This is the time to go through labor! When you are 33 weeks pregnant, the uterus is about
five inches above the navel. There are just four weeks remaining until your little one is full-term and ready for life outside the womb.
In the coming weeks, your uterus will grow larger, and eventually your abdomen will also stretch to accommodate the growing uterus.
At the 40th week, a woman carrying twins has the same uterus size as a full-term pregnant woman. Women carrying twins or triplets are more likely to experience symptoms of labor during this period. 50% of the women bearing twins will deliver the babies too early.
Symptoms experienced by a 33 weeks pregnant woman:
When you’re 33 weeks pregnant, it can be difficult to get anything ready. Fatigue is one of the most common causes and is most likely affecting you severely. You are now carrying the weight of a small watermelon inside your belly on average, which is really taxing your energy levels. As a result, adequate rest is critical during the third trimester of pregnancy. Upon reaching pregnancy week 33, you may experience Braxton Hicks contractions more frequently, and in this period, these kinds of pre-labor contractions can confuse you and cause false terrors that can lead to false visits to your maternity center. Also, you may feel that these contractions are more painful. To confirm whether they are real labor pains or Braxton Hicks contractions, change your position whenever you feel those contractions. If the pains go away when you change positions, then they are false labor contractions. Real labor contractions will continue regardless of what you do. As time passes, these contractions will become more intense.
Pregnancy edema is also a common symptom that you experience when you are carrying a 33-week fetus. The swelling of your feet and ankles is such that you may feel that they will never return to their normal size. Living in a very hot or cold climate can make the swelling even worse. Drinking enough water and elevating your feet whenever you can help to avoid pregnancy edema.
Frequent urination is also one of the pregnancy symptoms that will bother you until the baby is born. Unfortunately, you cannot do anything to prevent this symptom.
Mood swings are also common during this period, and they make you feel emotionally unstable. Find ways to give yourself pleasure and communicate your feelings to your partner. You can also create a community online and share your emotions and feelings. This is a good idea to keep yourself busy and away from thinking about such discomforts.
Physical changes that occur in a 33 weeks pregnant woman:
When you are 33 weeks pregnant, your belly is so big that you may feel like waddling as part of your daily life. If you enjoy painting your toes, it is now nearly impossible. You’re probably becoming increasingly uncomfortable, and it’s difficult to find a comfortable position to sit in. Sleeping is already a major issue for you.
Even though you feel so uncomfortable, just remember that you will be holding a little one in your arms within a few weeks. Make sure to spend some quality time communicating with your baby. Rub the belly while talking with your little one and enjoy your little one’s kicks.
This week, you may notice yourself having some urinary leakage, also called incontinence. This is most common in women during their second and subsequent pregnancies. Whenever you sneeze, laugh, cough, or lift any heavy object, you may notice the leaking of a small amount of urine from your bladder. Most women experience this, particularly at the end of pregnancy. Practicing pelvic floor exercises will help to strengthen the muscles that support your bladder.
Fetal changes that occur:
When you are 33 weeks pregnant, your baby is about 17 inches long and weighs up to 4.4 pounds.
During those upcoming weeks, your baby gains more than half of his/her birth weight. Few babies will have their heads full of hair by this week, while others will have only a little bit of fuzz. Fetal Assessment
This week, there will be more maturity in your baby’s lungs, and they will start the production of surfactant, which helps the baby’s airways to remain open and not collapse. Even though you may have threatened premature labor; the care provider will give a cortisone injection that can help the baby’s lungs mature.
The growth of the baby’s brain continues to increase and is also increasing in size. Also, brain parts start their functions, such as the auditory cortex (hearing sense), the visual cortex (visual sense), and Broca’s area (speech and language processing).
Wrinkled skin is almost gone this week. The increased fat storage under the skin will make the baby’s skin look smoother. For the rest of the weeks, the baby concentrates more on gaining weight.
Fingernails are almost fully developed and reach the tip of the baby’s finger. But, there is no danger of the baby accidentally scratching the skin because the nails are softer due to the continuous immersion in the amniotic fluid.
Hardening of the baby’s bones will also continue this week; however, the bones in the skull will continue to be softer. The bones in the baby’s skull need to move easily and also overlap in order to fit the baby’s head appropriately in the birth canal. Baby development
What care should be taken by a 33 weeks pregnant woman?
Are you planning to take childbirth classes? If so, they may be starting now. Birthing programs teach you more about breathing methods to make yourself ready for the upcoming labor, and about the birth process itself. You may also want to consider taking classes on breastfeeding and baby massage.
Consume a diet rich in Omega-3 fatty acids (DHA). DHA is very important for brain and vision development. Not only does DHA help your little one, but it also greatly helps the mother by preventing preterm labor and postpartum depression.
Have a wonderful pregnancy journey! Continue reading to learn more about the exciting things that happen during pregnancy week 34… Pregnancy complications
