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32 weeks, 8 or so weeks to go.
In these last few weeks you can get some really odd pregnancy symptoms. There are some you’d expect like trouble getting to sleep, stretch marks, heartburn and backache. But there are some that might take you by surprise including:
Crampy or restless legs - you can get an itchy, pulling, burning, crawly or crampy feeling in your legs at night. It usually goes away when you move but can wake you up, causing more yawns in the day. If it’s really interfering with your sleep then talk to your midwife.
Vaginal infections - it’s normal to have more white discharge when you’re pregnant but if it changes colour, smells bad, looks like cottage cheese or you get any pain or itching (especially when you wee) then contact your GP.
Light spotting - you might get a bit of light bleeding as the lower part of your uterus thins out. This is normal but anything more than very light spotting isn’t ok at this stage and you need to contact your midwife or maternity unit.
New food allergies or sensitivities - as your body goes a bit crackers when you’re pregnant it’s possible to develop new food allergies or sensitives. And your existing allergies can get worse or completely disappear. If you do have a reaction then talk to your GP and if it’s serious and you’re having trouble breathing don’t wait, call 999. Make sure you update your midwife and notes with any allergy info.
What does my baby look like?
Every week is a crazy week of growth and your baby is now almost 43cm and 1.7kg. That’s the weight of 544 teabags - an awful lot of brews for all those visitors after your baby is born.
This week your baby develops their startle (sometimes called the Moro) reflex. If your baby hears a loud noise they throw their arms and legs out (and sometimes they do this even when it’s quiet!). You’ll notice it disappear when they’re a few months old.
What’s placenta previa?
Your placenta is attached to your uterus and is sometimes low and near or covering your cervix. As this is your baby’s exit path that’s a bit of a problem.
When you have your 20-week scan the sonographer checks where your placenta is. And if it’s low down this is called placenta praevia. It usually moves but if it hasn’t you might need to go into hospital or on bed rest as there is a higher chance of a serious bleed. If you do have this, you’ll have another scan around week 32 to check your placenta. And if it hasn’t moved you’ll probably have a C section.
Sometimes it can be hard to spot a low-lying placenta so if you have painless, bright red bleeding call your midwife or GP right away.
Want to chat with other mums? Need some help and advice? Come on over to our Facebook group.
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