33 Weeks

The baby is still gaining about half a pound a week, and she could grow up to another full inch this week.  She is probably somewhere above four pounds.  Now that she has gotten so big, there is less amniotic fluid to cushion the blows, and her kicks and pokes feel a little harder. Antibodies are being passed from me to the baby as she continues to develop her own fetal immune system.  Her skeleton is also continuing to harden.  

After we heard from the doctor that my measurement had jumped so quickly this week, Jeremy pointed out that it made sense, since this past week has been particularly difficult for me in terms of painful stretched skin and muscles that seem ready to give out at any moment.  The quick jump was probably what made it seem pretty bad this week.  The muscles really low on my pelvis (which I never really thought about even existing before) hurt SO BADLY ... when I try to roll over, get out of bed, or do something crazy like WALK.  I feel so stupid, because I see pregnant ladies all the time who are walking along as if they were not in agonizing pain.  Why am I so weak that I can't even do basic things?  So sad.


I read that the baby was supposed to be running out of room and would be moving around less ... not this one.  She is still as active as ever, rolling around, stretching out, poking, and kicking.  One of her favorite new positions is with her head shoved up really high on my far right, under my ribs, while her feet are WAY down at the very bottom on my left side.  And then sometimes she kicks her feet and flails her arms at the same time while in that position.  


She also continues to hiccup a lot.  In fact, she is hiccuping as I type! It is strange how different the hiccups feel when she is in different positions.  Depending on whether she is head-up or head-down, the crazy percussion of the hiccups vibrate in very different places!  My mom said she never felt any of us hiccup, and I feel this one hiccup about three times a day on average.  My friend Jess hiccuped a lot in the womb too, so maybe our little girl will turn out like her! :)