33 weeks pregnant symptoms and the development of your baby

How many months is 33 weeks pregnant? You are now 33 weeks pregnant and you may be asking how many months is 33 weeks pregnant. 33 weeks pregnant in months is 8 months.

33 weeks pregnant in months: You are now on your 8^th month of pregnancy. Few more weeks and your baby will finally see the world.

How big is your baby? 33 weeks pregnant baby weight in kg

33 weeks pregnant baby weight in kg

At week 33, your baby is approximately 15 to 17 inches (38-43 cm) long or about a size of a pineapple, and weighs approximately 4 to 4.5 pounds (1.8-2 kg). But remember, mommy, each baby is unique, and growth can vary during this period. So, if your baby differs slightly from these measurements, it is normal and there's nothing to worry about it.

Your baby's development

In this week by week pregnancy guide, you'll learn that:

• Your baby can now differentiate between day and night as the light passes through the thin uterine wall.
• He will be closing and opening his eyes during sleeping and waking up times.
• He has developed an immune system of his own.
• He has also learned how to breathe now.
• His bones are hardening.
• He is also undergoing some major brain development.

According to Healthline, during the final weeks of pregnancy, your baby will kick vigorously, use its senses to observe the environment, and sleep. At this stage, babies can even go into deep REM sleep. Your baby can also see, as his or her eyes constrict, dilate, and detect light.

Moreover, NHS UK stated in their article that at week 33, your baby's brain and nervous system are now fully developed. Its bones are hardening up except for the skull bones, which will remain soft and separated until the baby is around 12 to 18 months old. The slight flexibility of the head makes the journey down the birth canal a little easier.

33 weeks pregnant baby position

3 weeks pregnant baby position: You may begin to feel as if something is pressing down on your pelvis. This heavy sensation could indicate that your baby is in the head-down position, getting ready for birth.

According to flo.health, an ultrasound in your 33rd week of pregnancy will reveal that your baby is keeping his or her eyes open while awake. Your baby is turning to help with breathing coordination by sucking and swallowing.

This week, ultrasound may be used as part of a biophysical profile. The ultrasound will reveal the baby's movements, breathing, muscle tone, and amount of amniotic fluid. It will also monitor the baby's heart rate and how it changes when the baby moves or when you have contractions.

33 weeks pregnant symptoms not to ignore 

Aside from the development of your baby during this stage, you might also want to know the 33 weeks pregnant symptoms that you may experience. Knowing the 33 weeks pregnancy symptoms allows you to prepare for what will happen.

Here are some 33 weeks pregnancy symptoms that may occur:

• Since your metabolic rate has reached its peak, you will be left feeling overheated all the time.
• Sleep has become elusive with the hormonal rush, regular trips to the bathroom, leg cramps, and heartburn.
• Headaches and feeling anxious all the time will become a common affair.
• You will start experiencing strong fetal movements inside the womb.
• Your nails will become brittle because of hormonal activities.
• If your belly starts hurting when you change positions in bed, it might be because of the round ligament pain. This is described as a sharp or jabbing pain usually in the belly or groin area that is, unfortunately, common during pregnancy.
• Shortness of breath will become routine.
• You may feel clumsy and become forgetful of even the smallest things.

Back pain and swollen ankles and feet are two of the most common 33 weeks pregnant symptoms. Pressure builds up on your sciatic nerve, the largest nerve in your body, as your baby grows. This can result in a kind of back pain called sciatica.

Moreover, your ankles and feet may be swollen more than they were in previous months. This is because your expanding uterus puts strain on veins leading to your legs and feet.

Furthermore, you may also experience Braxton Hicks contractions when you are 33 weeks pregnant. Braxton Hicks contraction is different from real labor contractions. Braxton Hicks or false labor contractions are infrequent contractions that do not become more intense as they get closer together. They should subside after a while and be less intense than the contractions you will experience when you go into labor.

Get to the hospital as soon as your contractions become longer, stronger, or closer together. If you are only 33 weeks pregnant, it is still too early for a baby to be born. Dehydration may be the cause of early labor. Your doctor may give you a bag of IV fluid to stop the labor.

Pregnancy Care

• Avoid exercising and eating close to your bedtime.
• While exercising, you must not indulge in anything strenuous.
• Ensure that you stick to healthy eating.
• Keep yourself hydrated by drinking at least eight to 10 glasses of water every day. Avoid aerated drinks.

Your Checklist

• To ease down anxiety, pamper yourself with a warm bath.
• Drink a warm cup of milk before sleeping and listen to your favourite soundtrack to help you soothe down.
• If you are planning on cord blood banking, sign up for it now.

Your next week: 34 weeks pregnant

Your previous week: 32 weeks pregnant

Additional information from Jasmine Yeo

Here at theAsianparent Philippines, it's important for us to give information that is correct, significant, and timely. But this doesn't serve as an alternative for medical advise or medical treatment. theAsianparent Philippines is not responsible to those that would choose to drink medicines based on information from our website. If you have any doubts, we recommend to consult your doctor for clearer information.