Your Pregnancy: Week 33 for Mom
By: ePregnancy
You’ve heard the tales: sweet cravings and a larger left breast mean you're having a girl while carrying up high and not experiencing morning sickness is a sure sign that a boy is on the way. There must be hundreds of old wives’ tales about how to predict the gender of your baby and everyone who passes one on is convinced that theirs is the truth-sayer. However, we beseech you, refrain from mixing your urine with Drano -- if you haven't found out already, and are that desperate to know, just see your doctor.
The one thing you do know for sure is that you are still gaining weight, probably about one pound each week! Don’t rush the Weight Watchers headquarters just yet though -- roughly half of that weight is going to your ever-growing baby. That’s weight that he desperately needs, so if you are worried about your weight gain, just remember that. And if you are tremendously concerned, ask your doctor. She’ll let you know if you are in the appropriate range or not.
Whether or not you create a birth plan, you should be thinking about who you want present in the delivery room. There are certain attendees you can't do anything about, such as doctors, nurses and other staff members. Depending on how long your labor is and when it happens, you may see several different nurses, as they will come and go as shifts change. If you want to be attended by just one person for the duration of labor, you should consider hiring a doula or alternate birth coach. Other people who may want to attend are your husband/partner, and family members (parents, grandparents, siblings and in-laws have all been known to request invites to the party). Giving birth to a child is an intensely personal experience, and it's your right to have only those you want present at your side. Whatever you decide, let your well-wishers know ahead of time.
Overheard on the Forums
Brenna, mother of 2: "My husband was a really good coach but we had one nurse who was absolutely amazing! I think having had any other family in there would have been too much of a distraction. We told both sets of parents that we were the only ones when Alex went in and we'd be the only ones there when he came out!!"