Third Trimester 1^stTrimester     2^ndTrimester

With bottom up, head down, and chin tucked into his chest, a baby is in an ideal position for the beginning of labor. Of course, not all babies are so obliging.

The amniotic fluid swallowed by the baby passes through the stomach and intestines in the same way as food travels through a mature digestive system. Waste is stored in the baby's colon to be excreted after birth.

At 33 weeks the average crown to heel length is 16.2 in (41.1 cm) and the average weight is 3.3 lb (1.5 kg).

Fingernails have grown long enough to reach the tips of the fingers.

Calcium from your diet is crossing the placenta and being used to help the hardening of your baby's bones.

All prospective moms, and not just first-timers, find it difficult to envisage the future after the arrival of the baby. The imaginings, dreams, and hopes of the last few months are about to become realities-which may be very different from what you expect. You may find that it helps to concentrate on practical matters, such as the birth celebrations and future child care. You could make plans for recovering your pre-pregnancy figure. The belly won't be with you forever, even if it feels like it!

Excerpted from Pregnancy Day by Day.
Copyright © 2009 Dorling Kindersley Limited.
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