33 Weeks Pregnant



Now that you are at 33 weeks pregnant, you will find that your weight gain is more frequent. Your baby will weigh around 4.2 pounds at least, and will be around 17.2 inches in length from head to toe. Some women will find that their baby is slightly longer. It’s worth noting that every baby and every pregnancy is different, and the figures are just an average.

Your Baby’s Development

Many parts of the brain are now developing, especially the part that helps the sight and hearing. At 33 weeks pregnant, your baby will start to interpret any sights and sounds, along with pick up on the language used in the outside world. Try to play music and talk to your little one as much as possible right now. She will recognize your voice afterwards.

The fat cells in the skin are now developing, so your baby will no longer look as wrinkly as it has done in the past. Most of this development is to help deal with the temperatures and life outside. While the skin thickens, the bones also develop harder. The only area that doesn’t develop so much is the skull to help with the exiting from the womb.

The amniotic fluid is now at its peak. At pregnancy week 33, your baby will swallow about a liter of fluid each day to improve the digestive system. That fluid is secreted through the urine.

Changes in Your at Pregnancy Week 33

You will likely feel huge by this point—I know I did. You just have four weeks until your little one is considered full term. If you’re carrying more than one baby, I really do feel for you. The good news is that your baby could survive outside of the womb right now, and not all need to go into an incubator.

Right now, finding a comfortable position is going to be a little difficult especially when sleeping. I found it helped to have a pillow between my legs by this point to help support my hips as I laid on my side. I also found that sitting in my office chair was comfier than anywhere else!

You’ll probably not be able to see your feet when you look down, and they can start to swell. Try to keep flat shoes around. I had to loosen off my trainers and keep my ballet pumps for when walking around. I did try the heels for a wedding when I was at 33 weeks, but lasted about an hour before I switched to the flats.

Just keep thinking about the baby at the end of all this!

Symptoms at 33 Weeks Pregnant

The main symptom you will feel right now is fatigue. Where did all that energy from the second trimester go? You’ve got to remember about the extra weight that you’re carrying around with you. There’s nothing wrong with resting now and then.

Swelling is common. It’s not just your feet that can swell either! However, you do need to look out for excess swelling. Your hands and face shouldn’t swell, and your legs shouldn’t swell too much (I asked my midwife to define “too much!”). Swelling is also a sign of pre-eclampsia, which is extremely dangerous. Your health professional will do a series of tests at each appointment, including taking your blood pressure and checking for protein in your urine.

Heart burn and indigestion are also common. I found that eating tiny meals regularly were the best way to handle this. The heart burn would attack in the middle of the night, but a glass of milk was usually enough to get me back to sleep.

Remember you are just seven weeks away from your due date. There isn’t much left now, although it is the hardest part. Get your hospital bag packed, because it could happen very soon!

Image credit: Imagerymagestic/freedigitalphotos.net

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