33 Weeks Pregnant - what to expect
Now you're 33 weeks pregnant, this week is all about weight gain, packing your hospital bag and buying 'nearly new' (to save you loads of money)
Watch our video to see what your baby looks like this week
Your baby’s immune system is now fully ‘go’, and gratefully grabbing your own antibodies as they pass wombside – to beef up defences against the germs your baby is likely to meet in the outside world.
And here's a 3D scan of a 33 week baby...
So what's happening with your body this week?
Your weight gain's speeding up - and that's because your baby's ‘chubbing up'. You'll probably find you're putting on 0.5 kilos (1lb) a week now, working out at about 5 to 6 kilos (12 to 14lb) in total for this third trimester. (It's not all baby; some of it is extra ‘baby-support' stuff, like more blood and amniotic fluid or a bit of fat storage for breastfeeding prep.)
Your midwife should keep an eye on your weight gain (too much too rapidly can sometimes signal complications such as pre-eclampsia or gestational diabetes) and she'll certainly be checking your baby's weight with a special bump tape measure. Hardly state of the art but a surprisingly reliable bit of old tech.
Our MFMer's 33-week bump of the week
Are you keeping track of your bump with weekly pics? Check out other MFMers' belfies in our 33 week bump gallery.
Did you know? Your baby's now the length of... a Colin the Caterpillar cake
This week, you baby measures 43.7cm from head to heel - about the length of this classic M&S cake.
And is around the weight of... a 2-litre bottle of water
Your baby now weighs around 4lb 6oz (2kg)!
4 things you might need to know this week
- Ready for the big day? What to pack in your hospital bag
- How to buy 'nearly new' things for your baby (and save heaps of money)
- Two mums' Gestational Diabetes stories
- There have been calls to ban One Born Every Minute...what do you think?
MFMers' tip of the week from our forum
“Breastfeeding? I'm going to give it a go again this time but won't beat myself up like last time if it doesn't work out. Don't worry what others think. At the end of the day, it's your baby, your body and happy mummy means happy baby” - emsypops
Want to share your pregnancy with others going through the same as you? There's a birth club for your due date - take a look...
Is it safe... to use hair removal cream?
This preg joke is on us. Just as it starts to get really tricky to remove those pesky hairs, they grow faster than ever. Thanks hormones, we owe you one.
If you like to depilate using a cream, it is safe. Depilatory creams work by altering the hair protein, keratin, which breaks the hair. There's no harm to the baby or your baby's fine downy hair. But, the smell could be a stinker for you, because your nose is likely to be super sensitive.
And another super sensitivity (apart from a tendency to cry at anything and nothing – who knew Great British Bake Off was so sad?) is your skin. You may find you suddenly develop an allergic rash after using the cream. So, hair or spots – the choice is yours...
Our preg recipe for week 33 - Sticky chicken with mango couscous
Why mango is great for your growing baby
Sweet, sticky and moreish, the mango tastes so good, it can’t possibly be healthy, can it? You bet it can! Let’s pause and wipe the mango juice off our pregnant chins just long enough to point out the generous levels of iron, vitamin C, betacarotene, vitamin B6 and potassium we’re scoffing – and generously passing on to our babies. Mangoes are fibre-rich, too, which is good news for any third-trimester, erm, blockages.
See the full recipe and get cooking...
Baby namer - what do you think of these space-themed names?
7 weeks to go. Decided on a name yet? If nothing has taken your fancy, what about these intergalactic names? They're out of this world!
Stella
Stella means star in Latin and is a celestial choice. Not only the brightest point in the night sky, a star is also a very famous or talented entertainer – so Stella may be destined for great things.
Celeb baby-name-check: Matt Damon named his 3rd daughter Stella Zavala.
Rocket
The high-power engine that propells spacecraft into the cosmos. This powerful name could mean your baby will reach great heights.
Celeb baby-name-check: Pharrell Williams named his 1st son Rocket Ayer.
For more inspiration, check out our dedicated Baby Names section.
So that's plenty for this week, want to take a peek at what lies ahead - or look back at last week?
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