w 33 - new stretch marks...

OMG! Less than 50 days till due date! What happened with all the time I had? I discovered new stretch marks on the bottom of my belly when I inspected the newly taken pics of my belly! :-o Horrid thought. Luckily enough what's causing them is the most beautiful baby in the world! ;-) Not that I'm complaining, mind you. I've very few stretch marks compared to other people. And my pregnancy has been very easy. I'm very satisfied. I was sure I was going to be more of a hippo by now, but I haven't gained that much weight.

It's only a month before I go on maternity leave. Honestly I'm really looking forward to it. I'm quite sick of working at the moment. I'm really tired at the moment and my mood is swinging like the 50's. Seriously, one wrong word and I'm biting your head off or close to tears. I don't like it. Then it's good to have hormones to blame everything on! hehe...

Your pregnancy: 33 weeks
Peanut:This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

See what your baby looks like this week.

Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

Me: As your baby fills out even more of your belly, lots of things might start to change: Whereas before you were sashaying, you may find yourself waddling. Finding an easy position to sit in — let alone sleep — is becoming more of a challenge. And bumping into chairs and counters is par for the course.

You may be feeling some achiness and even numbness in your fingers, wrists, and hands. Like many other tissues in your body, those in your wrist can retain fluid, which can increase pressure in the carpal tunnel, a bony canal in your wrist. Nerves that run through this "tunnel" may end up pinched, creating numbness; tingling, shooting or burning pain; or a dull ache. Try wearing a splint to stabilize your wrist or propping your arm up with a pillow when you sleep. If your work requires repetitive hand movements (at a keyboard or on an assembly line, for instance), remember to stretch your hands when you take breaks — which should be frequently.

Many women are still feeling sexy at this stage — and their partners often agree. You may need to make some adjustments, but for most women, sex during pregnancy is fine right up until their water breaks or their labor starts.