What you can expect during the 3rd trimester of your Pregnancy

You have entered the third and final stage of your pregnancy. Your baby is now gaining weight rapidly and starting to move regularly. Many of the symptoms you’ve experienced toward the end of the 2nd trimester will continue and possibly get more intense.

At this stage, early in your third trimester, you may experience:

• Weight gain, at about 500 grams per week,
• Rib pain, Back pain and possibly shoulder and neck pains
• Indigestion and heartburn, especially before bedtime or right after you eat.
• Stitch-like pains down the sides of the abdomen
• Increased frequency of urination.

As your baby grows and the uterus expands inside your abdomen, the organs are displaced and become more crowded; pressure on your stomach and liver may cause nausea, especially if you’ve eaten a large meal.

You may begin to see stretch marks as your uterus continues to expand, however, if you have been using good quality, natural skin care products on your skin and followed the advice given for the articles on the 1st & 2nd trimesters, this should be less of a problem.

Most women have gained about 2.5-10 kilograms (6 to 22 pounds) by now. Balance and mobility also may be changing as you grow larger and the weight of your belly requires compensation. This places a variety of pressures on your musculo-skeletal system, which is one reason you may be starting to get lower back pain. Regular massage and a sound exercise regime can give considerable relief.

By now your uterus extends well above your navel and as baby gets bigger and stronger you may experience some additional symptoms:

• leg cramps
• mild swelling of ankles and feet,
• difficulty sleeping,
• shortness of breath,
• lower abdominal aches and pains,
• clumsiness or scattered Braxton Hicks contractions (hardening and relaxing of the uterus, like rehearsals for labour).
• Frequent urination.
• Toward the end of your pregnancy you will start to get labour pains

As the third trimester continues you will gain more weight, about 1 pound per week and with 10 weeks to go you will probably have gained approximately 9.5-12 kilograms (21 and 27 pounds). The uterus now fills a large part of your abdomen and the other organs are getting pushed around and very crowded. At this stage you should eat only small frequent meals to avoid overfilling your stomach and add extra bulk into your abdomen.

Keep up the exercise as best you can and follow advice provided through the pre-natal classes.

You may now experience considerable difficulties with sleeping or find it difficult to get into a comfortable position. The baby will be kicking you from time to time (some kick harder than others), and various pains can result from this. However, it’s not long now and you’ll be kept busy getting ready for your new family member’s arrival.

In the final few weeks you will become more anxious about the labour and possibly more irritable and moody as well. But do not worry, it will not last for much longer.

Your energy will now most likely be alternating between fatigue or extra energy. In addition you may also be experiencing:

• More back pain,
• a feeling of heaviness,
• constipation, haemorrhoids
• heartburn and lower abdominal and
• pelvic pain.

Your Baby's Development during the third trimester is rapid and continuous.

• The lungs are nearly fully developed,
• reflexes are coordinated,
• your baby can blink, close the eyes,
• turn the head, grasp firmly with his or her hands, and
• respond to sounds, light and touch,
• as well as your emotions.