Day 227 of 280, third trimester
You are 32 weeks and 3 days
As your belly grows, it's normal to feel you want to support it when you're walking around.
53 days until your due date
You've probably had to change how you exercise by now because of your growing abdomen, perhaps swapping jogging on the treadmill for long, brisk (or not so brisk!) walks.
If even walking makes your belly and pelvis sore, you may find yourself holding up your belly with your hands to give it extra support and give your pelvis and back a break. Some women say it feels as if the baby "might fall out." A pregnancy support band, made of stretchy fabric, supports the belly and can help prevent lower back pain.
Focus on
Your baby: Repositioning your baby
Your movements in late pregnancy can affect your baby's position. Ideally he'll lie head down, facing your back, with his chin tucked into his chest. You can encourage this optimal position by:
- Spending time on all fours, wiggling your hips from side to side, or arching your back and then dropping your spine down.
- Sitting with your knees lower than your pelvis and your body tilted slightly forward.
- Kneeling on the floor, leaning over a beanbag, cushions, or a birth ball.
- Sitting on a birth ball with your legs slightly apart and knees lower than your hips, then rocking your pelvis.
- Using the tailor pose: sit on the floor with your back straight and the soles of your feet together, let your knees fall to the sides, and rest your elbows on your inner thighs.
- Swimming: breaststroke helps open the pelvis.
Good to know
Buying a baby monitor
There are hundreds of monitors on the market, which can make choosing daunting. They all have at least two units: one that transmits your baby's sounds and one that stays with you so you can hear if he's crying or fussing.
Extra features include video screens, a light display that responds to sound, low-power and out-of-range warnings, mains or battery power, a talk-back function, a temperature sensor, and a night-light. Your choice mostly comes down to personal preference and budget. If your home is small, you may not need one at all.
Explainer
Supporting your belly
When you're heavily pregnant, walking even at a comfortable pace makes your belly shift around, and it's instinctive to support your baby with your hands.
Appointments and key dates around now
- RSV vaccineFrom 28 weeks
Read the full 32 weeks pregnant guide
This is general information based on NHS guidance, not medical advice, and every pregnancy is different. Talk to your midwife or GP about anything that worries you. If your baby's movements slow down or change, or you have bleeding, severe pain or leaking fluid, call your maternity unit straight away. In an emergency, call 999.