Hey, pregnant moms and dads-to-be! Welcome to your 33rd week of pregnancy! Have you started counting down the days yet? I actually gave birth to my baby Bracey prematurely at only 30 weeks of pregnancy. Read all about my baby’s premature birth and first few weeks in my Baby’s First Year series. Despite the fact that I’m no longer pregnant, I’m taking advantage of some long days in the NICU (Bracey’s been here now for over two weeks and we’ve likely got another month to go) to continue developing this series so as to guide you along, hopefully to full term! If you’re feeling anxious, just know that the clouds and rain will give way soon to sunny skies. You’re almost there! Let’s hop straight into your 33rd week of pregnancy.

Mild fetal movements

At around week 33 of pregnancy, many women notice decreased fetal movement. I remember asking my doctor at around this stage whether it was normal that my baby seemed to be kicking less. My doctor informed me that since the baby starts to take up more space in the uterus and is essentially more cramped, fetal movements grow less dramatic and frequent. So if you’re feeling like your baby’s checking in with you less, in the normal course of things, there’s no cause for concern.

At week 33, your baby weighs 4 ¼ pounds and is 17 inches long, about the size of a pineapple. Your baby’s immune system continues to develop. At birth, a baby’s immune system is not very strong, since the baby has remained in a sterile environment for the prior nine months. During pregnancy, precious antibodies to certain bacteria and other pathogens pass through the umbilical cord to the baby. These antibodies give the fetal immune system a boost. If you breastfeed, such antibodies will continue to pass on to your baby.

At this stage in pregnancy, your baby has pretty much finished growing lengthwise. However, your baby’s weight will double before birth. Even though your baby has grown tall, their skull remains immature and won’t fully form until a couple of months postpartum. Fontanelles, the soft spots in between portions of your baby’s skull, allow the skull the flexibility it needs to fit through the birth canal during delivery.

Your baby’s eyes are also beginning to mature. As of this week, your baby can dilate and contract their pupils when presented with a light source! How cool?!

As I’ve recently experienced with Bracey’s birth, which took place a full 10 weeks before his due date, babies follow their own calendar and you never know exactly when they’ll decide to arrive. I’m a big believer in organization as a way to lower stress when it comes to all things mom! To make sure you are prepared, and to avoid unnecessary stress, pack a hospital bag around this point with all the basic essentials for your baby and you. Here’s a list to get you started:

Here are the prenatal tests that are available at 33 weeks of pregnancy:

Biophysical Profile

Contraction Stress Test

Fetal Acoustic Stimulation

Nonstress Test

Eating healthy during pregnancy requires a lot more than just taking a prenatal vitamin every day. Making healthy choices with the foods you ingest can help you and your baby have a healthy, safe pregnancy.

Check out Week 4 and Week 5 for comprehensive information on foods that are good and bad for mom, and check back in each week for a healthy pregnancy recipe.

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Doctors typically don’t measure your pregnancy based on months because months have a different number of days and weeks. However, if you are 33 weeks, figure that you are approximately 8 months pregnant!

• What to Expect & What to Expect When You’re Expecting – 5th Edition (2016)
• The Bump
• Baby List
• Parents.com
• Healthline.com
• WebMD
• The Mama Natural Week to Week Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth (2017)
• Mayo Clinic’s Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy – Second Edition (2018)
• American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists