Anna's pregnancy diary: Week 33

goodtoknow's Food and Diets Editor Anna is pregnant, so we've asked her to keep a diary of her pregnancy, telling you all the good bits and bad bits and asking for your help and comments. This week strangers have some funny reactions to her bump.


'Hello, fatty!'
'I'm sorry? What?'
I'm in total shock that the lady behind the counter in our canteen at work has just said that to me. I mean, OK, I'm 33 weeks pregnant and not exactly petite, but she's a total stranger! You can't go around calling people fatty!
In spite of the fact that most other people have congratulated me on the compactness of my bump, I am actually starting to frighten people in the street. They look at my face, no reaction, they look down and their eyebrows go up and eyeballs widen in shock as if I'm going to just explode right in front of them. It's quite funny to watch and it's especially amusing as it's summer so there's no lessening the visual impact of a T-shirt with a bowling ball underneath it.

The other day a couple of girls were standing on the corner handing out fliers for a week's trial membership to the local gym. One of them stepped forward to hand me a leaflet, then recoiled when she spotted my bump. As soon as i got round the corner I heard the other one say: 'Idiot! As if she's going to be going to the gym!!' Hahahaha...

It's odd that because pregnancy is such a public thing, total strangers feel inclined to comment on it too. I went into my local off licence yesterday to buy some alcohol-free Becks so I could feel like I was joining in a bit when people are having a nice summer drink outside, and the man behind the counter said: 'Hello! Did you suffer from morning sickness?'
'I'm sorry?!' I exclaim. What a totally random question.
'I do acupuncture. I wondered if you'd had any for morning sickness...'
Ah, now I understand!

And even though I feel enormous, the baby seems to be rapidly running out of space. Some evenings it feels like it's actually trying to escape, it pushes so hard against my belly. It's also very distracting when you're chatting to someone and your belly starts jumping around. I wonder what it's up to in there. Lenny also gets hiccups at bedtime. I put my book down, turn out the light, and, 'Hic!' my belly jumps. And then jumps again. And then jumps again. This goes on for about 10 minutes. Poor baby. You can't do anything to help it in there! And as I type, there it goes again! HIC!

Anna wears maternity dress from Topshop.

- Coming up: Anna tries to get her head round packing her hospital bag
- Previously: Anna's checked out by the midwife again, but what were the results?
- Read Anna's pregnancy diary from the beginning
- More about week 33 of pregnancy

More pregnancy help and advice

- All you need to know about the third trimester
- Health in pregnancy
- Baby names for boys and girls
- Your maternity rights

By Anna Penniceard