3rd trimester: Week 32

Mom to Mom

Advice from the trenches: "I shouldn't have listened to all the horror stories about the agonizing pain of labor and delivery. I spent nine months being anxious about it." --Carol Goins, Walkersville, MD

Shopping

As you near delivery, you may not feel like spending any more on maternity clothes. But if you need a little pick-me-up after a challenging day--the baby poked you constantly, you've gained more weight than you expected, or you tossed and turned all night--give yourself a treat. How about new shoes or a purse--something that won't be useless in a few weeks? You've earned it.

Exercise

If you ever feel faint during a workout, sit or lie down and breathe deeply. Exercise strengthens your heart and lungs and prepares them for the hard work of labor, but it's beneficial only if done in moderation. Check your heart rate when you exercise to make sure it doesn't exceed the safe level of approximately 140 beats per minute.

Relationship

Don't feel like intercourse? Oral sex is safe during pregnancy, but be sure your partner doesn't blow air into your vagina; that could push an air bubble into your bloodstream, putting you and the baby in danger.

Siblings

Make the wait more interesting for your older child by working with her on a scrapbook for the baby. She can jot down her thoughts and draw pictures, and you can take turns writing letters to the baby. TwinsIf your doctor says you might deliver sooner rather than later, ask to meet with the neonatologist and tour the neonatal intensive care unit so you can acquaint yourself with the staff and get an idea of what to expect.