Third Trimester Pregnancy: Changes to your Body

Third Trimester: Changes to your Body

What happens to your body?

As the fetus grows in size and crowds the abdominal cavity, some pregnant women have difficulty taking deep breaths (shortness of breath during pregnancy) or getting comfortable at night for sleep, while others are relatively discomfort free as they anxiously await the arrival of their baby.

More about the third trimester

We discuss body changes commonly experienced in the third trimester.

• Shortness of breath. As the uterus grows larger to accommodate the growing fetus, it grows higher in your abdomen, and presses on your diaphragm, making it difficult to breathe at times. You may realise that you can’t make it up the stairs without getting breathless. The best thing to do is just to take it easy, move more slowly, and stand up or sit up straight so your lungs have more room to expand. If your breathing changes dramatically, or if you have a cough or chest pain, contact your doctor right away. The good news? Once your baby “drops” down into your pelvis in preparation of birth, breathing will become a little easier – as the pressure is taken off your lungs.
• Frequent urination. When you enter the last few weeks of your pregnancy, you may find yourself needing to urinate more often. This is because as your baby moves further down into your pelvis, the urinary bladder gets pushed too. You may also find that you leak a little, especially when you laugh, sneeze, bend, or lift. Read more about how to tackle frequent urination during pregnancy by clicking here.
• Swollen feet and ankles. It is fairly common for pregnant women to experience swelling, called edema, in their ankles and feet. This happens because of extra fluid retention, hormonal changes, and weight gain. We recommend you to sit with your legs supported on a stool/chair whenever you can.
• Itchy skin. As your belly grows, you may start to experience itchiness as your skin stretches and dries out. Gently applying a moisturizing lotion and staying well-hydrated can help. Stretch marks may also make their entry now.
• Sore gums and teeth feeling looser. Your gums may feel tender, and they may swell or bleed when you brush. Hormonal changes can cause your ligaments to relax, and these same hormones may also affect the tiny ligaments that hold your teeth in place. As a result, your teeth may feel looser. It might help to rinse with salt water and to use a softer brush.
• Braxton Hicks contractions. In the third trimester, you may experience false contractions, known as Braxton Hicks contractions. These “practice contractions” are useful for your body because they help your muscles prepare for labor.

The third trimester: What to expect

Following is a list of pregnancy symptoms that you may experience during the third trimester:

Other changes: Breast, Vagina and Sexual preferences

• Colostrum (a fluid in the breasts that nourishes the baby until the breast milk becomes available) may begin to leak from your nipples.
• Your libido (sexual drive) may decrease.
• You will have increased white-colored vaginal discharge (leukorrhea), which may contain more mucus.
• Hemorrhoids may persist and increase in severity.

What to avoid during the third trimester?

1. Sitting for An Extended Period: Sitting for long periods of time can make you fairly uncomfortable. If you do need to sit for long, make sure to get up every couple of hours to stretch to support the blood circulation to the baby.
2. Heavy Meals: The stomach is pressed for space; even digestion gets slow at this stage. Avoid having heavy meals. It is better for you to eat more frequently, but do reduce the quantity you eat at one time.
3. Heavy Lifting: Avoid lifting anything that feels even a little too heavy for you. Even If you have a young toddler to look after, leave the carrying to someone else.
4. High Heels: High heels are great for parties but terrible for posture. Wearing heels has adverse effect on your already strained spine. It also increases the risk of falls (which you certainly don’t want at this stage). Go for comfortable flat shoes.
5. High Altitude: Breathing in high altitude places can be difficult, as the level of oxygen in the air decreases. Avoid flying or travelling to mountains / hill stations as it could cause shortage of oxygen for you and your baby.
6. Heavy Household Chores: Get help for your household chores as you should not be handling so much work that involves dust and dirt flying around. Avoid any chemical detergents and go for the natural ones instead.
7. Cleaning Out Cat Litter or Handling Raw Meat: Cat litter and raw meat carry a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis so avoid handling these as it can be very dangerous for your unborn child.