33 Weeks Pregnant

Now that you have entered into the last trimester of pregnancy, you will have gained about 25 to 30 pounds. Some women will gain about a pound a week until the end of the pregnancy. But half of that pound will go to the baby in the final weeks, as the rest is distributed to the growing placenta, blood, and breast tissue (and maybe a bit for the hips too). Over the last 6 to 7 weeks, your baby will gain about half of their birth weight, as he or she prepares for life outside of the womb.

As your amniotic fluid levels begin to slow down, your baby’s movements may begin to feel more sharp this week as the fluid padding you had before, is reduced.

Baby’s Development

At this week of pregnancy, your baby should weigh about 5 pounds and measure in at 15 to 17 inches in length. Calcification has allowed baby’s to harden, and key minerals and nutrients are helping your baby grow and develop quickly. Continue to take your prenatal vitamins to help baby get everything he or she needs in the coming weeks.

Your baby is also taking in your maternal antibodies—which will protect him or her from germs after delivery.  Your baby will develop their own immune system in the coming months.

The baby’s lungs are almost mature now. If the baby is born now, they could survive in an incubator. If you are expecting more than one baby, they may be born this week—though a longer stay in your belly is certainly better. Your baby should be in a head-down position (where they may have been for many weeks) but if not, don’t panic. There’s still time for a flip in the future.

Changes With Your Body

By now the uterus is more than 5 inches from the belly button—and it may feel like it can’t get any bigger. The average weight gain at this week in pregnancy is between 22 and 28 pounds (though some people gain much more, or less).

Sleep may be elusive this month and pregnancy insomnia may be in your future.  With all of the nighttime bathroom breaks, your racing mind and crazy dreams, getting comfortable and sleeping for any significant length of time can be a challenge. One bright spot in your sleepless future—it will prepare you for your sleepless nights after baby comes.

What To Expect

In week thirty-three you can expect a bit more trouble sleeping, walking and even sitting. As your uterus expands upward and presses on your diaphragm, even breathing can be a challenge.  As the weeks progress though, your baby will drop lower into your pelvis and take some of that pressure away—allowing you to take a better breath.

If the bathroom doesn’t feel like your second home yet, just hang on.  Urinary frequency should have been back for several weeks by now, but if not, baby’s weight will soon keep your bladder from expanding fully—meaning more trips to the ladies room.

Forgetfulness, lightheadedness with movement may also start this week. If so, you can pin it all on hormones and try to take it with a grain of salt.  These weeks will pass quickly and you will be back to your normal self after delivery.

Overall you can expect more of the same—just on a bigger scale as baby grows and your body does its best to cope.

Tips/Advice

By now, you should know your body better than anyone. If something doesn’t seem right, call your doctor. Any symptoms of pre-term labor should be reported to your physician or labor and delivery unit.  This is also a typical time to enroll in breast feeding, or child birth classes if you and your partner are interested. There’s so much to learn and get ready for—so pace yourself and take it all in one day at a time.

32 Weeks Pregnant

You have now entered into your eighth month of pregnancy. The count-down to childbirth has begun and both you and your baby will are getting ready for the big day. While you are busy preparing baby’s room, and gathering the necessary items for after the birth, your baby is busy too—packing on the pounds and building muscles.

For some women (especially those who have had more than one baby) Braxton-Hicks contractions may be more pronounced in coming weeks. If you aren’t sure if your labor is the real deal, or just a trial run, try moving around. False labor will not continue with movement as true labor intensifies over time.  Braxton-Hicks contractions usually start at the top of the uterus and flow down toward the lower portion of the abdomen.  True contractions feel like a menstrual cramp and typically begin in the back and work their way around to the front. If you are unsure about your contractions, contact your doctor and follow his or her recommendations.

