3rd Trimester of Pregnancy

You made it! Welcome to the 3rd Trimester, the home stretch! From 27 weeks until the baby comes, you’re in the last trimester of pregnancy.

If you haven’t taken a childbirth class or course, it’s important to enroll in one now. Make sure you feel comfortable with your care team and that they regularly do the kind of birth you want.

Changes to Your Body

What does it feel like to be pregnant during the third trimester of pregnancy?

It feels big! Your mobility will be more effected as your baby grows, possibly making it hard to reach the sink, your shoelaces, or your step count goal.

Common 3^rd Trimester Pregnancy Symptoms Include:

• Digestive Upset. If you’re struggling with constipation, try to eat extra fiber and daily movement. If you’re experiencing diarrhea, it may be a sign that your labor is getting started! If it’s too soon for baby, consider checking in with your provider.
• Abdominal Aches or Tightness. With everything stretching and making room, there’s a possibility for some cramping or sharp pains. Round ligament pain that goes in the groin into the hips, especially, is common in late pregnancy.
• Lightning Crotch. Just like it sounds, a few seconds of sharp pain to the groin.
• Fatigue. Surprise! Being really pregnant can be tiring. Go easy on yourself and try to get a bit more sleep.
• Heartburn. Your uterus is pushing your stomach up and the increased pressure in the abdominal cavity can cause stomach acids to travel up.
• Braxton Hicks. Small, gentle contractions are getting your body ready for labor. These contractions aren’t really bothersome and don’t follow a regular pattern.
• Varicose Veins. You’ve got a lot of extra blood and downward pressure, so varicose veins in your bottom half (including hemorrhoids) are more likely. They may or may not go away after you deliver.
• Stretch Marks. They’re mostly genetic but keeping moisturized may help you minimize their intensity.
• Backache. Your center of gravity is pulled off because of your big belly, so your back may hurt. Keeping active and strong, with good posture may help to mitigate some of the pain. If you have a sharp shooting pain that goes down your legs, it may be sciatica.
• Difficultly Sleeping. With your belly making it hard to get comfortable, lots of trips to the bathroom, and maybe even leg cramps, sleeping can be difficult.
• Shortness of breath. You may find that you become winded when climbing the stairs these days. This is completely normal. As your baby grows, your uterus also expands and presses against organs including your diaphragm, moving it up 4 inches higher than pre-pregnancy!
• Weight Gain. During the last trimester, most women can expect weight gain to be between 0.5 – 1 pound per week. During the third trimester, your baby will put on the most weight so it’s important to eat nutrient dense foods so that you will not become depleted. Here is a post on what to eat when pregnant.
• Weird Dreams. Hormones and the impending big change can cause you to have lots of dreams.
• Difficulty with Your Bladder. All that pressure means frequent urination, extra strain on your bladder and pelvic floor muscles. If you’re having trouble holding your urine, wear a panty liner. It is a great idea that everyone see a pelvic floor physical therapist postpartum.
• Leaking Colostrum. It’s normal for some women’s breasts to leak as labor gets closer.

Call Your Health Care Provider if You Experience Any of the Following:

• Moderate or heavy vaginal bleeding
• Any bleeding if you also have pain, cramps, fever, chills
• Contractions that don’t go away when you drink fluids and rest
• A bad headache that lasts, especially if you are also dizzy, faint, or nauseous
• Moderate or severe pelvic pain
• Fever

Labor is Probably Starting if You are Experiencing:

• Contractions
• Bloody show
• Lost your mucus plug
• Leaking water
• Pelvic pressure

What Changes are Happening Week by Week in Baby & in Mom During the 3rd Trimester?

During the 3rd trimester, your baby will continue to grow in weight and size. During this time, the baby should begin to get into a head down position. Here is a post on getting baby into the best position for birth. By the end of this trimester, baby will be between 19 to 21 inches long and will weigh between 6-9 pounds on average.

Pregnancy Week 28

Baby is the size of an eggplant.

A 28 week old baby can fully open his eyes! He’s beginning to put on fat and at this point typically weighs about 2lbs.

What’s happening with you

From this point you’ll start noticing your baby bump getting markedly bigger. Try not to worry about weight gain; your body needs the extra to feed the baby now and later with breastfeeding. During this last trimester, you can expect to gain between 0.5 – 1 pound per week.

Your baby will be putting on the most weight so it’s important to eat nutrient dense foods so that you will not become depleted. Here is a article on what to eat when pregnant. You’ll have your glucose screening around this time to check for gestational diabetes. Take a birth class, such as the Beyond the Birth Plan Childbirth Class.

Pregnancy Week 30

Baby is the size of a cauliflower.

The baby is mostly done growing its various parts and now will spend the time in utero maturing and developing those parts. She will also put on weight faster now, gaining about a ½ lb a week from here on out.

What’s happening with you

Keep moving, even if you’re moving for shorter periods and moving slower, it’s good to keep the extra blood flowing. Do pregnancy-safe exercises right until you deliver, including walking. If you can’t walk, sit, lay, or stand without pain, something isn’t balanced well and you should see a chiropractor who specializes in pregnancy.

Pregnancy Week 32

Baby is the size of a squash.

At 32 weeks, all your baby’s organs are fully functioning except the lungs. They need an extra five weeks.

What’s happening with you

If you haven’t taken a birth class, you should do that now. Also look into hospital tours. Some pregnant women find, as their check-ups become more frequent and talk about the birth more real, their doctor isn’t the provider they were hoping for.

