By now, your growing baby is now shifting into a head-down positionⁱ in your womb.

Your growing baby is getting better at sensing the world around him or her. His or her hair is still growing, and he or she has eyebrows and eyelashes too.

This week, your little one weighs about 3.75 pounds (1.7 kilograms) and is now 16.75 inches (42 centimeters) from head to toe.ⁱⁱ

What can I expect in the 32nd week of pregnancy?

As your growing baby shifts into an upside-down position, the head may press on your sciatic nerve.ⁱⁱⁱ This may produce tingling or sharp pains in the legs and buttocks – a condition known as sciatica.^iv

You should try to ease the pain and have a comfortable pregnancy with these tips:

• Try using a heating pad for relief.
• This helps prevent sciatica and is a treatment option under the guidance of a physiotherapist. Walking and stretching can already help with the symptoms and strengthen your back muscles. Remember to consult your doctor before doing any exercises during your pregnancy.
• Have a firm mattress. It should be able to support your shoulders and buttocks to h elp keep your spine straight.

What can you do to support your pregnancy?

To support the weight of your growing belly and take additional pressure off your back, why not consider getting a specially designed orthopedic pillow? Now’s also the time to ask your partner for extra back rubs!

Your growing baby’s brain is undergoing rapid and complex growth, so maintain a balanced and nutritious diet to support the growth and development. Continue to eat foods rich in DHA, a building block of your growing baby’s brain. DHA accumulates most rapidly in his/her brain during the last trimester of your pregnancy.^v

Your growing baby’s development in week 33

References:

1.   Pregnancy - week by week. (n.d.). Retrieved March 21, 2017, from https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/healthyliving/pregnancy-week-...
2. Curtis, G. B., & Schuler, J. (2016). Your Pregnancy Week by Week (8th ed.). Philadelphia, PA: Da Capo Press
3. Sciatica during pregnancy. Retrieved 31 May 2017 from, http://www.pregmed.org/sciatica- during-pregnancy.htm iv  Sciatica. (2016, October 12). Retrieved February 20, 2017, from http://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/encyclopaedia/s/article/sciatica/
4. Sciatica. (2016, October 12). Retrieved February 20, 2017, from http://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk/encyclopaedia/s/article/sci
5. Carlson, Susan E. (2009) Docosahexaenoic acid supplementation in pregnancy. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 89(2): 678S–684S.