This is one of a series of articles on pregnancy. For more information about pregnancy and birth options, see my other articles including my series on homebirth.
The Third Trimester
Welcome to the home stretch! The third trimester begins at 27 weeks and ends with the birth of your baby. Lots of changes are still happening with you so it’s best to be aware of how you’re doing and feeling, particularly with labor and delivery being right around the bend.
Emotional Changes
This trimester brings with it a sense of frustration. It’s difficult to sleep, you may have assorted aches and pains through your back, pelvis, and legs, and you have so much to do. You’re hopefully preparing the baby’s things for the impending arrival, yet you probably feel cumbersome, clumsy and large. You may feel annoyed with the fact that everyone stops you to ask you questions or give you advice.
Physical Changes
No one can help but notice your pregnancy now. Atop the large belly, you may have adopted the ‘pregnancy waddle’ from trying to keep your balance and shift your weight as you walk.
Frequent urination: you’re in the bathroom all the time, right? It may just feel like it, but you’d beg to differ. Not only is the baby firmly resting on your bladder, but the amniotic fluid surrounding him is continually refreshed so you have to get rid of the old.
Acne: hormonal changes in pregnancy tend to lead to break outs. Some women only break out around the time that they would have had their periods, but other women find themselves struggling with acne throughout their entire pregnancy. Be careful using acne treatments, as some are dangerous during pregnancy.
Fatigue: Not only are you tired, but you can’t sleep! The third trimester is a time of sleep changes. Some people joke that it’s to prepare you for when your baby keeps you up all night, but you don’t think that’s funny now! Aches and pains, pregnancy dreams, frequent urination, and the inability to get or stay comfortable plague the third trimester. The only saving grace is that it’s worth it.
Gas: gas continues to be a problem throughout your pregnancy, as your body is digesting food for two people. It shouldn’t be so bad in the third trimester.
Headaches: increased blood flow as well as hormonal changes and exhaustion can lead to headaches. If you’re prone to migraines, this can make things more difficult, particularly since some migraine medications aren’t safe for pregnancy. Talk to your doctor before taking anything stronger than Tylenol.
Swelling: your rings don’t fit, your shoes don’t fit, your socks dig into your ankles. Sound familiar? You’re dealing with swollen hands and feet. This persists off and on until the baby is born or soon after the birth. Keep your feet up, rest when you can, drink plenty of water so your body can flush it out. If it gets really bad, talk to your doctor or midwife to see if it’s okay.
Pelvic pain: Oh your aching joints! In order to prepare your body for the pending birth, your body releases hormones that loosen up your joints, particularly the ones in the pelvic region. This can cause pelvic pain, hips ‘slipping out of the joint’, lower back pain, and even something called Pubis Symphysis Disorder, in which the joints in your pelvis loosen, ache, and sometimes slide against each other making it difficult and painful to move or walk. If you end up with this condition, try to sleep with pillows supporting your legs and try not to do anything strenuous. You’ll thank yourself later.
Aches and pains: Does everything hurt? Do you feel like complaining all the time? It’s normal. Your baby is sucking the calcium out of your bones, your joints are loosening, there’s extra weight from the baby and all his baggage (including baggage he gave you from gaining weight during the pregnancy), you have a headache, you think even your EYES hurt and it’s just a dull ache that never seems to let up. Try to go easy on yourself, don’t work yourself too hard, rest when you can, and take tylenol if you have to. Remember, this will all be over soon.
Heartburn: Welcome to dragonbreath central. The baby is shoving your stomach into your throat, and you’re convinced your hair is on fire. Try tums, pepto bismol, eating ice chips, and eating things that will absorb stomach acids. Spicy foods aren’t your friend right now, unless they’re a craving. Be warned though, if you eat spicy or difficult-to-digest foods, you’ll be paying for it later…especially if you lay down.
Itching: Scratch, scratch, scratch. Your stomach itches, your feet itch, your arms itch. WHY? Particularly in the stomach region, the stretching skin leads to itching. Professionals recommend moisturizer, but it never seems to fully do the trick. Try to keep your skin moist, DO use lotion or something to help with it, and know that it’ll be over soon.
Weight loss: WHAT? You’ve been gaining weight for months, but near the end of the last trimester, you could lose a few pounds! This is all part of your body preparing for the baby. The baby is taking in more nutrients than ever, and there’s no room for your stomach, let alone in it. Some weight loss is very common just before the birth.
Linea Negra: You can’t see it, but your husband says there’s a line from your belly button to your pubic region. This is a normal discoloration of pregnancy, and is more pronounced the darker your skin tone is. It will go away after the delivery.
What about sex?
You may want it all the time, or not at all. You’re feeling huge, but whether that affects you or not really depends on you. If your husband thinks pregnancy is attractive, you may have him chasing you around the house. If you’re not in the mood, this is a good time to learn those toddler years skills you’ll be using. Saying “no” over and over is great practice.
Sex during pregnancy won’t hurt your baby unless your doctor or midwife tells you otherwise, so you don’t need to be concerned from that aspect. On the plus side, you don’t have to worry about getting pregnant!
Your Uterus
Your uterus is now large and in charge. The braxton hicks contractions you may have started feeling in the second trimester pick up to gear up for labor and postpartum. It grows upwards at a rate of about 1 centimeter per week until delivery (or until the baby drops), and you can hardly imagine it getting any bigger, most likely.
What is your baby doing?
Growing, growing, growing. Near the end of the third trimester, your baby is packing on the pounds at about 1 per week to prepare for the birth. Also, the surfactant starts developing in his lungs around 34 weeks so that he can breathe on the outside. Those cute little kicks are now reaching your ribs, and your baby gets stronger and stronger as the weeks go by. Everything is fully formed, the pre-birth fuzz starts to fall out and may be gone by the birth, and the finishing touches are underway.
Good luck and congratulations on your pregnancy! Don’t forget to check out my articles on homebirth. I’d also love to hear what you think about my articles, so don’t be afraid to comment!
