32 WEEKS PREGNANT

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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!

Episode Transcript

(00:05):
Hi, I'm Stephanie Poole, founderand CEO of Birth Prep Academy.
I'm on a mission to helppregnant moms prepare for their
first hospital birth.
I'm sharing revealingconversations about what it
really takes to successfullytransition into motherhood.
So join me.
Here to discover things likewhat to expect in childbirth,

(00:27):
how to prepare for your birth.
We'll also talk aboutbreastfeeding and so much more.
I'm so grateful to share it allwith you right here on Oh Baby,
the podcast created for pregnantmoms preparing for their first
hospital birth.
Let's get started.
Okay, listen up.

(00:47):
You're 32 weeks pregnant.
Your belly is officiallypopping.
Sleep is probably a hot mess.
And your brain.
Well, it's doing someinteresting things, but no one's
telling you the real stuff thatyou need to know right now.
Like the weird symptom that hitsaround now that nobody warns you
about, like why your birth planmight actually need a major glow

(01:12):
up this week.
And the one.
Tiny decision that you makeright now that'll set you up for
breastfeeding success later.
This is the week where stuffstarts getting real Mama, and
we're talking about all of it.
But before we jump in, if youare loving this kind of real

(01:32):
talk support, then you have tobe 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 mustknow birth prep tips, behind the
scenes stories, and the kind ofnew mom hacks that your OB is

(01:55):
simply not talking about.
And yes, it's free.
Just scroll down, click the linkand drop your email in like 10
seconds.
Boom, you're in.
You're welcome.
All right, so let's start withthe star of the show.
Your baby at 32 weeks, your babyis about the size of a squash, a

(02:18):
very active squash around fourpounds and about 17 inches long.
But no one tells you that thisis when their sleep cycle
actually starts to develop.
Yes.
Your baby has sleep cyclesinside of you and they'll start
practicing REM or REM sleep,which is connected to brain

(02:42):
development.
So if you've noticed your bellytwitching like a drum solo at
night.
Yeah.
They're dreaming.
And growing.
Their brain is rapidlydeveloping and their bones are
soft and vindy on purpose.
This is to help with the birthprocess.
I know.
Wild, right?
All right, now let's talk aboutyou, because 32 weeks is a weird

(03:07):
turning point.
Here's what might be showing upthis week that no one warns you
about.
First step is lightning crotch.
Now, we've talked about this inanother episode, but in case you
are new here, Yes, I did saylightning crotch.
It's a real thing.
Those sudden zaps of pain downbelow, well that's the baby

(03:31):
pressing on your nerves.
It's totally normal and probablytotally annoying, but it is a
thing and you may start to seeit this week.
Alright, clumsiness.
It's funny because.
Someone commented on this underthe previous video and I thought
it was so cute because theymentioned how clumsiness had

(03:53):
been something that started tokick in for them.
Listen, this is simply becauseyour center of gravity is a
little off and relaxin which isa hormone, is making your joints
a little looser.
So if you started dropping stuffor bumping into walls, it's
okay.
You're not alone.

(04:14):
It's something totally normalfor this time of pregnancy.
Okay, now let's talk about thosesuper vivid dreams.
That's your body's way ofprocessing all of the emotional
prep for motherhood.
It is totally normal, even ifyour dreams start to get a
little bit weird.

(04:35):
All right.
Next up is random swelling.
If your ankles are starting topuff up, try to elevate your
feet.
Try staying hydrated andavoiding standing for too long.
But if you have sudden swelling,sudden headaches, or blurred
vision, I want you to call yourprovider just as a precaution.

(04:57):
All right.
Now, can we talk emotionally fora second?
A lot of moms at this stagestart 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 shiftin your hormones that's prepping

(05:20):
you for birth.
Your body's starting to producemore.
Cortisol, which is our stresshormone.
This helps to mature your baby'slungs, but it can also make you
feel a little bit more on edge.
So I want you to be gentle withyourself.
This is the time to rest, tonest, and prep, not to push

(05:43):
yourself all the way throughburnout.
And seriously, let's just stopglorifying doing the most at
eight months pregnant.
You are doing enough.
Just growing a human.
Period.
all right, so let's make a quickpivot.
If you haven't touched yourbirth plan in a while, or maybe
you've avoided it altogether,now is the time.

(06:05):
here's what I want you toreview.
At 32 weeks, I want you toreview what's your plan If labor
starts early.
Also, I want you to know, do youknow your hospital's induction
policies?
Also, do you have preferencesfor monitoring pain meds
pushing, and who's allowed inthe room?

(06:27):
Oh, and if your provider hasn'ttalked about any of this yet,
that could be a red flag.
Ask those questions now.
Not at 38 weeks.
In fact, inside my bump tobundle blueprint, I walk you
through a birth plan that's notjust pretty, it's actually
designed to help you advocateconfidently, even if things

(06:50):
change.
That's important.
Lemme say that again.
It's designed to help youadvocate confidently, even if
things change.
I'll link that below.
If you're interested, just clickin the description box.
Okay, this part is important andno one's talking about it.

(07:11):
If you are planning tobreastfeed, 32 weeks is the
perfect time to prep your bodyand your brain.
Here's how a lot of clients willask me a couple questions.
Number one, they'll ask me, do Ineed to do any nipple prep?
Not necessary.
You don't need to scrub yournipples or use cream unless your

(07:31):
provider recommends it.
Also, I want you to learn now,not later.
Most moms wait until the baby ishere and then they're too
exhausted and too overwhelmed tolearn about breastfeeding.
That is the recipe forfrustration.
Instead, start understandingthings like how your milk supply

(07:53):
actually works and what a goodlatch looks like.
Also, you need to understandwhat to do if it hurts, and
here's a hint.
It's not to just deal with it ortough it out.
You need to know what to do.
That's why you have to check outmy course in the description.
It gives you the real deal aboutwhat to expect and how to set

(08:15):
yourself up for day one,breastfeeding success, not just
winging it when the babyarrives.
all right, mama.
If you are still here, you'realready doing the work to
prepare for a powerful birth.
And confident breastfeeding.
32 weeks can feel like the startof the final boss level, but

(08:35):
you've got this, you don't haveto do it alone.
And I've helped hundreds offirst time moms go from anxious
to ready.
And that's exactly what I wantfor you too.
So drop a comment and let meknow.
What's the most unexpectedsymptom that you've had so far?
Let's normalize the wild stuffin the comments.

(08:57):
If this video has helped you hitthat like button so more moms
can find this info.
And don't forget to subscribenext week.
I'm diving into the must do prepfor labor at 33 weeks.
And one thing most moms skipthat they totally regret later.
Don't forget to grab your freespot inside of Due Date Diaries

(09:21):
and check out my full birth andbreastfeeding course.
Bump to Bundle Blueprint.
The links are below.
I'll see you back here nextweek.