Pregnancy Week 33
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Your Baby's Growth and Development
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By now your baby probably weighs more than 4 pounds and is over 19 inches long. Your baby is still gaining weight during pregnancy week 33. Your baby's brain is also growing rapidly by pregnancy 33 weeks, contributing to a growth spurt of your baby's head. If you were to take a snapshot of your baby you might notice their skin is slowly changing from reddish in color to bright pink as your baby accumulates more layers of fat under their skin.
Changes In Your Body
Your uterus should be just over 5 inches above your belly button by now. Many women will gain between 28 and 33 pounds by 33 weeks pregnant. Most women put on a lot of their pregnancy weight during the final weeks of their pregnancy. Keep in mind your baby is growing from 3 or 4 pounds to over 8 in some cases!
You are probably starting to get excited about the prospect of delivering your baby. As well you should. Now is a good time to think about pre-registering at your local hospital if you plan to deliver there. I always pre-registered between 33 and 36 weeks, just in case I ended up delivering early. This will save you a lot of time and hassle if you end up in the delivery room at 3 in the morning!
I found I started retaining the most fluid during the last trimester of pregnancy. While there are many things you can do to limit swelling and bloating (like exercising and drinking water) you will retain some fluid no matter what you do. This is especially true if you are having your baby in the summer months when it is hot and your body retains water naturally anyway.
If you do not own a pregnancy full body pillow yet, consider investing in a Snoozer Full Body Pregnancy Pillow now, especially when you feel bloated and uncomfortable. Do not think for a moment you will not get your money’s worth from these pillows, quite the opposite is true. In fact, this remarkable pregnancy pillow should be called a “dreamers” pillow. Not only does it help relieve unwanted swelling throughout pregnancy, it helps you rest comfortable for years on end, even after you’ve had babies.
Many couples buy two pillows; some even buy three pregnancy pillows. There is one for dad, one for mom and one for baby while nursing and playing. Imagine that! You can even take your pregnancy pillow with you to the delivery center so your partner and you can rest comfortably while you wait for baby.
By around 33 weeks pregnant many women may start experiencing pain or tingling in their fingers and wrists, especially if they work an office job. This is common because the tissues supporting and surrounding your wrists and fingers swell during pregnancy. This compresses the nerves running through the carpal in the wrists, causing pain and discomfort.
This pregnancy induced form of carpal tunnel syndrome is usually temporary, and sometimes relieved by simple wrist exercises or use of a wrist brace during pregnancy. If you are experiencing significant discomfort, be sure to let your doctor know so they can recommend an appropriate treatment.
Stages of Labor
It's always fun dreaming of labor and delivery around pregnancy 33 weeks, even if it is still a few weeks away. The more you know about labor and delivery, the more relaxed you will be when the blessed event finally takes place!
There are several distinct stages of labor each woman will go through before delivering their baby:
- Early Labor - During this stage or the latent stage of labor your cervix slowly dilates and effaces to prepare for delivery. Most women don't event recognize this stage of labor. Most contractions occurring during the early stage of labor are mild and light, though they tend to come in regular intervals lasting 30 seconds or thereabouts and typically are between 10 and 15 minutes apart. Some women will experience a bloody show during this stage of labor. This is the longest stage of labor, and can last more than 15 hours for first time mothers! Your cervix will dilate between one and four centimeters.
- Active Labor - This is when your cervix actively dilates from 5-7 centimeters. This part of labor is typically much stronger. You will notice regular and painful contractions. For many women this stage may last between six and eight hours, but this varies significantly from woman to woman.
- Transition - This is the part of labor where your cervix dilates from 8-10 centimeters and your prepare to push out your baby. Your contractions may be five minutes apart or right on top of each other. Most women find this the most difficult part of labor.
- Final Stage - During the final stage of labor your cervix is fully dilated and you push your baby out into the bright and beautiful world!
Some doctors described the next part of labor as a stage as well. After your baby is born your uterus continues to contract until you expel the placenta from the uterus. This usually takes less than 20 minutes, and most women don't even notice this "stage" because they are too busy admiring their new baby!
Read next about your baby's growth and development, as well as the changes in your body during pregnancy week 34.
