33 Weeks Pregnant! Mom & Baby Development You Love to Know

33 weeks pregnant, your baby’s focus is on growth! He or she is getting ready for a life outside the womb. And you, mom? You might be growing too.

This article will cover your baby’s development, how big your baby is, what month you are actually in, and what’s happening with your body, mom.

Week 32 | Week 34

When you are 33 weeks pregnant, your baby is starting to be able to regulate his or her body temperature. The subcutaneous fat is building up. If you were to give birth now, your baby would have excellent chances to survive and thrive.

For mom, the subcutaneous fat may be building up too! Maybe not what you wish for, but normal. Continue to eat healthy foods and enjoy the last weeks of pregnancy. You can learn about normal weight gain during pregnancy here and what to do if you believe you may be increasing in weight too quickly…

What to Expect at 33 Weeks Pregnant

In this article…

How Many Months is 33 Weeks Pregnant?
Your Baby’s at 33 Weeks
Mom’s Body when 33 Weeks Pregnant
Week 33 Pregnancy Video
Pregnancy Diary of a Daughter

How Many Months is 33 Weeks Pregnant?

Counting weeks and months during pregnancy can be quite confusing. What makes it difficult, is because pregnancy is calculated from the first day of your last period. For example, you ovulate at the end of being “2 weeks pregnant”.

When being 33 weeks pregnant, fetal age is 31 weeks, since your child didn’t exist before ovulation.

You are in the third trimester.

And how many months is 33 weeks? This is where it gets a bit confusing! We say that pregnancy is 9 months, but 40 weeks… It doesn’t go together, which is why most doctors don’t talk about months at all, only weeks!

But – you think of it the same ways as with how old you are. (30 years old, once completed 30 years…) You are 8 months pregnant when you have completed 8 months of pregnancy. So when 33 weeks pregnant, you are more or less 8 months pregnant. (But stop counting months! :-) )

Here is more information about how to calculate pregnancy weeks, months, trimesters and so on.

Your Baby at 33 Weeks

What Does my Baby Look Like at 33 Weeks Pregnant?

If you could peek into your uterus, you would see your newest family member functioning more or less as a newborn baby would.

They are sucking their thumb, have bouts of waking and sleeping, can distinguish between night and day, and are able to hear everything going on around them. Read about the abilities of a newborn baby here.

If your baby will be born with hair, very often it is noticeable now during this week for example if you have a 3D ultrasound scan

And even though they are tiny and skinny, they look a lot like a newborn baby.

How Big is my Baby at 33 Weeks?

Fetal development during this week is focused on growth. By the end of the week, your baby will measure approximately 4.5 pounds (2 kg) and may even be over 17 inches (43 cm) in length.

This may not seem very large, but it can be enough to make you get up every few hours to go to the bathroom at night.

Fetal Development in Week 33

In addition to growing, many babies when prompted will respond with kicks and punches this week.

So feel free to poke at your baby if you notice a foot or arm extending out of your side. One of our children, our daughter, kept poking her foot up under my ribs. It hurt! I pushed her little foot down, but only a few minutes later she put it back again. A determined little girl!

Babies practice breathing and swallowing a lot now. They will swallow amniotic fluid and – pee it out! It doesn’t sound very nice, I agree, but everything is sterile and this process is very important for the baby’s kidney and lung development.

Mom’s Body when 33 Weeks Pregnant

33 Weeks Pregnancy Symptoms and Development

When 33 weeks pregnant, your uterus has grown over 500 times compared to its original size, while preparing your baby for life outside the womb.

Your red blood cell production is now equal to the plasma production if you have had problems with anemia (iron deficiency) during pregnancy, it is likely to be improving.

Some women notice a reduction in the swelling of their hands and feet during this week – for others, it is becoming worse!

If you have an ‘innie’ belly button it may pop out this week, if it hasn’t already. But don’t worry about how it looks now, it will return to its natural shape after you have delivered your baby.

Vivid dreams are quite common during these last few weeks. Some will say it’s due to your extreme tiredness and hormone production while others may blame it on your own personal anxieties as the delivery date draws near. Do not try to read into your dreams too much during this time, as they may just be due to that extra snack you had before bed.

Sex When 33 Weeks Pregnant

Many women wonder if they can have sex when 33 weeks pregnant; if it is safe. The answer is, yes, if you are healthy, it should be no risk, but of course, you may feel a bit clumsy.

You can read more about sex during pregnancy here, including popular positions.

Preparing to Give Birth

Many women use these last few weeks to prepare for the labor and delivery of their new baby. Pain relief options can be very confusing, especially for those first-time parents who have not had any experience with the different methods of coping with the laboring process.

No matter if you are looking into giving birth naturally or not, be sure to explore all the options available so that you are well prepared when the time comes to making the decision for your coping strategies.

You may also want to decide who will be in attendance with you during the labor and delivery, as many hospitals allow for more birth coaches besides just the other parent. For some women, it can be helpful to have a sister, mother, or doula in the delivery room to help provide assistance, while others may only want to share this special moment with their partner.

To start learning about the birth process, visit our section about giving birth here. You’ll also find plenty of birth stories here. Finally, I would strongly recommend attending a prenatal class.

Get immediate expert help with your pregnancy questions through JustAnswer Pregnancy:

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Week 33 Pregnancy Video

33 Weeks Pregnant: What is Happening in 33 Week Pregnancy?

Pregnancy Diary of a Daughter

What’s it really like being 33 weeks pregnant…? Here’s a true diary from a 33 weeks pregnant mom (Me..!)

33 weeks pregnant, my iron has finally risen; Hb 114 – almost normal! My blood pressure is up slightly but still in the normal range. I’m getting bigger and bigger and soon I can’t even fit into my maternity trousers!

I did a late ultrasound last yesterday. Our baby is 6% above normal in weight – great.

Not so great, though, they found a quite large cyst on one of her ovaries. (Yes, it is a GIRL!!!) The cyst is completely harmless, they say, but I’m scheduled for a new visit in two weeks to make sure our baby is not in pain. In such case they’ll take her out, they say.

Will our problems never end?

I try to stay calm, although I’m very worried. I went out to buy some girly clothes for her; that helped ease my mind!

Are you also 33 weeks pregnant? Please share your experiences and thoughts by leaving a comment below!