Things To Look Out For In The Third Trimester

You’ve done it you’ve reached the third trimester!

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If you weren’t already you’re probably on the countdown to your due date now. The third trimester is probably the most challenging both physically and emotionally. It’s the time that your baby grows the most, you gain the most weight and on top of this, you get more and more uncomfortable and get less and less sleep.

Try to keep positive though as your bundle of joy will be here sooner than you know it.

Here are a few things you can expect in the final stages….

Prenatal care changing

By now you’ve probably already built a fantastic relationship with your midwife and have a clear idea of how you want your little one to arrive. Your birth plan will be well and truly decided and your probably wondering if it’s too early to pack your hospital bag. Once you hit the third trimester the regularity of your care will increase and your midwife will ask to see you more often.

Most likely every 2 weeks however some ladies are seen every week up until the birth especially if they have been marked as high risk. The visits will very much be the same but some additional things will be offered. You may be offered a gestational diabetes test, the whooping cough vaccine, a test for group b strep or testing for an iron deficiency.  

Your midwife will also continue to check the size of the baby by measuring your stomach. If there are any concerns you may be referred for a growth scan to confirm the babies size and estimated weight. It’s advised to continue to take prenatal vitamins throughout your pregnancy.

Your Body

Your body has already gone through loads of changes during the first and second trimester but this is the time where you will go through the most.

As your baby grows you will be able to feel your baby even more which can be really exciting but these can sometimes be accompanied by some discomfort and weird sensations, often nothing to worry about but if you’re unsure it’s best to give your midwife a call.

You may start to experience Braxton Hicks where your body is practicing for labor, usually it’s just a small tightening of your stomach muscles and as you get closer to your due date they can happen more and more so if you learn important details about Braxton Hicks contractions then you should be able to recognize them from the real thing. You may find yourself getting short of breath more often this trimester, so make sure you take it easy when you need to so if you need to take a break then have one. It is a good idea to keep as active as possible though as it can help to get the baby in the right position for birth.

It is rumored that if you get heartburn your little one will be born with loads of hair but this, unfortunately, isn’t proven, pregnant women tend to experience more and more heartburn as the baby gets bigger, trying home remedies and avoiding certain foods can help with this.

This is the time when your back is probably going to ache the most but if you are experiencing really bad backache near your due date it could be a sign of labor so make sure you keep an eye on this. On top of all this your probably going to be taking even more trips to the bathroom than ever before, but it will all be worth it in the end.

Emotions

The whole of pregnancy is an emotional roller coaster with one minute laughing and the next your balling your eyes out. The extra hormones are to blame. When you hit the third trimester you start to have all sorts of emotions running through you.

You start to really think about labor, How much will it hurt? How long will it last? Will I be able to cope? The short answer to these is that no one knows. The best thing you can do is speak to other people going through this, ask relatives for positive birth stories and make sure you’re familiar with your birthing plan.

(Read about my personal birth stories here and here)

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You may also be beginning to worry about parenthood and getting anxious especially if this is your first baby. Try to keep positive by speaking to people and reminding yourself that it’s not long until you get to meet your little bundle of joy. Packing your hospital bag can be a good way to let out some of your built up emotions by making you feel more organized and prepared for the arrival.

Do you have anything to look out for in the third trimester? Share them us with us Facebook or Instagram!