up something off the floor, and rolling over in bed requires a bit of effort, though it’s been like that for a while now.
At the Birth Centre appointment my blood pressure was 110/76, fundal height was 35 cm, and the baby’s hearbeat was fine. The midwife had trouble trying to work out the orientation of Bugalugs, but I think the final verdict was that it’s probably head down with it’s back sitting against my left side. Doesn’t matter, we’ll find out for sure next week when I have the ultrasound.
Info from Birth.com.au:
You are now 32 weeks pregnant, which is the beginning of week 33. Your baby is about 44 cm long and approximately 1,900 grams in weight. Your baby’s lungs continue to mature, producing increasing amounts of surfactant. This is a fatty liquid (phospholipid) that lines their lungs, assisting the tiny sacs within (called alveoli) to expand efficiently for breathing after birth. Your baby’s sucking and swallowing action (required to drink milk) fully coordinates between 32 to 34 weeks. However, if your baby is born this early, they may still require fluids and glucose through a drip in their vein and/or be fed milk through a fine tube to their stomach, because suckling tires them quickly. Nearly 80% of preterm babies are born between 32 to 37 weeks gestation and are regarded as ‘mildly preterm’. If born at 32 weeks, they have about a 95% chance of survival and need to be cared for in an intensive care nursery.
Many women start feeling heavy and large now and may feel the need to slow down. Physical tasks can require more effort as the weeks pass by and you may consider stopping work (if employed) over the next few weeks.
Haemorrhoids or piles are essentially varicose veins of the anus or rectal canal. They can appear as small lumps around the opening of the anus during pregnancy, often during the last few months. Haemorrhoids can be painful (although not always) and quite itchy. They can also bleed, especially after a bowel motion. At times the bleeding can be quite bright and heavy.
Constipation. Difficulty opening the bowels or passing motions is a common complaint during pregnancy and is thought to happen because the progesterone hormone makes the gut movement slower. The longer food stays in the intestines, the more water is reabsorbed from the bowel, making motions harder to pass. Direct pressure on the intestines from the growing baby can also slow the passage of food through the bowel. For some women, constipation also contributes to causing haemorrhoids.
Emotional reactions Pregnancy heightens your emotions and senses, with many woman wondering “What type of world am I bringing my baby into?”, particularly after watching the news. Scenes of suffering children and relationship separations can be particularly difficult, often reducing you to tears. You may also be sensitive to who you have around you, perhaps becoming more selective about your companions, or not socialising as much. This is all quite normal.
