What to Expect; Third Trimester

The third trimester of pregnancy refers to the seventh, eight and final months of pregnancy. During the last three months, women can expect to experience a come back of fatigue, faintness, general pains, aches and headaches. Sleeping will be light, appetites will be high and the expanded abdomen may increasingly begin to hamper the woman’s activities. Here is a monthly summary of the changes and occurrence you can expect during this period.

By the start of the seventh month, pregnant women should begin to make a birth plan. Decisions on where to give birth, who will be the pediatrician and other decisions regarding birth has to be made. Some women may begin to feel overwhelmed with the responsibilities and concerns concerning delivery and taking care of the coming baby. They begin to worry about labor, income, childcare and if she would make a good mother. At this stage it is important that prenatal visits are routine and the mother’s health is monitored.

By this time prenatal visits increase to twice a month to make sure that the baby growth is developing according to expectations. Women have to watch their emotions as women start to feel a range of emotions from joy, excitement, fear, worry and weariness. It is important that women feel surrounded by supportive people.

This also the period when women may begin to experience what is known as Braxton Hicks contractions. There can be pain noticed around the rib cage as the baby moves around. However, when women change their positions it usually helps to ease this pain.

A lot of pregnant women look forward to the ninth month as the end of the child carrying journey. They are eager to give birth to their bundles of joy that they have been carrying and to also reclaim back their bodies. Some women may experience increased worry regarding labor and delivery. One way to help reduce the anxiety is to enroll on childbirth education classes. As the women learn and understand what to expect and what is going to happen they begin to worry less and relax.

Women also tend to feel extreme emotions, such as being too sad or too happy. By this time decisions regarding childbirth, pediatrician, circumcision and birth plan should have been finalized. Vaginal discharge also becomes increased in this month as well as flatulence and heartburn. Backaches, leg cramps and abdomen heaviness also gets more pronounced. Women also feel an increased need to urinate and the breasts may begin to release or leak.

The final month is very important. The woman must be well taken care of and must feel the support of loved ones. If her husband is around, he has to assure and support her, learning to accommodate her easy change of moods and her needs. The woman has to know how to identify labor pains and must have a clear plan of what to do when she goes into labor. Her doctor or pediatrician has to be on call in case she does go into surprise unexpected labor. There is really no need to be overly worried; with the right preparations you can expect a safe delivery