32 WEEKS PREGNANT

EP: 103 

In this week’s episode of Oh Baybee!, we’re diving deep into what it really feels like to be 32 weeks pregnant — and mama, it’s more than just counting kicks and decorating the nursery.

You’ll hear what most pregnancy books leave out:
 ✔️ The brain changes happening in you AND your baby
✔️ Why your emotions are all over the place (and how that’s helping you prep for labor)
✔️ What to do when your body feels like it’s falling apart
✔️ The essential (but often missed) breastfeeding prep step
✔️ How to review and upgrade your birth plan now — before things get hectic

🍼 Whether this is your first baby or you’re prepping for a VBAC, this episode gives you permission to slow down, tune in, and prep smarter.

💌 Join my FREE weekly newsletter, Due Date Diaries, here
🎓 Ready to feel calm, confident, and fully prepared for labor & breastfeeding?
👶🏽 Enroll in Bump To Bundle Blueprint → [Insert link]

👇 Want to chat?
 Leave a review or DM me your biggest 32-week question — I’d love to shout you out on the next episode!

Transcript

0:05

Hi, I'm Stephanie Poole, founder and CEO of Birth Prep Academy. I'm on a mission to help pregnant moms prepare for their first hospital birth. I'm sharing revealing conversations about what it really takes to successfully transition into motherhood. So join me. Here to discover things like what to expect in childbirth, how to prepare for your birth. We'll also talk about breastfeeding and so much more. I'm so grateful to share it all with you right here on Oh Baby, the podcast created for pregnant moms preparing for their first hospital birth. Let's get started. Okay, listen up. You're 32 weeks pregnant. Your belly is officially popping. Sleep is probably a hot mess. And your brain. Well, it's doing some interesting things, but no one's telling you the real stuff that you need to know right now. Like the weird symptom that hits around now that nobody warns you about, like why your birth plan might actually need a major glow up this week. And the one. Tiny decision that you make right now that'll set you up for breastfeeding success later. This is the week where stuff starts getting real Mama, and we're talking about all of it. But before we jump in, if you are loving this kind of real talk support, then you have to be getting my free weekly email, the due date diaries, y'all. I am so proud of it. It's been such a huge success. Each week, I send you the must know birth prep tips, behind the scenes stories, and the kind of new mom hacks that your OB is simply not talking about. And yes, it's free. Just scroll down, click the link and drop your email in like 10 seconds. Boom, you're in. You're welcome. All right, so let's start with the star of the show. Your baby at 32 weeks, your baby is about the size of a squash, a very active squash around four pounds and about 17 inches long. But no one tells you that this is when their sleep cycle actually starts to develop. Yes. Your baby has sleep cycles inside of you and they'll start practicing REM or REM sleep, which is connected to brain development. So if you've noticed your belly twitching like a drum solo at night. Yeah. They're dreaming. And growing. Their brain is rapidly developing and their bones are soft and vindy on purpose. This is to help with the birth process. I know. Wild, right? All right, now let's talk about you, because 32 weeks is a weird turning point. Here's what might be showing up this week that no one warns you about. First step is lightning crotch. Now, we've talked about this in another episode, but in case you are new here, Yes, I did say lightning crotch. It's a real thing. Those sudden zaps of pain down below, well that's the baby pressing on your nerves. It's totally normal and probably totally annoying, but it is a thing and you may start to see it this week. Alright, clumsiness. It's funny because. Someone commented on this under the previous video and I thought it was so cute because they mentioned how clumsiness had been something that started to kick in for them. Listen, this is simply because your center of gravity is a little off and relaxin which is a hormone, is making your joints a little looser. So if you started dropping stuff or bumping into walls, it's okay. You're not alone. It's something totally normal for this time of pregnancy. Okay, now let's talk about those super vivid dreams. That's your body's way of processing all of the emotional prep for motherhood. It is totally normal, even if your dreams start to get a little bit weird. All right. Next up is random swelling. If your ankles are starting to puff up, try to elevate your feet. Try staying hydrated and avoiding standing for too long. But if you have sudden swelling, sudden headaches, or blurred vision, I want you to call your provider just as a precaution. All right. Now, can we talk emotionally for a second? A lot of moms at this stage start feeling tapped out, like, when is baby coming? How am I gonna survive labor? I'm exhausted. I'm over it. I'm anxious. And here's the secret. That's actually a normal shift in your hormones that's prepping you for birth. Your body's starting to produce more. Cortisol, which is our stress hormone. This helps to mature your baby's lungs, but it can also make you feel a little bit more on edge. So I want you to be gentle with yourself. This is the time to rest, to nest, and prep, not to push yourself all the way through burnout. And seriously, let's just stop glorifying doing the most at eight months pregnant. You are doing enough. Just growing a human. Period. all right, so let's make a quick pivot. If you haven't touched your birth plan in a while, or maybe you've avoided it altogether, now is the time. here's what I want you to review. At 32 weeks, I want you to review what's your plan If labor starts early. Also, I want you to know, do you know your hospital's induction policies? Also, do you have preferences for monitoring pain meds pushing, and who's allowed in the room? Oh, and if your provider hasn't talked about any of this yet, that could be a red flag. Ask those questions now. Not at 38 weeks. In fact, inside my bump to bundle blueprint, I walk you through a birth plan that's not just pretty, it's actually designed to help you advocate confidently, even if things change. That's important. Lemme say that again. It's designed to help you advocate confidently, even if things change. I'll link that below. If you're interested, just click in the description box. Okay, this part is important and no one's talking about it. If you are planning to breastfeed, 32 weeks is the perfect time to prep your body and your brain. Here's how a lot of clients will ask me a couple questions. Number one, they'll ask me, do I need to do any nipple prep? Not necessary. You don't need to scrub your nipples or use cream unless your provider recommends it. Also, I want you to learn now, not later. Most moms wait until the baby is here and then they're too exhausted and too overwhelmed to learn about breastfeeding. That is the recipe for frustration. Instead, start understanding things like how your milk supply actually works and what a good latch looks like. Also, you need to understand what to do if it hurts, and here's a hint. It's not to just deal with it or tough it out. You need to know what to do. That's why you have to check out my course in the description. It gives you the real deal about what to expect and how to set yourself up for day one, breastfeeding success, not just winging it when the baby arrives. all right, mama. If you are still here, you're already doing the work to prepare for a powerful birth. And confident breastfeeding. 32 weeks can feel like the start of the final boss level, but you've got this, you don't have to do it alone. And I've helped hundreds of first time moms go from anxious to ready. And that's exactly what I want for you too. So drop a comment and let me know. What's the most unexpected symptom that you've had so far? Let's normalize the wild stuff in the comments. If this video has helped you hit that like button so more moms can find this info. And don't forget to subscribe next week. I'm diving into the must do prep for labor at 33 weeks. And one thing most moms skip that they totally regret later. Don't forget to grab your free spot inside of Due Date Diaries and check out my full birth and breastfeeding course. Bump to Bundle Blueprint. The links are below. I'll see you back here next week.