It’s here 33rd week of pregnancy, i.e. the 8th month. The baby’s weight at 35 weeks is about 2.1 kg and his height is 42 cm. 

He doesn’t have much room to move in his mother’s womb, so his movements are much less.

The fetus at 33 weeks swallows lots of amniotic fluid and urinates accordingly.

In his intestines, meconium accumulates. This thick greenish or blackish substance is made up of 72-80% water, intestinal secretions, cellular desquamation, bile pigments, inflammatory proteins and blood (1). This will be the baby’s first stool, emitted 24 to 48 hours after birth.

The 33-week-old baby’s adrenal glands – located above the kidneys as their name suggests – are very large in proportion to their small body. And for good reason: they work at full speed to secrete the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in large quantities. This passes through the liver and is then partly converted into estrogen by the placenta. These estrogens are used in particular for the production of colostrum, the first very nutritious milk produced by the mother before the flow of milk.

The different organs of the 35 year old baby are functional, but its digestive and pulmonary systems still require a few weeks to mature. By the end of the 8th month of pregnancy, the lungs will have enough surfactant for the baby to breathe in the open air without breathing assistance. The heart has its final appearance, but there are still some communications between the right and left parts which will not close until birth.

Seven months pregnant, the belly very prominent. As a result, movements and movements are more difficult and fatigue is quickly felt.

A 35 SA and under the influence of hormones that prepare the body for childbirth, ligaments are stretched and more flexible. This ligament relaxation, combined with the weight of the belly and the change in the balance of the body, can cause pain in the pubis, uterus and sometimes even under the ribs.

The baby’s movements, lower back pain, heavy legs, acid reflux, but also the prospect of childbirth make the nights much less peaceful and restful. However, more than ever, the future mother must rest and gain strength.

The 8th month of pregnancy, the future mother often enters a kind of cocoon, centered on the baby and his imminent arrival. This withdrawal into oneself is explained in particular by hormonal impregnation: the body begins to secrete a quantity of oxytocin and prolactin, hormones which physically and psychologically prepare the mother for childbirth and motherhood. We also speak of “nesting instinct”. According to a study (2), this quasi-animal instinct begins in 3nd quarter and is characterized by a need to “prepare one’s nest” – by preparing the baby’s room, making him clothes, cleaning the house from top to bottom – and to select the people with whom one comes in contact. This natural process would help create the bond of attachment between mom and baby.

Mood swings and variations in libido are also the consequence of this hormonal climate at 33 weeks of pregnancy.

Seven months pregnant, the mother-to-be must continue to eat a healthy diet. To meet the nutritional needs of the baby, his meals consist of omega 3 and 6 (fish, oils), iron (meats, legumes), vitamins (fruits), fiber (vegetables) and calcium (cheese, dairy products). ). It is recommended to drink at least 1,5 L of water per day. Food hygiene allows you to control your weight and avoid possible complications during childbirth (in case of overweight leading to diabetes or hypertension). In addition, it helps reduce intestinal and gastric discomfort. The organs of the abdominal cavity are strained 3nd quarter.

It’s time for the mother-to-be, at the 8th month of pregnancy, to think about how she wants to feed her baby, breast or bottle. Breastfeeding has a multitude of benefits. Its composition is perfect for the newborn and adapts according to its growth. Giving the breast is very natural, but it is not innate in all women. Some do not want to breastfeed for various reasons. For others it is simply not possible (for reasons of health or lack of milk). We must not feel guilty. Each is free to choose and made according to its capabilities. Infant milks are of high quality and provide the baby with the essentials. At 33 weeks pregnant, it is necessary to learn about the subject of breastfeeding, if it is the wish of the mother-to-be: how is it going? How long should you breastfeed? How to breastfeed? The answers to these many questions are provided by readings, medical professionals, other mothers who have breastfed or even through childbirth preparation courses. If she wishes to donate breast milk, pregnant women can find out about useful accessories for breastfeeding, such as breastfeeding pads, silicone nipples or breast milk storage jars. 

• Skip the visit to 8th month, 6th compulsory prenatal consultation. The doctor or midwife will carry out the usual examinations: blood pressure measurement, uterine height measurement to assess good fetal growth, weight gain. Vaginal examination is not systematic. Some obstetricians or midwives prefer to do it at this term only in the event of uterine contractions, feeling of loss of amniotic fluid, so as not to cause pain or even contractions. During this consultation, the practitioner will take into account the ultrasound data of the 32 AS and the clinical examination in order to make a prognosis on the conditions of delivery. In the majority of cases, childbirth can take place vaginally. In certain situations, however (pelvis too small, fibroma or placenta previa constituting an obstacle for the vagina, abnormal presentation of the baby, history of cesarean section), a cesarean section should be scheduled, generally around 39 weeks. If in doubt due to the presentation of the baby or the mother’s pelvis, the practitioner will prescribe radiopelvimetry. This examination (radiography or scanner) makes it possible to measure the dimensions of the mother’s pelvis and to compare them with the measurements of the baby’s head taken on the ultrasound of the 32 WA;
• during this consultation of 8th month, take stock of the birth plan;
• take the vaginal sample to test for streptococcus B, a bacterium present in 30% of women and which can represent a danger during vaginal birth for the fetus. If the sample is positive, antibiotic treatment (penicillin) will be administered when the water bag breaks in order to rule out any risk of neonatal infection.

The baby at 33 weeks has less room to move, but its movements, admittedly less ample, remain perceptible. If you do not feel him moving for a whole day, do not hesitate to go to the maternity emergency room to check that all is well. During the 3nd quarter, no visit is ever useless, if only to reassure you. The teams are used to this kind of situation.

We continue the exercises of contraction and relaxation of the perineum as well as the tilting of the pelvis.

A visit to the osteopath during the 8th month of pregnancy would prepare the body for childbirth. By working in particular on the pelvis in order to restore its mobility, the work of the osteopath could help the baby’s passage through the genito-pelvic sector.