pregnancy week 33

You can now probably distinguish the baby's knee or foot from and elbow, even though the movements are smaller.  You may also notice small bumps that appear to be rhythmic in your uterus.  This is usually caused by the baby having hiccups, which is nothing to worry about.

There are almost two pints of amniotic fluid in your uterus.  You may have been told that you have polyhyrdamnios, or too much amniotic fluid.  The opposite of which would be oligohydramnios, often associated with Intrauterine Growth Retardation (IUGR).  However, it is important to keep in mind that everyone has varying amounts of amniotic fluid, and that simply having too much or too little does not necessarily indicate a problem.

There is now surfactant coating the interior of the baby's lungs, which will help the baby breathe after birth.  If the baby is born after this week, there is much less risk of developing breathing problems.  The baby weighs about 4 pounds (1.8 kilograms).