The "home stretch" of your pregnancy occurs during the third trimester. Your pregnancy's 28th week is when it starts. Your body will feel even heavier and more awkward as your baby grows. It will take more work to perform daily tasks like rising from a chair or getting out of bed.

Path to improved health

Your third trimester experiences will be influenced by your body and hormones.

You can experience your initial pregnant fatigue again. If you can, try to obtain a decent night's sleep and schedule naps.

Throughout this trimester, especially in the beginning, you will feel your baby move. Additionally, you might feel the baby move down in your abdomen.

This could trigger the "nesting instinct." You could feel compelled to complete preparing items for the baby or tidy the house. In order to avoid exhausting yourself, go slowly.

As you get ready for labor, delivery, and motherhood, you could experience increased emotions.

During this trimester, your body could go through certain physical changes.

Swelling/Puffiness

Swelling in your hands, face, ankles, feet, and legs is caused by a decrease in blood flow and fluid retention.

Please see your physician if the swelling in your hands and face gets severe. In addition, if you get headache, blurred vision, dizziness, or stomach pain, contact your doctor straight away. These could be indicators of preeclampsia, a potentially fatal illness.

Tingling and numbness

Your body's swelling may put pressure on nearby nerves, resulting in tingling and numbness. It can occur in your hands, arms, and legs. Your belly's skin may feel so stretched out that it becomes numb.

The most common cause of tingling and numbness in the hands is carpal tunnel syndrome. That is brought on by strain on a wrist nerve. Wrist splints can help you perhaps eliminate these issues over night. Usually, the issue gets better after pregnancy.

Heartburn

A sour taste in the mouth and throat and a burning sensation in the lower chest.

Varicose veins

These are veins beneath the skin's surface that are blue in color, bloated, and occasionally painful. They frequently appear on the inner of the legs or the backs of the calves.

Causes of varicose veins include:

• Blood circulation is slowed by the pressure your expanding uterus puts on the huge veins behind it.
• Pregnancy hormones, which may result in venous wall relaxation and swelling.
• Diarrhea, which causes you to strain to pass solid waste.
• A greater ability to retain liquids.

Hemorrhoids

These are the rectum's varicose veins. They may cause pain, itching, and occasionally bleeding when they protrude from the anus. Consult your physician about using a stool softener rather than a laxative.

Aching back, pelvis, and hips

It's possible that this began in the second trimester. Your growing tummy will put more strain on your back. Pregnancy hormones cause the joints between your pelvic bones to relax, preparing your hips and pelvic area for birthing. Using a cushion behind your back while you sleep could ease your back ache.

Abdominal pain

The tight, rope-like strands of tissue that support the uterus in your abdomen, called ligaments and muscles, will keep stretching as your baby grows. They might hurt.

Shortness of breath

Your lungs' capacity to expand for breathing will decrease as your uterus grows larger.

More breast growth

It's possible that your nipples are sensitive and secrete colostrum, a yellowish liquid. This liquid will be your baby's first meal if you nurse.

Weight gain

It is expected that you will gain weight at the start of your third trimester. As delivery draws near, your weight should stabilize.

Vaginal discharge

Discharge might go up. Contact your doctor immediately if you notice any blood or if fluid is spilling.

Stretch marks

Your skin will progressively become more stretched as the baby grows. Stretch marks could result from this. These may appear as little wrinkles on your skin. They frequently show up on your thighs, breasts, and stomach.

Less fetal movement

Your unborn child will eventually outgrow the space in your uterus as they grow larger. You may notice less motions during the day as a result. Give your doctor a call if you're worried about your inability to move.

Sleeping

You may find it harder to find a comfortable sleeping posture as you get bigger. Additionally, you can have trouble shifting positions while you're asleep. It will be most comfortable to sleep on your side. Make an effort to snooze on your left side. Improved circulation is beneficial for the infant. Before going back to sleep, if you wake up, put yourself back in that posture. You might find it more comfortable to place a pillow behind your back or between your legs.

The pressure of your baby's weight on your lower back veins will make sleeping on your back painful. The blood flow from the lower body to the heart may also be slowed by this.

Other factors that could interfere with sleep include:

• Increased blood flow to the mucous membranes in the mouth and nose causes nasal congestion.
• As your uterus expands and pushes your stomach out of its normal position, heartburn may get worse. If you think you might need an antacid, ask your doctor.
• The urge to go potty. Hormones are partly to blame for this. Additionally, because your developing child is pressing against your bladder, in part.
• Cramping in your legs, which could be caused by the pressure your uterus places on the blood vessels and nerves that supply your legs.
• When you have restless leg syndrome, you frequently feel the desire to move your legs due to an uncomfortable sensation in them.
• Some women experience strange nightmares in the latter weeks of their pregnancy.
• The motions of your infant.

Sex

You might stop wanting to have sex. That can be due to your size and your attention being diverted towards preparing for childbirth and labor. Your uterus may occasionally experience painful contractions after sexual activity. Having sex is still OK unless your doctor advises against it.

Questions to ask your doctor

1. How can I get a good night’s sleep?
2. Are there foods I should avoid to eliminate heartburn?
3. Is there anything I can put on my stretch marks to make them go away?
4. How will I know when I’m in labor?
5. When should I go to the hospital?
6. After delivery, how long will it be before my body is like it was before pregnancy?

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