Welcome to your third trimester! You absolutely rocked your first and second trimester, handling those pregnancy symptoms like a champ. Now you and your baby are in the home stretch. All of a sudden, your little one doesn’t feel so little anymore. They still have growing to do in these final months and the size of your belly is showing it. Here’s what to expect in your last trimester.
Growing pains
You know those ab muscles are under there somewhere, and someday you’ll meet them once again. Until then, you might experience some discomfort or a stretching feeling in that area from time to time. In order to support your baby, your ab muscles expand with it so there is enough room for everything competing for that small space.
Fatigue
Now that you’re in your third trimester, you might find yourself dragging your feet a bit more or kicking them up for some R&R. Wondering where all that energy from your last trimester went? A lot is happening physically. It’s an exciting and emotional time as well, which also affects your energy. Get plenty of rest so you can enjoy your time preparing to welcome your baby into the world. And if cord blood banking isn’t a part of your birth plan yet, there’s still time to see why you should save your their cord blood and cord tissue.
Backaches
You’ve been lugging around a tummy the size of a beach ball which is putting your balance to the test. All that extra weight can throw off your posture. And according to the Mayo Clinic, pregnancy hormones have a relaxing effect the connective tissue in your body, meaning that the muscles in that area have a harder time giving you the support you need. A good pair of shoes and supportive pillows for sleeping will help alleviate some of that achiness.
Shortness of Breath
There might be times during your third trimester when moving from the living room to the bedroom will leave you feeling a bit winded. Before you go revising and ramping up your exercise routine, know that the little peanut growing inside you has something to do with it. Your baby is filling out what’s left of the small space inside your uterus, which puts pressure on your diaphragm. As your baby gets closer to its big debut, it will settle into a lower place, relieving some of that pressure and you’ll notice taking the stairs gets easier and easier again.
Contractions
If you feel a contraction, don’t reach for the car keys and hospital bag just yet. Women in their third trimester can experience what’s known as Braxton-Hicks contractions. These contractions are known as ‘false labor pains’ and will come and go periodically as your body gets ready to introduce you to your baby. Keep an eye on them though when you get to your last few weeks of pregnancy, which is when the real contractions can start happening meaning it’s go-time!
While you’re ready to trade the last of your pregnancy symptoms in order to finally hold your baby, remember that your body is doing some pretty amazing things. As you finish preparing for your their arrival, enjoy this last part of your pregnancy journey.
Disclaimer: Banking cord blood does not guarantee that treatment will work and only a doctor can determine when it can be used. PerkinElmer and ViaCord do not endorse or make recommendations with respect to research, medications or treatment. All information is provided for informational purposes only.
Resources:
Upper stomach pain during pregnancy: Third trimester. (n.d.). Retrieved August 05, 2020, from https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/324736
3rd trimester pregnancy: What to expect. (2020, February 27). Retrieved August 05, 2020, from https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/pregnancy/art-20046767
Raines, D. (2020, April 23). Braxton Hicks Contractions. Retrieved August 06, 2020, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470546/
Ben-Joseph, E. (Ed.). (2016, October). Why Do Some Pregnant Women Have Trouble Breathing? (for Parents) - Nemours KidsHealth. Retrieved August 06, 2020, from https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/breathing.html
