Welcome to week 33. Only seven weeks to go!
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Baby
Your cantaloupe-sized baby is growing to about the size of a butternut squash. Your little one measures 17.3 inches (44 cm) and weighs about 4.8 pounds (2.2 kg).
Your baby has reached a significant milestone this week and now has its own immune system. Antibodies are being passed from you to your baby as they continue to develop their fetal immune system, which will help to keep them healthy once they are living outside your womb. Once they are born, you can keep helping them build up a super strong immune system by breastfeeding.
Mom
Your amniotic-fluid level has maxed out at week 33. You likely have more baby than fluid now. You may feel more kicks, pokes, and movement with less fluid to cushion your baby.
If your baby is breech, this week opens a window where you may want to consider an alternative method to turn your baby. Moxibustion is a traditional Chinese medicine therapy involving burning mugwort near specific acupuncture points. There is evidence that moxibustion at a specific acupuncture point (BL67) is a safe and potentially effective method to correct a non-vertex presentation when used between 33 and 35 weeks.
Hemorrhoids are estimated to affect around 40% of pregnant women, which climbs even higher after birth. Hemorrhoids can cause bleeding during a bowel movement, pain, swelling, itching, and general discomfort. Changes in your hormones and your body make you more susceptible to hemorrhoids during pregnancy. During birth, the action of pushing can also cause them. While the only cure for hemorrhoids is giving them time to heal, there is a lot you can do to prevent them and find relief in the event you end up with them during your pregnancy or after you have your baby. This episode breaks down what hemorrhoids are, how you get them, how you can prevent them, and what you can do to treat them during pregnancy and in the postpartum period safely.
Heartburn is common during pregnancy, especially in the third trimester. It is estimated that heartburn affects over half of all expecting mothers. Thankfully, many diet and lifestyle changes, as well as over-the-counter medications, can treat heartburn and improve symptoms. This episode explains why you may experience heartburn during your pregnancy and dives into the evidence behind all of the treatments for heartburn so you can safely relieve your heartburn when pregnant.
This week is an excellent time to explore interventions that affect your newborn after birth. Do you want to prioritize skin-to-skin contact or plan to delay cord clamping or bank cord blood? Will your baby get a vitamin K shot, erythromycin eye ointment, or a hepatitis B vaccine? If you have not chosen a pediatrician, you should start looking into your options to find a doctor that is the right fit for your family.
Tip for Dads and Partners
You may recall your significant other being exhausted and fatigued in the first trimester. Fatigue may creep back in towards the end of their pregnancy. If their body is telling them they need extra rest; they need to listen to it and get some extra sleep. Use this time to enjoy some time to yourself to read a book, hit the gym, or catch up on that Netflix series she doesn’t want to watch with you.
Want more evidence-based information to navigate your pregnancy and birth?
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