Week 33 of Pregnancy: A Pineapple, and the Week the Itching Finally Eased
Key takeaways
- By week 33, the baby is about 43.7cm long, roughly the size of a pineapple, with brain and nervous system now fully developed.
- Bones are hardening throughout the body, except the skull, which stays soft and separated until the baby is around 12-18 months old.
- That skull flexibility exists specifically to make the journey through the birth canal easier.
- With a diagnosed condition like ICP, it's normal for symptoms to gradually ease once medication is properly dosed, rather than disappear all at once.
- A dedicated pregnancy pillow is a small, low-effort change that can genuinely improve third-trimester sleep.
Week 32 brought a medication increase that helped. Week 33 was the week I actually started feeling the benefit of it.
What’s actually happening in your body
The baby is now around 43.7cm long, roughly the size of a pineapple, with the brain and nervous system now fully developed. Bones are hardening throughout the body — except the skull, which deliberately stays soft and separated until the baby is around 12 to 18 months old, giving the head a bit of flexibility that makes the journey through the birth canal easier, according to NHS guidance on week 33 of pregnancy.
What I actually felt
The itching was noticeably less this week — a real, welcome change after several weeks of it building up. Comfort overall still wasn’t great; I had genuine difficulty sleeping, though it stayed manageable. Using a pregnancy pillow made a real difference here — it was a simple change, but it helped me get into a position I could actually stay in for longer stretches.
If you’re managing a diagnosed condition like this and things have started genuinely improving after a dose adjustment, that matches how it went for me too — it wasn’t instant, but it was real once the right dose was in place.
Nutrition focus this week
No changes specific to this week beyond whatever guidance you’re following for gestational diabetes if applicable. General pregnancy nutrition guidance continues to apply — see our foods and drinks to limit or avoid during pregnancy.
What to discuss with your doctor or midwife
If your symptoms have genuinely started improving, it’s still worth confirming at your next appointment that your test results reflect that, rather than judging purely by how you feel. If sleep is still difficult despite trying things like a pregnancy pillow, mention that too — there may be other simple adjustments worth trying.
Frequently asked questions
Why does the skull stay soft when the rest of the bones are hardening?
It’s a deliberate feature of development — the flexibility allows the head to move through the birth canal more easily during delivery. It fully hardens over the baby’s first year or so after birth.
Does a pregnancy pillow actually help with sleep?
For many women, yes — it supports the belly and hips in a way that makes side-sleeping, the generally recommended position at this stage, noticeably more comfortable to maintain.
Is it normal for ICP symptoms to improve gradually rather than all at once?
Yes — once medication is properly dosed, symptoms often ease over the following days or weeks rather than disappearing immediately.
What size is the baby at week 33?
About 43.7cm long, roughly the size of a pineapple.
References
- NHS — Your Pregnancy and Baby Guide, Week 33. nhs.uk
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