Mom, at 32 and 33 weeks pregnant you are not that far off giving birth.

During these weeks of pregnancy some women suffer from water retention and their feet and hands start swelling. If you have these symptoms, you should see your doctor immediately as you may be having signs of pre-eclampsia. You should not worry as long as you visit your doctor. Most women with pre-eclampsia still give birth to healthy babies.

If you are first time mom you may be feeling other new pregnancy symptoms, for example pressure in your lower stomach and a bit of pain. You should not get alarmed, but talk to your doctor about any uncomfortable sign. Get plenty of rest and follow all instructions given to you by your doctor.

Mom and Baby Changes

Mom: At 33 weeks pregnant you may be feeling Braxton Hicks Contractions regularly. This is very natural in most pregnant women in the last trimester and you should not worry about them too much. These contractions are because your uterus muscles are preparing for the arrival of your baby.

Due to the weight and volume of your body at 32 weeks pregnant, you will have back pain and your pelvis will feel more pressure from the baby’s weight. In fact at this stage of pregnancy development you may be experiencing other discomforts, too. Just try to relax, practice an exercise, get rest whenever you want or feel tired, and continue with a healthy balanced diet.

Remember to keep drinking lots of water to stay hydrated.

Baby: Your baby is also preparing for coming to this world. He/she is growing every minute.

When you hit 33 weeks pregnant, your baby is getting ready to breathe. Although his lungs are not mature enough to breath quite yet, they are practicing by inhaling amniotic fluid into the lungs.

In these weeks of pregnancy is possible that your baby is preparing to change its position with the head down to get ready for delivery.

Something that many moms are surprised when their baby is born is the amount of hair on the head. At pregnancy week 33 there may be a lot of hair on his or her head.

Fat will continue to be deposited on your baby’s body for protection and warmth.

Your baby’s skin color is turning from red to pink.

The length of your baby is around 31 cm (12.2 inches) and its weight is about 2100-2250 grams (around 5 pounds).

Dad: You must be more and more excited to meet your little baby for the first time, right?

You should be very proud of your partner for having your baby in her womb. Now what remains is that you continue helping her in all what she needs to be relaxed.

My own experience at 33 weeks pregnant:

At 32 weeks pregnant I began to have some trouble sleeping. I always used to sleep on my back, but at pregnancy week 33 I felt pressure on my back and had a bit of trouble breathing. I began to sleep on my right side with a pillow under my belly. This relieved my discomfort and my sleep was much better.

If you have a similar discomfort when sleeping, first try with an ordinary pillow. You can also try putting a pillow between your legs. Many women also use body pillows for this purpose.