What is happening in week 33
Doctors count pregnancy weeks from the first day of your last period, so week 33 sits in the third trimester (week 28 until birth). That is about 7 weeks to go until week 40, and about 7.6 months by a rough conversion. In week 33 the baby is about 43.7cm and its nervous system is fully developed.
Your baby
The NHS guide gives about 43.7cm, a pineapple. The brain and nervous system are fully developed and the bones are hardening, except the skull bones, which stay soft until around 12 to 18 months to ease the journey through the birth canal.
Your body
Braxton Hicks contractions and a heavy feeling in the pelvis are possible; the NHS says the heaviness can mean the baby is head down. Tiredness and sleep problems may increase.
This week’s to-do
- Ask your midwife or doctor about group B strep, a common bacteria that can occasionally cause serious illness in newborns.
- Prepare for your next antenatal appointment.
- Rest, and ask for help with chores.
When to call
Call your doctor or hospital if contractions become painful or regular, or if you have any bleeding.
Chaitanya Hospital in Kadapa, near RTC Bus Stand, Simhapuri Colony, provides delivery and emergency care 24/7. Our antenatal check-ups team can answer questions about your own pregnancy.
Use the week-by-week guide to jump to your week, or the due date calculator to work out your dates. Timings for scans and tests come from NHS guidance in the UK and can differ from your doctor’s schedule, so always follow your own doctor’s advice. This page is educational and not a substitute for a doctor.
Sources
Text on this page is paraphrased from the sources above. Sizes are averages and vary between babies.