Day 228 of 280, third trimester
You are 32 weeks and 4 days
By this stage of pregnancy, your baby's fingernails have grown and reach the tips of his fingers.
52 days until your due date
Your baby's fingernails first appeared at 12 weeks, and because the arms always develop ahead of the legs, the toenails started four weeks later. A nail begins at the tip of each finger or toe, where a nail fold forms. At the base of this fold, cells harden into nail in a process called keratinization, and the nail grows from new cells made in the soft nail bed. It takes nine weeks for the fingernails to reach the fingertips, and another four weeks before the toenails reach the tips of the toes.
The nail is actually all one color; the white tip only looks white because there's no nail bed, with its rich blood supply, underneath it. Since the nails already reach the fingertips, they'll probably need trimming soon after birth. They're very fine and soft, so you may find it easier to nibble them than cut them, or use baby nail scissors while your baby is asleep and not wriggling.
Focus on
Your body: Yoga
Yoga is excellent exercise for mind and body in pregnancy, and may be central to your birth preparation if you take active birth classes. An instructor will tailor a routine to your body and stage of pregnancy. The stretches below open the pelvis and strengthen the legs, and practicing them now means you can use them more effectively and confidently in labor. When practicing squats, it may help to have your partner support you from behind.
- Squat: get into a squatting position, but only if you can hold it easily with your heels on the floor and your back straight.
- Seated twist: sit with your left leg stretched out in front and your right leg bent, then gently twist your body, placing your hands on the floor for support.
- Kneeling stretch: sit with one leg stretched out behind you and the other tucked beneath your belly, then stretch upward, breathing deeply throughout.
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.