With less than two months left in this pregnancy, you may be counting down to your due date. Please don’t put off those last preparations, though, because babies set their own schedules, and may show up as early as 37 weeks without being considered premature.
Your baby should still be quite active during these weeks of development. Most of his organs are now developed enough to carry out their functions at birth, though the lungs and immune system still have some development to do.
Your Baby’s Development At 33 Weeks
Your baby is now just over 4.5 pounds and about 17 inches long. Though his bones continue to harden from now until birth, the skull will remain flexible enough to squeeze through your cervix in just a few weeks.
You may notice that your baby’s movements feel (and look) somewhat different from earlier in your pregnancy. There’s much less wiggle room available as he nears his birth size, so the movements feel more like a baby in a swaddle and less like a miniature gymnast with plenty of room to exercise. His movements may also be more visible, and you may be able to watch a small bump surface that you can say with reasonable certainty might be a pointy little elbow or knee!
At 33 weeks pregnant, your baby may also be settled into the head-down position to prepare for birth. If he isn’t soon, your provider may discuss the possibility of encouraging him to turn, as well as C-section options.
Mother’s Symptoms At 33 Weeks Pregnant
You could gain a pound or two a week, enough to throw anyone off-balance. If your new center of gravity makes you feel unwieldy and unsteady, take extra caution since a fall can be dangerous to you and your baby.
Even if you can’t see your feet any longer, many other pregnancy symptoms are hard to miss. Here are some of the most common and how to handle them.
Weight & Breathing
Weight gain, increased blood volume, and pressure on the lungs can make this part of pregnancy difficult.
You may be dealing with back pain as a matter of routine by now. Supportive shoes and a belly band may help, but getting enough rest, and taking breaks when needed are vital. Your legs and feet may also be struggling, and it may be time to reduce how much of the day you spend standing.
If you feel out of breath or woozy, sit or lie down and rest. Falling is not on anyone’s pregnancy bucket list! Report any falls to your doctor right away.
If you’re getting overheated, hydrate and wear loose, flowy, comfortable clothing.
Preterm Labor Signs
You’re getting closer and closer to the time to meet your baby, but if you go into labor now, your doctor will likely try to help you hold out for a few more weeks.
If your water breaks, it’s time to head to the hospital. Your doctor can take steps to prevent infection and keep your baby safe for a few more weeks, or they may deliver your baby early, depending on the totality of the circumstances. Either way, once your membrane has ruptured, there’s an increased risk of infection, so you’ll need to be under medical care.
If you’re having contractions that become more frequent and intense over time, you are likely in labor. Braxton Hicks contractions are usually not described as painful, and can stop if you change position or relax. Call your doctor if you’ve been timing your contractions and they’re becoming more frequent. You’ll likely be directed to head for the hospital, where you and your medical providers can make a decision together about whether the safest choice for you and your baby is an early delivery or steps to stop your contractions and keep your baby on the inside for a few more weeks.
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, backache, and pelvic pressure can also be signs that you’re in labor before time. Any vaginal bleeding, or passing of bloody show or mucous plug, can be signs that the cervix is dilating and effacing. A low, dull backache or cramps that feel like menstrual cramping can also be signs.
Preeclampsia Signs
Preeclampsia is a serious condition that requires extra monitoring and places you in the high-risk pregnancy category, so if you notice these symptoms, contact your doctor right away.
However, it also affects other organs and can cause severe, permanent effects, so it’s imperative to monitor for the safety of both you and your baby. You should contact your doctor immediately if your first symptoms surface between visits. Even though your healthcare provider has likely performed many routine tests during pregnancy, even at 33 weeks pregnant, new issues can arise and some of those issues can be very serious.
Severe headaches can be one of the first signs. If you have a headache that you feel is just extremely beyond anything you’ve experienced, call your doctor. It can also affect vision, so you should check to see if you see spots or blurs.
While swelling is a common pregnancy symptom, swelling due to hypertension may be more severe and more serious. Any swelling that affects your chest or face can be a sign of preeclampsia, as can swelling that comes un suddenly or is very extreme.
Digestion & Cravings
As your baby grows, eating enough while sitting can be hard. You may find that you’re looking at your plate, desperately wanting to finish it, and you feel too full. This is especially frustrating when pregnancy cravings make your body demand more specific food! Wondering why? Our pregnancy cravings guide will help identify possible reasons behind common cravings.