Baby’s Development

Right now your baby is filling their days with lots of preparation for birth.  At about 16 inches in length and weighing in at around 4-1/2 pounds, your baby is looking more and more like a newborn. As fat stores continue to deposit, baby is taking on a more solid appearance and losing the almost transparent skin they had before. Since about the 20th week, your baby has been secreting a waxy, white substance known as Vernix to protect their skin.  Vernix is comprised of oil and skin cells and helps form a barrier between your baby’s watery home and their tender new skin.  Some Vernix may still be present at birth, but it will be washed away with the first bath.

Your baby is on target to gain at least 2 more pounds before the end of this month, and the brain is still developing so it is important to continue to eat well and try to get as much rest as possible. You may not feel the baby moving as much as before, but close quarters have your little one pushing, stretching and flexing now—as opposed to those kicks you felt earlier on.

Changes With Your Body

Your uterus is now 5 inches above your belly button, and the intestines are pushed upward, and off to each side—located under the ribs now, as opposed to the abdominal cavity where they were before.

Changes in location, combined with hormonal relaxation of the muscle wall may leave you with some digestive troubles.  Just like in the months before, heartburn, constipation, and indigestion may be a normal part of your daily routine. Try eating small, frequent meals and sitting upright for at least thirty minutes after eating to help your stomach contents stay down.

Increasing pressure from the weight of the uterus (and hormones, of course) are also keeping your lower half from circulating blood as it normally would.  As a result, you can expect your varicose veins, hemorrhoids and leg cramps to continue.  If any of these are causing discomfort, talk with your doctor.

What To Expect

The coming weeks will bring more of the same physical symptoms, but you may begin to feel a tiny bit more nervous as well.  As the big day approaches, make sure to talk with those close to you about any concerns or uncertainties that you may have. Sit down with your doctor and your partner and discuss your child birth options and birth plan if you haven’t already done so.

Tips/Advice

Take it easy, cut back on all strenuous activities if you feel overly tired. Walking is still a great way to get exercise without straining yourself, as is swimming. Some classes are also designed with the mom-to-be in mind—so keep your eye out for prenatal yoga or aerobics classes.

31 Weeks Pregnant

This is a week of fast weight gain for both mom and the baby. With mostly mature body systems by now, baby can open and close their eyes at this week in pregnancy as well as receive signals from all other senses.

Each week is bringing you closer to your delivery, and with this comes an increased sense of anticipation. It’s normal to be nervous, just make sure to share your feelings with a supportive friend or loved one.

Continue to use these quiet days to finish tying up those loose ends. Your desire to prepare and nest may be starting (though it often doesn’t until days before delivery for some women) and you may want to shop, get baby’s laundry washed and even pack a hospital bag. It’s certainly quite early for a trip to the hospital, and if your labor started now, your baby would require a high level of care for many weeks.

Baby’s Development

Still gaining that ½ pound per week average, your baby is near it’s delivery length at around 18 inches. Weighing in at 3 ½ pounds these last several weeks are essential to baby’s growth while he or she packs on at least another 3 to 5 pounds .

The baby’s lungs are developed and they are able to inflate and deflate as your baby practices breathing motions. Not really needed until after delivery, lung tissue is beginning to secrete surfactant—a necessary agent for elasticity and lung flexibility. Babies born with too little surfactant often suffer from stiffness, and respiratory difficulties.

Baby’s hearing is now 100% completed and can hear sounds and voices clearly inside the womb. The skin is pink at this stage of pregnancy and won’t change too much in color before birth. The baby’s bones are hardening nicely and they will still need all of the calcium they can get before they are born, so mom’s diet is especially important now.

Now able to urinate, a baby may produce about a half a liter of urine every day. Your baby’s well-being may be assessed through the use of a biophysical profile sometime between now and your due date. Fetal breathing, non-stress test results, amniotic fluid levels and other indicators can tell your doctor how your baby is tolerating life inside.

