33 Weeks Pregnant: Pregnancy Depression

You are 33 weeks pregnant! More growing this week – surprise, surprise! Your baby is now slightly longer than 17 inches and weighs a hefty 4 pounds (hefty by fetus standards). Some of that fat she’s accumulating is starting to go into her face so she’ll have those cute chubby cheeks you can’t wait to pinch. Her nervous system continues refining and she can take in more of her surroundings than ever before. Her eyes can detect light and her pupils even dilate and constrict in response to light when you go outdoors in the sun or turn the lamp off at night. Most of the time, though, she just sleeps. It’s hard work becoming a person. She’s a little less active and a little more like the newborn she’ll soon be – a chubby lump of sleepiness.

Deja vu? It’s like your first trimester all over again! You, also a chubby lump of sleepiness, are resting more and more to take the strain off your back and hips (and the strain off your husband, who is THIS close to cracking if you ask him to do one more thing in that nursery). You may be leaving work soon for your maternity leave. If you are one of those brave souls who plans to stay on until the hour you go into labour, you should do your best to shorten your work hours when possible and spend some time enjoying these last weeks of pregnancy. These are the last few weeks of quiet life for you and hubby, and other children if you have them, before your new routine begins.

That new routine may be starting to cause you some anxiety. If this is your first child, you might be plagued with worries like, “What if I don’t love my baby right away?” or “What if I’m a terrible mother and I forget my baby at the mall?” These anxieties are normal. If you didn’t feel a bit nervous about the big responsibility coming your way, you’d probably be in denial. If, on the other hand, you are overcome with anxiety or depressed and unable to get through your day-to-day life with calm and composure, seek the advice of your health care provider to talk about pregnancy depression.

More Pregnancy Links:

• Join our Pregnant Moms Group
• Baby Girl Names
• Baby Boy Names
  

Our pregnancy calendar is researched & written by our Pregnancy Editor, Dara Duff-Bergeron. Although she rocks, she is not a health care professional. It's just for entertainment purposes and any recommendations or information provided should not be used as a substitute for the real deal - a trained medical professional.

About the Author
Dara is a women’s fitness expert and a pre and postnatal specialist. Visit Dara at Belly Bootcamp (www.bellybootcamp.ca)

About the Author Posted by EMVA in Pregnancy Calendar on March 23, 2010 More from this author  |