Try to eat smaller, more frequent meals, or divide a single meal into multiple sittings. This may also help reduce heartburn and indigestion, though they may still plague you through the end of pregnancy.
Milk of magnesia is generally considered to be safe during pregnancy, as are over-the-counter antacid options like Tums or Rolaids. However, avoid those with aspirin, magnesium trisilicate, or sodium bicarbonate.
Many women experience constipation through late pregnancy. Several factors cause this, including hormonal changes and increasingly cramped space. You might reduce your symptoms by getting enough water and fiber.
If medication is required, most doctors approve stool softeners, but laxatives are typically not considered a safe option since they may cause contractions.
Urinary incontinence can also be a problem in the late months of pregnancy, especially when it feels like your baby is using your bladder as a trampoline! Kegel exercises will help and also can make labor somewhat easier.
Pain & Cramping
By this point in pregnancy, there are so many odd aches, pains, cramps, and contractions that it can be hard to figure out which ones to worry about and which to ignore or tolerate!
There’s round ligament pain, which you may have been dealing with for months. Low in the abdomen and sometimes shooting into the groin, it can feel like a stabbing or a pulling. Your round ligaments are stretching as they support your growing uterus, and it doesn’t typically cause any problems other than the pain. It will usually stop if you change positions to take the stress off the ligament, and OTC pain meds can help, too.
Pelvic girdle pain can sometimes be intense and, in extreme cases, may even cause difficulty with walking. It’s in the bones circling your lower body, caused by carrying your heavier uterus and the general ligament loosening that happens late in pregnancy. If possible, lie down to take the strain off the bones, and take the OTC pain meds your doctor approves. If it is severe, talk to your doctor about stretches and exercises that can help.
Sciatica results from pressure on the sciatic nerve at the base of the spine. Your doctor may recommend stretches, heat and cold packs to ease the discomfort, or pain medication.
Restless legs syndrome symptoms are also common in pregnancy. Your legs may feel the urge to jump and move as soon as you lie down, no matter how exhausted! Some women report that bananas help; in some cases, an obstetrician may recommend a nutrient supplement. They may advise you to use massage, exercise, and heat.
Back pain from carrying the extra weight of your pregnancy is normal. A supportive bra, comfortable shoes, and a belly band can help. Watch out for new lower back pain that comes in waves because it may be contractions.
While all of the above pains are normal and don’t usually indicate any pregnancy complication, pains that seem unusual or feel like menstrual cramping should prompt a call to your doctor. Any severe pain that doesn’t ease with rest and/or treatment should also be reported to your doctor.
Skin & Breasts
You may notice many physical changes, some of which may be alarming.
As your body prepares to nurse a baby (and it will do so even if you plan to bottlefeed), you’ve noticed your breasts increase in size, and the areolae have grown darker and larger.
Now, you may be noticing lumps! While this can be terrifying, they’re likely to be clogged milk ducts rather than cancer. Bass Cancer Center describes the difference:
“[B]enign lumps tend to be movable and smooth in texture. They may change in size with hormonal fluctuations and are often not associated with pain. On the other hand, malignant lumps are typically firm, irregularly shaped, and may feel fixed to the surrounding tissue.”
If you’re worried, you can always have your doctor check it, but don’t panic!
You may also notice changes in vein visibility and skin color in various parts of your body. Some women will get darker-colored patches on their face and other exposed skin. This may go away after your baby is born. You may be able to prevent or minimize this coloration by using sunscreen.
Spider veins may be visible on arms, legs, chest, and other areas. These aptly-named visible veins may look like spider legs sprouting from a central point, and unless they’re painful, they’re usually nothing to worry about.
Varicose veins in your legs may be relieved with compression garments, reduced time on your feet, hydration, and rest. Check in with your doctor if they are swollen, painful, or if there is any bleeding.
Insomnia & Nightmares
Sleep can be a battleground at 33 weeks pregnant.
If you’re dealing with heartburn, indigestion, restless leg symptoms, and other pregnancy difficulties, treating these first can make sleep easier. You can also use pillows to help support your body for increased comfort.
Still, you may struggle with insomnia due to stress, hormones, and other factors. Your doctor may recommend sleep hygiene practices first. These include turning off screens an hour or more before bed and keeping your room cool and dark.
However, if your lack of sleep is causing danger during daytime hours (like making you too tired to drive safely), don’t ignore it! If the benefits outweigh the risks, your doctor can help you with the safest medications so you can get some rest.
