33 weeks pregnant

33 weeks pregnant in NZ: What you can expect

The average pregnancy weight gain in NZ is about 450 grams per week. It seems like a lot, but your baby is growing fast at this stage.

Plan birth pain relief: With labour and delivery so close, you may be thinking about pain management in childbirth. Perhaps you'd like to use only breathing techniques, such as those you learnt at antenatal classes, or perhaps you'd like to use nitrous oxide (gas and air) to take the edge off the pain. If you prefer an analgesic or anaesthetic form of pain relief, there are a number of options available to you. Your midwife or obstetrician will talk to you about your preferences when you are making your birth plan.

Sleeping: You’re probably thoroughly sick of people telling you ‘oh if you think you’re sleep deprived now, wait until the baby arrives!’. Because right now, you’ll be running hot, having leg cramps, heartburn, multiple pee trips at night, and your baby bump is wildly uncomfortable. All this adds up to no sleep. This is one of the worst 33 weeks pregnant symptoms.

Use pillows to get as comfortable as possible. Do yoga and exercise during the day to help with blood flow and hopefully reduce leg cramps. A warm bath before bed, a cup of chamomile tea, maybe even a leg and foot massage from your significant other can help.

Round ligament pain: If you get pain in your lower stomach area when you move, that’s likely round ligament pain. It’s just growing pains and your body dealing with your baby getting bigger.

33 weeks pregnant symptoms not to ignore

The are a few things you should be aware of, and if they happen, seek out your midwife or obstetrician.

• Stomach pain accompanied by chills, fever, or bleeding
• Unusual vaginal discharge that is brown, yellow or bloody
• Significantly decreased baby movement
• If you have significant swelling, dizziness, unclear vision, and headache, this could be eclampsia.
• Being incredibly itchy all over could be a sign of cholestasis

Your baby at 33 weeks pregnant

At 33 weeks pregnant, baby weight is about two kilos and he or she is 43 cms long. Your baby’s brain is developing, with billions of neurons helping your baby to learn about his or her in-utero environment. Your baby is listening (make sure to cover their ears when you swear), feeling, and can even see light and dim shapes.  He or she can now differentiate between day and night, as the uterine walls are much thinner than before. Maybe, fingers crossed, this will help your baby transition to life outside the womb and help encourage them to sleep at night…

33 weeks pregnant: foetal development

Your baby's lungs are close to completely matured. From now, more fat will be deposited on your baby's body for protection and warmth once they are born. This is one of the main functions over the nest few weeks, as your baby gains weight, ready for life outside the womb.

By now your baby may be getting into position for delivery. Your midwife or obstetrician can tell you if your baby is positioned head or bottom first, but there’s still time for the baby to change position if he or she isn’t head-down yet.

Your baby will have developed hair on the top of his / her head. The amount will vary and anything from none to lots is normal.

By this stage (if your baby is a boy) his testicles will have descended into his scrotum. If they have not descended at birth there is no need to panic, by his first birthday they will have descended.

Can you have a baby at 33 weeks?

Yes, you could go into labor at 33 weeks pregnant. The survival rate for babies born now is 98%. However, they would need to spend time in NICU as their gastro system and lungs mature enough.

What position is the baby in at 33 weeks?

Starting from week 33 pregnancy is when babies start to turn and get into a head-down position. Until this happens, he or she could be in any position. Generally, this head-down change happens between week 33 and 36.

What should I expect at 33 weeks pregnant?

You should be gaining weight steadily as your baby grows. Your baby at 33 weeks is now taking up the same amount or more space as the amniotic fluid; so those kicks will be at their sharpest now. He or she has some room to kick still, and powerful little legs and arms.

What is the normal weight for a baby at 33 weeks?

The size of baby at 33 weeks is around 1.9kg to 2.1kg. The average baby weight at birth in NZ is 3.46kg, so your baby still has a lot to gain in the next 7 weeks.

What should I be eating at 33 weeks pregnant?

Focus on lots of fruits, veggies and whole grains. Ensure you’re drinking a lot of water to make sure you’re running optimally—although you will likely be frustrated going to the toilet seemingly every few minutes. Your baby drinks about 500ml of amniotic fluid a day, so if you feel thirsty, that’s why.

Your 33 weeks pregnant bump is growing because your baby is growing fast too. Make sure you’re getting enough nutrients:

• Vitamin D: 20 minutes in the sun each day gives you the vitamin D you need
• Calcium: Dairy is not always the best source of calcium as your body may be struggling to digest lactose. Make sure you’re eating plenty of leafy greens, soy, nuts like almonds, white beans and chickpeas, and fish with bones in it such as sardines.
• DHA: You may have heard about an omega 3 fatty acid called DHA (Docosahexaenoic acid). This is essential for your baby’s brain growth and many women take supplements for their little one. It’s also good for Mum’s brain too. Eat two to three meals a week of low-mercury fish such as salmon, shrimp, and flounder. Avoid shark, tuna and swordfish for now. You can also buy DHA-enriched eggs, which also provide calcium and protein.