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At 33 weeks pregnant, you are probably thinking about your baby's delivery. If you haven't already, you need to start preparing to go to the hospital at any moment. Even though your due date is 7 weeks away, you want to be prepared for any pregnancy complications that may occur, such as premature labor.
Who is at Risk for Preterm Labor?
You are at higher risk for delivering early if:
- You have had a previous preterm birth in past pregnancies
- You are pregnant with twins or multiples
- You have certain uterine or cervical abnormalities.
Even if you do not fall into any of these categories, you can still give birth to a premature baby. In fact, only half of the women who experience preterm labor are at risk for it. So the best thing you can do for your baby is to prepare for delivery at pregnancy week 33 and beyond.
Is Your Hospital Bag Packed?
At this point in your pregnancy week by week, you need to start packing your hospital bag. You don't want to be in labor and rushing around to grab the necessities that you need. Your hospital bag should include items that will make labor and delivery more comfortable for you, such as toiletries, snacks for your partner, reading material and entertainment items for both you and your partner, and items for baby.
What to Pack in Your Hospital Bag
Important items to pack in your hospital bag at 33 weeks pregnant include:
- Your birth plan
- Lip balm
- Eye glasses or contacts
- Bathroom or gown, sock and slippers
- Nursing bra and nursing pads
- Maternity underwear and sanitary pads
- An extra change of clothes
- Items to help you relax during labor and delivery, including pillows, music, reading material, etc.
- Snacks or food to munch on after you deliver
- Video camera or digital camera
- Receiving blanket for baby
- An outfit to take baby home in
After you pack your hospital bag at pregnancy week 33, remember to place it by the door, in your car, or in a location where you can easily grab it when you're ready to go to the hospital.
False Alarms and Braxton Hicks Contractions
In the next couple of weeks, as you and your partner gear up for your baby's birth, you may experience a few false alarms and false runs to the hospital. This is especially true if this is your first pregnancy. False labor pains, also called Braxton-Hicks contractions, can be difficult to tell apart for first-time moms. They are commonly felt in the third trimester, as your body gears up for labor and delivery.
Even if you have familiarized yourself with the signs of Braxton-Hicks contractions at 33 weeks pregnant, these false labor pains can still confuse you. In the weeks before delivery, these contractions can become more frequent and seem relatively close together. They may even feel painful. However, unlike the real onset of labor, Braxton-Hicks contractions will cause your cervix to continue to dilate.
At pregnancy week 33, if you are concerned about any contractions that you are feeling, don't hesitate to contact your doctor or midwife. In some cases, what you think might be Braxton-Hicks contractions may be true labor. Not every woman experiences false labor.
When to Head to the Hospital
You will want to head to the hospital if you have been contractions that last a minute and come every five minutes for at least an hour. If you are at high risk, your healthcare provider may want you to come sooner than this. At 33 weeks pregnant, you should have a conversation with your healthcare provider about what he or she recommends at the onset of labor.
Buy an Infant Car Seat
As you are preparing for labor and delivery at pregnancy week 33, you will want to also start thinking about buying an infant car seat. These are required by law, and the hospital will not allow you to leave with your baby without having an infant car seat.
At 33 weeks pregnant, you have four more weeks before your baby is full-term. So you will want to start doing your research and purchase the best infant car seat available. Take your time, check out consumer buying guides, and learn how to properly install the infant car seat.
Your pregnancy weight gain at 33 weeks pregnant may be as high as 25 pounds! You are simply growing bigger as your pregnancy week by week continues.
By pregnancy week 33, your baby weighs over 4 pounds and may be as long as 17.2 inches! As your pregnancy week by week continues, your baby is spiraling toward his birth weight and length! By the time you give birth, your little one may be as heavy as 7 pounds and over 20 inches long.
At 33 weeks pregnant, your baby's fingernails are long enough to reach the tips of his fingers. While in the womb, your baby's fingernails are very soft, due to being surrounded by amniotic fluid. However, by the time he or she is born, your little one may need his or her first nail trimming!
Your baby's bones continue to harden with the help of the calcium from your diet. (If you don't have sufficient calcium in your diet, your baby will rob this nutrient from the reservoir in your bones. This can affect your bone density and lead to osteoporosis. So, it's important to get enough calcium in your diet!)