Changes With Your Body

Your weight gain is estimated at 21 and 27 pounds. It is entirely possible that you have gained more weight. The majority of you weight gain is comprised of the baby’s weight, placenta, extra blood, water, the uterus and amniotic fluid. The ligaments and muscles and supporting the back are becoming relaxed and loose to prepare for childbirth. By now, you will notice a change in your breast size as they prepare for lactation, so make sure that you have a supportive bra.

Some women may begin to leak colostrum early during their pregnancy, while others never leak at all. No matter what your body does, it does not mean you cannot successfully breast feed.

Some moms-to-be will experience Braxton-Hicks contractions. Some women feel these contractions back in the second trimester, and others never have them at all. These painless, irregular contractions have sent many women to the hospital sure they were in labor only to be sent home. If you think you are having contractions, make sure to contact your doctor and follow their orders.

What To Expect

At this week of pregnancy, the baby is taking a significant amount of nutrients from the food that you are eating. Try to keep taking in healthy foods as long as possible. If you have not given up smoking, it is not too late. The ultimate idea is to quit right away. Increasing fatigue will make sleep more challenging and you may find yourself craving a nap during the day. If possible try to sneak one in when you can.

You will continue to experience frequent urination until the baby is born. Normally, this wouldn’t be difficult but if you have trouble getting a good night’s sleep then the constant getting up and down can be frustrating.

Be patient with all of these changes—they will be over soon enough.

Tips/Advice

This may be a good week to handle the paperwork process for maternity leave. If you haven’t already discussed the issue with your supervisor or human resources department, make sure to do so. If you need to cut back on hours, talk with your boss openly and modify your job requirements if there is a significant amount of standing or lifting involved.

30 Weeks Pregnant

As your baby’s birth draws ever closer, these coming weeks may trigger a variety of mixed emotions. Now fully into your third trimester, you may have only 6 to 8 weeks left before your baby’s arrival. As your pregnancy hormone surge many women experience a variety of symptoms including anxiety, fear the unknown and mild mood swings. While some ups and downs are normal, make sure to let your doctor know if you are suffering extreme symptoms which could be indicative of depression.
Many women begin to feel anxious about the birth itself and start to seek out answers from others. One great resource is in childbirth classes that will probably be offered either through your OB/GYN’s office, or the hospital or birthing center where you will be delivering. Many women worry about making it to the hospital on time, how to know they are in labor, and understanding what could happen during the delivery. Remember that all of these fears and questions are normal, and they are people ready and willing to help you find the answers.

Baby’s Development
Right now, your baby weighs around 3 pounds and measures between 14 and 17 inches from head to heel. He or she has a clearly defined sleep cycle and you should be able to notice periods of time when your baby is much more active. Right now, your baby is actively practicing many of its bodily functions and movements that will be necessary for life outside the womb. As baby grows larger, the amount of amniotic fluid surrounding your baby will decrease as will the strength of those little kick should have felt for the last several months. With less room to move, you will feel pressure, rolling, and stretching that can sometimes be uncomfortable, but those big movements will soon be restricted by your baby’s size.
The baby’s brain is developing rapidly as it controls baby’s day-to-day activities. Able to fully open his or her eyes, baby’s vision continues to develop and will be about 20/400 at birth—making it easy to see caregivers at a close distance, but little else.

Changes With Your Body
These last several weeks may leave you feeling fatigued, and wishing you could take a nap. Priceless nights make it even more difficult to sleep deeply and all that tossing and turning generally be pretty worn out during the day. If necessary, you may have to try sleeping with several pillows, were sitting up in the recliner. If possible, try to squeeze in a short nap during the day.
A growing belly means a change in your center of gravity. This shift could increase your chances of falls, so make sure to keep both feet planted firmly on the ground. If you need assistance lifting, climbing or carrying things let someone else help user to do not enter yourself or your baby. For some women, the shifting gravity changes the structure of the feet causing them to widen, which is why some women claim their feet grew during their pregnancy.
As pregnancy hormones begin to loosen the supporting structures of the pelvic bones, you will begin to develop a signature pregnancy waddle. If you have not already started swaying from side to side and holding your lower back, those days may be close ahead.

