The third trimester is clearly the last step of the ladder of pregnancy after you will enter motherhood. This time of 3 months is highly crucial for a mother-to-be. And it is quite obvious that this time period is extremely challenging to a woman who is going to enter motherhood soon, in both aspects: emotionally and physically. This is the time where your body starts preparing itself for birth and a lot of changes occur to the body during this span. These changes include a lot of baby movements and kicks, more insomnia, hair loss, swelling on lowers limbs and face, and even much more.
In this article, we’ll be going to discuss 13 points of this last trimester of pregnancy that one should not ignore as it is the most crucial phase. So, let’s started. Also, pay heed to every detail if you are a mom-to-be entering the third trimester. This article can be of great help. Here are the details.
When does the third trimester start?
The third trimester is the last trimester of the whole journey of 9 months of the trimester. It usually starts by the start of the 29th week and ends at the 40th week. A baby usually gets fully developed by the end of the 38th week and sometimes delivered early. Idea span of this third trimester is 12 weeks but under certain circumstances, the baby can be born earlier.
Third trimester’s changes and symptoms that pregnant women face.
The final trimester comes with a lot of physical, physiological, and psychological changes. These changes and symptoms include difficulty taking heavy breaths, occasional contractions or tightening of the uterus, a slight rise in body temperature, heartburn, urinating more often, swelling on face and feet, hair growth on unnecessary areas, leg cramps, and stretch marks. All these changes that are mentioned above are most likely to happen during the time of the third trimester. You should remain prepared for all of this.
Going through all these changes is no doubt stressful and hard but the reward is worthwhile. So, when your mind gets carried away by the thought of all the pain you have to bear during giving birth, think about the gift that you are going to get after this pain. Indeed, it will you solace.
Losing weight in third trimester.
Most pregnancy cases lose weight during the last few weeks of the third trimester. So, the question arises: Is it normal to lose weight while you only expect your weight to increase during pregnancy?
The answer to this question which is a concern of most pregnant ladies is there are multiple reasons that cause weight loss during the last trimester. The reasons are listed below.
- Loss of amniotic fluid when water breaks down.
- A lot of urination and lose bowel movements.
- Loss of appetite during last trimester.
- A lot of sweating.
- Your calorie-burning rate also gets higher during the last months.
- So, it is quite fine to lose weight during the last trimester.
Sleeping on the right side during third trimester.
It is usually advised not to sleep on your right side during your pregnancy, especially in your third trimester. Sleeping on your right side will put the weight of the baby (uterus) on your liver that can be uncomfortable and can create complications. It is always advised by doctors to sleep on the left side as it helps with better blood flow.
Pain in the vaginal area during the third trimester.
Sharp pain in the vaginal area of a pregnant woman usually indicates that her cervix is dilating and hence her body is preparing itself to give birth. These pains are more common in the third trimester of pregnancy. It is a symptom that you are going into labor.
Workout routine in the third trimester.
For third trimester pregnancy, when you are almost near to give birth, it’s better to keep your body active. If you have a healthy pregnancy, you can definitely carry on some mild exercises like walking, swimming, mild pelvic floor exercises, and Pilates. This will increase your blood circulation and reduce body pain and help you keep your body active.
Vomiting during the third trimester of pregnancy.
When the uterus grows to its fullest during the third trimester, it puts pressure onto the stomach which can cause some digestion issues. Because of this pressure, the normal contractions of the stomach are slowed down. This will cause morning sickness and nausea that will ultimately lead to anti-peristalsis or vomiting during the third trimester.
Leg pain during the third trimester of pregnancy.
This is because when the uterus is enlarged to an extent, it starts to put pressure on Sciatica. This will cause pain to arise in the lower back and legs. Leg cramps during the last weeks of the third trimester can be a sign of going into labor. In labor, if you pressure on your pelvic region along with the cramps in your legs, you must consult your doctor.
Urinary Tracts Infections during the third trimester. `
During the second or third trimesters, most of the women develop UTIs. If these Urinary Tract Infections are left untreated then they can cause some serious Kidney Infections afterward and they can cause various complications in pregnancy. It is advised to pregnant women to get their urine culture done in all three trimesters because during pregnancy women develop more chances of getting UTIs.
Prenatal yoga during the third trimester.
Prenatal yoga is basically a modified form of yoga for pregnant women to keep their bodies flexible and active. Prenatal yoga involves poses that help to avoid muscle strains and other body distress, making it easier for a pregnant woman to perform yoga. Keep in mind that while performing these poses you have to make sure to avoid any intense abdominal movements and back inversions.
You can watch multiple videos or take online prenatal yoga classes.
Gaining weight during the third trimester.
There is a rapid increase in body weight during the first weeks of third trimesters. This is due to the fact that your baby weight increases because of its rapid growth during the last trimester. Moreover, along with baby weight, the weight of amniotic fluid and placenta also adds in. So, eat small portions of food and avoid high-calorie snacks in order to maintain your pregnancy weight during this last trimester.
White discharge during the third trimester of pregnancy.
White or milky discharge during the third trimester of pregnancy is quite common and there is nothing to worry about. The reason behind this while discharge is that the level of estrogen rises during the third trimester and so does the blood flow to the vaginal area. This causes more discharge than normal during the last time of pregnancy. You have got nothing to worry about.
Stretch marks during the third trimester.
There is no definite time when we can expect a pregnant woman to get stretch marks but a majority of women get stretch marks after the 30th week when their baby’s growth is high. Anatomy of stretch marks says that it happens when the body growth is more than the growth of the skin. This growth causes the elastic fibers that are present beneath the skin to break and thus stretch marks appear.
There is nothing to worry about. Everyone gets stretch marks at some point in their body growth. They go away with time and you can also apply remedies to make them go away. Workouts also help to get rid of these stretch marks.
Leg cramps during the third trimester of pregnancy.
Most pregnant women experience leg cramps at night. This is due to low blood circulation in the lower limbs or it can be due to the weight you are carrying in your womb. But as mentioned above, leg cramps can also. be a sign that your body is entering labor. When you start to feel pressure in your pelvic region and your leg cramps get worse, it’s the t6ime. Consult your doctor right away.
Pelvic bone pain during the third trimester.
Pelvic bone pain and pain in the pubic bone during the last trimester of your pregnancy are quite common. This condition is caused by the hormone called relaxin that is released to loosen the pubic and pelvic bones to make the process of birth easier for the mother.
That was all about 15 points of the third trimester that one should never ignore as it is the most crucial time.
Stay tuned for more such content.