Your 32-Week-Old Baby

Milestone: Standing!

Sometime between 9 and 12 months (or later!), your baby will coordinate all of their muscle groups and stand on their own two feet.

They’ll grab onto anything they can in order to get themselves into this exciting new position, so make sure furniture like bookshelves and TV stands are securely anchored to the floor or wall.

How to Encourage Standing

Give your baby plenty of opportunities to hang out along the couch or sturdy tables (with cushioned corner protectors!). Place toys or books on the couch or a table, and encourage them to reach for them and use the ledge of the table or couch to pull themselves up.

Activity centers also give babies the support they need to stand and play in a safe, enclosed space. Another way to help your kiddo get the hang of this new skill is by holding onto their arms as they stand on the floor or on top of your legs when you’re seated.

While all this movement and pulling up action is great, sometimes you just need your busy baby to sit still for a bit while you get something done nearby. Here’s a quick way to delight your little one and boost budding fine motor skills: set up a spread of plastic mixing bowls, Tupperware, wooden spoons, mixing cups and soft spatulas on the kitchen floor for your little one to bang on and explore. Will it be loud? Yes. Will it be messy? Yes. Will you actually find four minutes to unload the dishwasher? YES!

The Crib: Take It Down a Notch

No, we’re not talking about your mood when you’ve only had four hours of sleep. We’re referring to the mattress level of your baby’s crib. Cribs are designed with adjustable heights, so you can lower down the mattress as your baby gets taller and more mobile. If your little one is gearing up to pull up (especially with the help of those crib bars!), it’s time to lower the mattress to the lowest level. This way, you can rest assured they can’t climb out or fall over the rails. Yep, we know…it’s hard to believe that little newborn you used to gently place down in a swaddle will soon be standing in the crib with arms outstretched, ready to be scooped up.

A Lingering Linea Nigra

A tell-tale sign of pregnancy (in addition to a bulging belly) is the linea nigra. This thin, dark line runs down the middle of your stomach (from the pubic area up to the belly button or even higher). It usually appears during the second trimester. This common condition is totally harmless, but catches some expecting moms by surprise. It is believed to be caused by fluctuating hormones that increase the amount of melanin your body produces (hence, the boost in skin pigmentation you see).

As you’re probably already noticing, it slowly goes away on its own during the year after your baby is born. So don’t fret if yours is still lingering. In the meantime, to avoid more discoloration, try not to let your belly get direct exposure to the sun or rays from tanning beds.

PS: There’s an old wives’ tale about the length of the linea nigra correlating to the sex of your baby. It’s said that if the line extends up your abdomen past your belly button, then you’re having a boy. If it just reaches the belly button, then you’re having a girl. Did this turn out to be true for you?