Hormonal changes, stress, and other factors also might increase the prevalence of nightmares. Destressing before bed may help. Keeping a dream journal or writing down your concerns before bed can help. If they’re severe and interfering with rest, speak to your doctor.
When To Contact Your Doctor
If you haven’t yet, it’s time to check with your doctor about their contact preferences. They may have a 24-hour nurse line, an after-hours contact, or a message service to reach out. They may also list specific circumstances under which they want you to call.
Some circumstances at 33 weeks pregnant always warrant a call to your provider.
PreTerm Labor
If you think you’re in labor before 37 weeks, you need to seek medical care.
If you’re having contractions that become more frequent and intense over time, call your doctor. The NIH describes six contractions in an hour as ‘frequent,’ but your doctor may want a call at a lower threshold, especially if the contractions are combined with other labor symptoms.
If your water breaks (rupture of membranes) you should head for your hospital. Your doctor may prefer you go to the emergency department or Labor & Delivery. You can call before you leave or on the way to check. Once your water breaks, the risk of infection is drastically increased, so your provider will have a conversation with you about the best options, which may include early delivery of your baby or staying in the hospital for a while to keep your baby safe until delivery.
New lower back pains or pains that feel like severe menstrual cramps may also be signs of labor, as can passing blood, unusual tissue, or discharge. In some cases, labor may spark severe nausea and vomiting or diarrhea. Losing your mucous plug, sometimes called bloody show, may be a sign that labor will start soon, but losing pieces of mucous plug can also be caused by an internal exam or other disturbance. If it happens without apparent reason, check in with your doctor, but don’t panic- it can reform.
Preeclampsia Symptoms
In some cases, preeclampsia will be found during an office visit, when your blood pressure is elevated or protein is found in your urine. However, in other cases, you may spot the symptoms at home.
They can include severe headache that doesn’t go away with medication, or vision changes. Unusual swelling can also be a warning sign. Watch out for swelling that affects the face or chest, or that is sudden or severe. Sudden weight gain that’s more than usual can also be a sign.
For any of these symptoms, call your doctor. Your provider will advise whether they want to bring you in for an urgent visit, have you meet them at the hospital, or see you at your next appointment if it’s pretty soon.
Decreased Fetal Movement
If your baby isn’t moving as usual, you must check in with your doctor. The doctor will ask you for kick counts, so you should be prepared to describe the change as specifically as possible. For example, “Usually, when I do kick counts after supper, I feel him move ten times in about fifteen minutes, but tonight I’ve felt two movements in thirty minutes.”
If your baby’s movement seems wrong in any other way, be prepared to describe the change.
Dehydration Symptoms
Many women will suffer dehydration during pregnancy. In some cases, it becomes severe enough to require treatment. If you have symptoms that may either cause dehydration (like severe nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, inability to keep liquids down) or that may indicate dehydration (failure to pass urine, extreme drowsiness and thirst) contact your doctor immediately. They may have you come to the hospital for IV fluids. Dehydration can be very serious, depleting amniotic fluid and causing pregnancy complications if untreated.
Other Symptoms To Call About
You should call your doctor if you have a fever over 100 degrees. You should call if there are signs of vaginal infection, including redness, swelling, itching, or changes in discharge, and for signs of a UTI. If your nipples are cracked or bleeding, call your doctor (who may send a prescription to your pharmacy to prevent thrush or other infections). Call if you’re having any unexplained abdominal cramps.
Generally, you should feel free to call if anything feels ‘wrong’ or ‘off.’ Your provider can reassure you about the concerning symptom or treat it as necessary.
What Should Mom Be Doing At 33 Weeks?
As mentioned above, Kick counts are very important for tracking changes in your baby’s activity. You can keep a count manually or use an app.
If you’d like to use the pen-and-paper method, you can time for an hour and mark each time the baby moves, or you can time how long it takes to reach ten movements. Do this at the same time every day. If you prefer, many apps will track this for you instead.
Some families like to use these last weeks to prepare for the exhausting postnatal period by preparing meals and freezing them in advance. It’s also a good idea to get other things ready so they won’t have to be done in a rush when the baby comes—assembling the crib, bassinet, or side sleeper; sorting onesies and sleepers; washing and organizing bottles and other items.
What To Look Forward To
At 33 weeks pregnant, if your baby hasn’t settled in the head-down position yet, that should happen soon. Once he does, you may notice a shift in symptoms; breathing may be a little more comfortable, for example.