At this point in your pregnancy week by week, your baby is swallowing almost a liter of amniotic fluid every day. Amniotic fluid provides your baby with proteins and nutrients, and it also aids in helping his gut development.
Your baby's nose is almost fully formed at pregnancy week 33. The bridge has formed and your baby no longer has that "button nose" appearance. Your baby's face is rounding out, and your little one may actually be a bit chubby from here on out.
By 33 weeks pregnant, your baby is often making faces in the womb. He or she may be smiling, sticking out his or her tongue, and making the goofiest expressions.
With your baby's arrival only weeks away, you need to start thinking about your delivery options. If you've had an uncomplicated and low-risk pregnancy, you have two options for delivery: a vaginal birth or a cesarean section. In the United States, over 30 percent of babies are born via c-section. Most are born vaginally.
When You May Require a C-Section
In some cases, you may not get to choose how your baby comes into the world. Even if you prefer a natural birth, complications can occur during labor and delivery that require a cesarean. Situations when you may require an unexpected, emergency c-section include:
- Labor stops progressing.
- Your placenta separates from the wall of your uterus before your baby is ready to be delivered (placenta abruption).
- Your baby's shoulders are stuck in the birth canal during a vaginal delivery (shoulder dystocia).
- The umbilical cord falls into the vagina before the baby enters the birth canal (called umbilical cord prolapse).
- Your baby's heart rate drops, or beats too fast or too slow, which signals that he may be in fetal distress.
- Your baby is too big to fit through the birth canal.
Though you may feel cheated out of your "perfect" birth with an emergency c-section, you should keep in mind that these unplanned c-sections are necessary to ensure your baby's health and well-being.
A Planned C-Section
At 33 weeks pregnant, you may be considering a planned cesarean section. An increasing number of pregnant women prefer planned c-sections, as it allows them the freedom to know when their baby will be born and it gives them time to emotionally prepare for the birth.
Your doctor may recommend a schedule cesarean in the following cases:
- Your baby is in a breech (feet or buttocks first) or transverse (sideways) position that would make a vaginal birth difficult.
- Your baby has certain birth defects.
- You have problems with your placenta, such as placenta previa (the placenta covers either partially or completely the opening of your cervix).
- You have a sexually transmitted disease or medical condition that makes a vaginal delivery too risky for your baby. For example, HIV or an active genital herpes breakout.
- You are pregnant with twins or multiples
- You have had a previous c-section, or prior surgery on your uterus.
Is a Planned Cesarean Section Right for You?
If you are considering having a planned c-section, talk to your healthcare provider to see if this is the best option for you.
A cesarean section is a major abdominal surgery that requires anesthesia, and while generally safe, it does come with certain risks and health concerns. At 33 weeks pregnant, you should learn about all the risks involved so that you can make the best possible decision.
Possible Risks of a Planned C-Section
Risks from a c-section include:
- Your baby is more likely to develop breathing problems during the first few days after delivery. When performed before 39 weeks and without proof of your baby's lung maturity, c-sections can increase your little one's risk of respiratory distress syndrome.
- Your baby can sometimes get accidentally cut or nicked by the scalpel during the surgery.
- You are at risk of getting endometritis (inflammation and infection of the membrane that lines your uterus).
- You tend to lose more blood with a c-section than with a vaginal delivery.
- You may have decreased bowel function after a c-section.
- You can have adverse reactions to the anesthesia used in the surgery.
- You are at higher risk of getting a blood clot inside a vein. In fact, your risk of blood clots is four times greater with a C-section than a vaginal birth.
- The incision site can get infected.
- ou may face complications in future pregnancies, such as uterine rupture.
You will have a longer recovery time after a cesarean. You will also stay in the hospital for three or four days afterwards, instead of the typical 24 to 48 hours after a vaginal birth.
Breastfeeding After a Cesarean Section
Breastfeeding your baby can sometimes be more difficult after a c-section. Because your abdomen will be sore immediately after a c-section, you will want to find a position to hold your baby that doesn't add extra weight on your belly. For example, you may want to try the "football hold," where you cradle your baby like a football in your arms.
Don't Let Others Pressure You!
Whatever delivery option that you choose, make sure that the decision is yours.
Don’t let your family or partner pressure you into a method that does not feel
comfortable to you!
Enjoy the rest of your pregnancy week 33!
Read About Your Pregnancy Week by Week - 34 Weeks Pregnant
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