What to Expect
As baby’s size and your uterus press against your lungs, you will notice that you seem to run out of breath more easily than ever before. While it may seem uncomfortable now, there will be a bit of relief when baby descends into the lower portion of the pelvis a few weeks before birth, which will allow your lungs to expand more fully.
Doctor’s appointments should still be twice monthly and your physician will continue to monitor your vital signs and urine output for any signs of complications. Unless your physician suspects an issue, there probably will not be any more ultrasounds unless your baby is a breach or transverse presentation if this is the case, your physician may check regularly for signs that your baby is turning to a head down position for birth.
As usual, make sure to report any signs or symptoms of preterm labor or blood pressure complications to your doctor as soon as possible. Leaking fluid, abdominal pain, bleeding, headaches, nosebleeds, and chest pain should all be reported.

Tips/Advice
Try to make a list of everything that has to be done. While your instinct in S2 may not be fully engaged, and you are still waiting on a baby shower or two, do your best to plan what things you can. If there are large items such as cribs, baby swings or other furniture that you intend to purchase for yourself this baby a good time to get those items out of the way.

Source : www.pregnancyweeks.us

29 Weeks Pregnant

By this stage of your pregnancy, you should be on target with your weight as your total gain is about 19 to 25 pounds. And just when you thought those old symptoms were gone, the pregnancy hormone progesterone causes a relaxation of the digestive tract and in combination with your growing uterus, you can expect to be revisited by your heartburn and indigestion during your third trimester.
Other digestive issues will continue to persist, including constipation and hemorrhoids. You may be able to combat constipation naturally drinking a lot of water and eating more fiber in your diet. If you feel the need for medication to ease your constipation, make sure you discuss them with your doctor, and never assume that it is safe.

Baby’s Development
By now the baby is growing at a fast pace as the pregnancy comes to an end. The baby will be about 14-1/2 inches long and 2-2/3 pounds. Your baby’s development will require the need for a healthy diet as babies bones begin to harden. It takes about 250 mg of calcium, and to help your babies bones form properly, and it is essential for you to take in calcium rich foods, as well as those high in vitamin C to provide your baby with everything that he or she needs.
During this week, your baby is continuing to add additional fat, under his thin skin. His brain is growing and progressing rapidly, he can hear well, and may even be able to shield his face from bright lights of held up to mom’s abdomen.

Changes With Your Body
Your growing belly in your third trimester can present a series of new symptoms. For some women, there may be a feeling of maintenance or dizziness online on the back. As the uterus begins to place more weight on the vessels around behind it, many women make spearing its a temporary reduction in blood flow when lying on their back. It is always best to lay on your left side turbines this problem and to provide the baby with the optimum amount of oxygen. If you find that you are having periods of lightheadedness or dizziness when changing positions, make sure to move slowly, and to rise to a seated position carefully until you are steady on your feet.
Dizziness may not be your only problem from your belly’s weight. Some women experience extreme pain that runs through the gluteal muscles on either side of the body down the back of the leg and into the heel. This pain is typically triggered by the sciatic nerve. Some women find sciatic trained to be nearly impossible to cope with. In some cases, you may try stretching exercises, heating pads, or in extreme cases, physical therapy may be necessary to help alleviate the pressure on the nerve. Sleeping with a pillow between the knees at night may also help to alleviate symptoms.

What To Expect
This is an exciting stage in your pregnancy. So many changes are happening and you are coming into the last months of your pregnancy. In week twenty-nine, you should be getting plenty of rest and eating well to provide your baby with the optimum nutrition. Remember to keep yourself hydrated by drinking plenty of water, a continuing your prenatal vitamins as prescribed.
Because pregnancy weakens mother’s immune system, take special caution to prevent illness make sure to use good hand hygiene and protect yourself from those who are ill.

