Pregnancy – third trimester pregnancy
Third trimester pregnancy is from week 29 to the date you give birth which may be around week 40. It lasts from month 7 to month 9 of pregnancy.
During this trimester your baby continues growing and you will began to feel tired. These last weeks are useful to get ready for the baby. If you already have children maybe you will find a bit hard to deal with them and pregnancy because you will be more tired than usual. It is important to get help if you think you need it.
During this trimester you will have more medical checks as it is important to keep an eye on your health and also on your baby’s health.
You will probably be tired during the last three months but you should do some exercise to move your body. Walking is a perfect exercise to practice during the last trimester pregnancy. You can also practice pregnancy yoga, aquanatal classes or pilates.
Baby’s growth during the third trimester
During this trimester your baby grows fast. He can grow from about 2,5 pounds and 16 inches in week 29 to 6-9 pounds and 19-22 inches in week 40.
Here are the main changes on your babys body:
|Bones||Month 7- 8||Cartilage transforms to bone|
|Skin become opaque|
Fat continues to accumulate as your baby sheds his vernix and lanugo.
|Digestive system||Meconium starts to build up in baby’s intestines|
|Baby’s touch receptors are fully developed|
Baby gets signals from all five senses
|Brain||Brain grows fast|
Mom’s changes during third trimester pregnancy
In this last trimester you will continue experience changes in your body as:
- Fatigue: in this trimester you will be fatigued, it is recommended to eat frequently and also to stay active.
- Strech marks: Striae may appear on the skin as it stretches to the limit during pregnancy. You can moisturize the skin to minimize its appearance.
- Stria cream
- Abdominal achiness: you can feel cramps or sharp pain as your ligaments that support your lower abdomen stretch to accommodate your growing baby.
- Heatburn: it is usual during last weeks to feel a persistent burn because your uterus pushes your stomach and its contents upwards.
- Varicose veins: you will notice bulging veins including hemorrhoids due to the extra blood you are pumping. If you didn’t have them before pregnancy they will disappear after pregnancy.
- Braxton hicks contractions: you will start feeling irregular contractions until the birth day. The main difference with real contractions is that real contractions gradually get closer and closer together and more intense.
- Backache: the extra weight you’ve gained adds pressure on your back, making it feel achy. To ease the pressure on your back, practice good posture. Sit up straight and use a chair that provides good back support. At night, it is better to sleep on your side with a pillow between your legs. Wear comfortable shoes no heeled if possible.
- Breast: your breast, at the end of pregnancy, can be 2 pounds bigger so be sure to wear a proper bra. Besides, close to the due date you can star to see your breasts leaking fluid.