If you find yourself wishing you had a different doctor or Midwife, look into your options and change as soon as possible! Some Midwifery practices can’t or won’t take really late transfers but it is worth checking. Your birth is a big deal.

Nothing makes as big a difference as the person you choose to be in charge of your medical care, so spend some time on that now if it feels right. The birth profile assessment helps you determine the best choice of place and birth provider for you.

Pregnancy Week 34

Baby is the size of a pineapple.

Your baby’s bones are fully formed! He can tell the difference between light and dark and notice the light change through your belly.

What’s happening with you

You’re getting quite heavy in the belly, and it’s extra important to avoid laying on your back as this compresses the vein that carries blood from your lower body to your heart. Remember to avoid overheating. Take time each day to bond with your baby by talking, singing, and noticing the baby’s movements.

Pregnancy Week 36

Baby is the size of a big cabbage.

A 36 week old baby is ready to nurse! She is swallowing amniotic fluid and learning to use all her new parts. Babies born at 36 weeks are considered premature, but only by a week. By 37 weeks, your baby’s lungs will be developed sufficiently to breathe on her own.

What’s happening with you

You’ll have your group B strep test soon, to check for a common bacteria in your vagina that could harm the baby.

Pregnancy Week 38

Baby is the size of a melon (when he’s curled up).

A 38 week baby is full-term, with lungs ready to live outside the uterus. It looks like a typical newborn and will now begin putting on extra weight to help it transition to life outside. Babies are considered full-term at 37 weeks, but most are not born until closer to their due date or even after the due date.

What’s happening with you

You may be getting excited and nervous about labor. You’re practicing your labor skills and talking regularly with your provider. You may notice Braxton-hicks contractions, a heavy or crampy feeling in your pelvis, or that one day it’s harder to walk because the baby dropped. Your provider might be talking about scheduling induction, but be sure to read up on the risks before scheduling an early induction (anything before 42 weeks).

Pregnancy Week 40

Baby is the size of a bigger watermelon (but not that shape!).

You may be worried that the baby will never come. It will! Though full-term, fully-formed and ready to live outside the uterus, babies arrive on their own time.

Labor goes safest, fastest, and easiest when we let it begin on its own. Look into some ways to give it a kick-start at home, but most of all try to relax and trust your body and your baby.

What’s happening with you

You may be wondering if you’ll ever go into labor. First time mothers often deliver after 40 weeks, so don’t worry. You can look into some methods of getting labor started on your own if you like.

Common Pregnancy Tests 3^rd Trimester

• Ultrasound: Some providers like to do an ultrasound to make sure the baby is head down. Higher-risk pregnancies may have ultrasound to check the placenta as part of a biophysical profile (BPP) to see if baby is getting sufficient oxygen.
• Glucose screening: You drink a sugary liquid and then get your blood drawn an hour later to see if you’re at risk of problems from gestational diabetes.
• Group B strep: Group B Strep (GBS) bacteria are found in about 1/3 of women and almost never cause problems. But if you have GBS during labor and birth, it’s possible you will pass it to a baby. Very occasionally, serious infections occur in the newborn. To test, the provider will swab your vagina and rectum and send it to a lab.
• Non-stress Test: An NST is done for high-risk pregnancies or when your due date is passed. It’s a way of seeing if baby responds normally to stimulation and the heart rate is normal.
• Rh Factor: If your blood is Rh negative and your partner’s is Rh positive, you may develop antibodies that could endanger the baby. This can be prevented with an injection around 28 weeks.

Things You Should Be Doing during 3^rd Trimester

• Listen to baby. Your baby is communicating with you and listens when you talk and sing and move. Once or twice a day, just stop for a minute and pay attention to the baby moving and imagine love going between you.
• Keep moving: With all that increased blood, it’s valuable to keep your body moving. Regular exercise will also help your body prepare for labor.
• See a chiropractor. Getting adjusted before labor can help baby take a good position, encourage labor to start, and make labor go faster. If you can’t sit, stand, walk, or lay down without pain, that’s not normal and a chiropractor should be able to help.
• Keep up your prenatal visits. You will see your provider every 2 weeks up until week 36, after which you will see them every week until your baby is born. During these visits, your provider will check baby’s heartbeat and movement, and check that your weight and that blood pressure is in healthy range among other things.
• Choose pediatrician. The right pediatrician can make parenting much easier in the early years. Look around, ask for recommendations, and ask questions. You can always change, but having someone who fits your philosophy on parenting and medicine makes a big difference.
• Birth class. Take a evidence based birth class so you can advocate for yourself, make informed decisions, and have skills to handle the intensity of the experience. If you’re taking a class already, make sure you practice your skills, relaxation, and breathing exercises.
• Breastfeeding Class. If you plan to breastfeed, knowing a local breastfeeding lactation counselor and taking a class beforehand may stem possible early troubles.
• Buy baby stuff. A carseat, clothing, diapers, baby carriers/wraps are the top picks.
• Finalize birth plan and place. If you’re still not comfortable with your provider or birth place, change it now! It’s never really too late (people sometimes go to a different hospital in labor), but it’s much nicer to move earlier. Also look over your birth wishes and make sure you and any partners are on the same page.
• Prep for Postpartum. Make sure to have a postpartum plan for the help you’ll need and changes you’ll experience after the baby comes.

The big day is on its way! Whether you’re mostly nervous or mostly excited, remember to take care of yourself.

You and your baby are one organism right now, so being loving to yourself and meeting your needs is the same as caring for your baby. This extends for at least the first 3 months of baby’s life—the 4^th trimester. Surround yourself with people who love you, and be patient with yourself and your baby. Happy Birth Day!