Tips/Advice
If you have not already written out your birth plan, this would be a great time to sit down with your partner and discuss your hopes and wishes for your baby’s delivery. Make sure to discuss every option and possible complication. Communicate to your partner what your wishes are and make sure to listen to your partner’s needs as well.

Source : www.pregnacyweeks.us

28 Weeks Pregnant

Welcome to the first week of your third trimester! Weeks 28 through 40 signal your last several doctor’s visits and plenty of plans for baby’s arrival. While this week is not ideal for your baby’s delivery, keep in mind that anything can happen. He or she would be very small if born right now, butyour baby’s chances of survival could still be positive with intensive care. Certainly it would be best for baby to remain in your body for the next several weeks.
Doctor visits should be every two weeks now, as they continue to monitor both yours and your baby’s progress.
If you haven’t done so already, there are plenty of prenatal classes that you can enroll in. In these classes, you will help you learn what to expect for the rest of your pregnancy, your birth and during your postpartum period. While these classes are optional, they may be beneficial– especially if you have very little experience with babies.
You may have already started getting the nursery ready for the baby and your list of names has probably grown. Do not hesitate to use this time to begin bonding with your baby and have not already done so.

Baby’s Development
By now, the baby is about 16 inches long and will weigh approximately 2-1/3 pounds. Now packing around 2 to 3 pounds of body fat, your baby is beginning to plump up. Covered in a fine, downy hair known as lanugo, your baby is warm and happy in their watery home. This week, baby’s eyes will Be open and the eyebrows and eyelids are very well formed. The eyelids can open in the eye is fully developed.
Though still extremely premature, babies born during this week have the potential to survive with intensive care that could last weeks or even months. Your baby is continuing to practice his or her breathing movements, strengthening their muscles by kicking rolling and stretching and getting ready for their life outside.

Changes With Your Body
The last trimester may bring on a variety of troublesome symptoms. Hemorrhoids, varicose veins, leg cramps, backaches, and oh yes—the arrival of your baby! Don’t worry, not everything is bad during these last few weeks.
Your weight gain should be between 17 and 24 pounds during this week. While certainly there are many women who are far below are far above this average, research has proven that women who gain too little weight are more likely to deliver a low birth weight and preterm baby. And women who gain too much weight may struggle with the prolonged or difficultlabor. It will be to your best interest to keep your weight in check.
Your belly is now very easy to distinguish. Rising about 3 inches above your belly button, it may seem like every stranger in town wants to pat your stomach. Do not be afraid to say “hands off” when necessary. Thanks to the increasing weight of your uterus on the blood vessels of your lower extremities, you may be struggling with hemorrhoids, varicose veins and leg cramps. If any of these are interrupting your day (or your night) talk with your doctor about options to relieve your discomfort.

What To Expect
If your doctor has not already completed a glucose tolerance test to check for gestational diabetes. You may expect to have that completed during your 28th week. This test may be conducted in a variety of ways, which include either a finger stick or a complete blood draw from your arm after you drink a highly concentrated, sugary liquid. If your test is abnormal for any reason, your physician may order an additional screening of the same type for diagnosing you with gestational diabetes. Remember not to eat or drink anything on the morning of your test.
Your expanding uterus is now pressing up against the diaphragm or the muscle that helps you breathe. Many women experience shortness of breath because of this. If you have any shortness of breath, that last for long periods of time or keeps you from being able to get any breath all make sure to report this to your physician. The typical shortness of breath will simply leave you feeling like you have just run a race and you are trying to recover.

Tips/Advice
This may be a good week to begin considering a pediatrician for your baby. If you have not already found one and might be a good idea to talk with those around you can get an idea of what doctors may be available. If you anticipate that your baby may have any special needs such as a genetic or birth defect. It would be especially important for you to schedule an appointment with a pediatrician before your baby’s delivery to talk about any special needs or care that may be required.
Source : www.pregnacyweek.us