About You

Week 33 is the seventh week of the 3rd trimester and you are getting closer to delivery day. Now is a good time to prepare your household by shopping ahead for basic non-perishable things like tinned food, toilet paper, and so on, before shopping becomes too much of a chore. Cook up extra portions to freeze ahead for the early weeks. You'll be glad you did when your baby has arrived. Also make sure you and your partner have all the important numbers on your phone - your midwife, doctor and the labour ward. If you're worrying about money, Try not to spoil your maternity leave by worrying about money – instead work out a budget now for your baby. There may also be benefits and payments which you can apply for to help you manage.

You may notice that your feet, hands, face, and ankles have become a bit swollen. This water retention is known as oedema and is often worse in warm weather and later in the day. Drinking more water helps but if the swelling is severe, and you have headaches, call your midwife or doctor straight away, because these are sometimes symptoms of pre-eclampsia.

About Baby

Thanks to this fatty layer, your baby's skin is plumping up nicely. This week, your baby should weigh around 1.9 kg and measure 43.7cm from head to heel. At this stage of your pregnancy, your baby’s head is probably down in your uterus (womb) – in fact most babies are head-down at this point, though some continue to change position. Your doctor or midwife will be paying careful attention to your baby's position in the coming weeks, as some babies do decide to turn back round again, which makes them in the breech position and this is not a suitable position for a vaginal birth.
Your baby's skull bones are still pliable and aren't completely joined, which makes it easier for you to give birth, as the bones in the skull can overlap slightly as baby moves down your vagina. A baby's skull is still quite pliable and not completely joined, in part so it can ease out of the relatively narrow birth canal but also because the brain is still growing. However the bones in the rest of the body are hardening. Your baby's skin is also gradually becoming less red and less wrinkled (due to fat deposits).

If you're a first-time mother, your child's head may move into the pelvis this week and press firmly against your cervix, with this happening for about half of all first-time mothers. If you're a second-time mum, you can expect this to happen a week before labour, and for some this won't happen until the start of labour.

This week’s activities for the pregnancy to-do list

✔Clean out your car to make room for baby. Then install a rear-facing car seat. You can visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's Web site to locate an inspection station near you so you can be sure you did it correctly

✔Wash your baby's clothing and bedding you should wash anything that will go near your baby's skin to remove any irritants in the fabrics. The gentlest detergents are those designed for babies or those that are labelled hypoallergenic or good for sensitive skin. Plain soap is fine.

✔Start reading about newborn care

Note that this article contains general information only and is not intended to replace advice from a qualified health professional.

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