Your guide to 3rd trimester of pregnancy
The third trimester of pregnancy starts from week 28 and extends until childbirth at about 40 weeks. This period is more physically and emotionally challenging for women as the baby bump makes all physical tasks slightly more difficult, and there will be periods of tiredness, excitement and anxiety about the future.
What happens to your body during the third trimester?
As the fetus develops, the space inside the body gets increasingly crowded and brings about new symptoms during the third trimester weeks such as:
- The need to urinate frequently is back as the uterus begins to compress the bladder, applying pressure.
- Constipation, indigestion and heartburns might continue in some women as the uterus puts pressure on a number of organs.
- The change in weight distribution on the feet causes lower back pain, and the muscles there work extra to balance the body on the feet.
- Dizziness after waking up from sleep might occur if women sleep on their backs. This is because of the pressure applied by the uterus on a major artery that returns blood to the heart. The recommended third-trimester sleeping position is to lie down on the left side with the legs slightly tucked in towards the chest.
- Heat radiated by the fetus can cause women to feel hot from the increased body temperature.
- As the skin expands all over the body, stretch marks can be noticed on the breasts, abdomen, buttocks and thighs.
- Colostrum- an important fluid produced before milk to nourish the baby might begin to leak during the last few weeks.
- False labor signs or Braxton-Hicks contractions begin to appear towards the last few weeks as the uterus prepares for contractions during labor.
Fetal development during the third trimester
The fetus continues to grow in size and is more active than before as it is able to hear sounds and sense vibrations. Here are some of the developmental features of the fetus:
- The brain continues to develop as the bones of the skull remain soft to make it easier to pass through the birth canal.
- The fetus can see and hear and also has the ability to suck its thumb.
- The kidneys and lungs continue to mature, and by 38 to 40 weeks, the lungs would have completely matured.
- The soft hair on the body (lanugo) disappears entirely by 38 to 40 weeks.
- During the last few weeks of pregnancy, the baby shifts position and turns downwards.
Prenatal Visits
Prenatal visits during this time would be to scan for infections that might get passed on to the baby during childbirth. Mothers are scanned for hepatitis B, syphilis and HIV and a Group B strep (GBS) between 35 to 37 weeks. Third-trimester scans are often conducted for women who have multiple or high-risk pregnancies.
Wrapping Up
The third trimester has its own set of challenges for the mother and is often the period when they are stressed the most physically and emotionally. Some of the symptoms commonly experienced include backaches, shortness of breath, dizziness, frequent urination and Braxton-hicks contractions. During the last few weeks of pregnancy, the fetus changes position and goes into a head-down position readying for labor.
References:
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/wellness-and-prevention/the-third-trimester
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/pregnancy/art-20046767
https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/third-trimester-developing-baby
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/pregnancy/sleeping-during-3rd-trimester
https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/tests-third-trimester.html
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