It may feel equally if there's no way your tummy can stretch any more than it already has, only there'due south no doubt about it — your babe bump will go a lot bigger over the course of the third trimester of pregnancy.

Here's what to wait from your body and your rapidly maturing babe in these last few weeks.

When does the tertiary trimester start?

The third trimester begins effectually calendar week 28 of pregnancy and lasts until you give nativity, which may be around week 40 of pregnancy. In other words, your tertiary trimester lasts from around calendar week 28 to week 40, or months 7 to ix of pregnancy. In full, the third trimester is well-nigh 13 weeks long.

It's likely, however, that labor will start a couple of weeks earlier or after — in fact, nigh xxx percent of all babies linger past the 40-calendar week marker. If that's the case, you lot can try a few tricks to naturally induce labor on your own, but one time y'all attain around week 41 or week 42 of pregnancy (depending on your medical practice and circumstances), y'all'll likely be considered overdue. At that point your doc may make up one's mind to induce labor if it doesn't begin on its ain.

In the meantime, hang in there! You're nearly to the terminate line.

What are the symptoms of third trimester pregnancy?

With that decorated baby inside your belly, you're probably feeling lots of fetal action. You may besides be experiencing changes in your trunk as your bump gets bigger and bigger, including:

  • Nausea.Morning sickness tends to subside after the starting time trimester, but it's possible — especially if you're expecting twins or multiples — for nausea to linger upwardly until you lot requite nativity.

  • Headache. Smells, a lack of slumber, stress, overheating and other factors can all trigger headache or migraine during your 3rd trimester. Try to stick to a regular eating, practice and sleep routine, and give yourself some much needed placidity time to de-stress.

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  • Diarrhea. Every bit your body gears up for delivery, some of the muscles in your torso — including the rectum — loosen upward, causing what'southward known as prelabor diarrhea. Still a few weeks (or months) shy of your due date? It might be a issue of all that extra fiber in your diet, or even a stomach bug. If your symptoms linger for more a few days, telephone call your doctor.

  • Intestinal achiness. As your round ligaments (which support your lower abdomen) stretch to conform your growing bump, yous may feel cramps or precipitous pain. In that location's non much you tin can do other than accept it piece of cake.

  • Lightning crotch. No one's really sure what causes lightning crotch — a sudden, sharp stupor to the (you guessed information technology) crotch expanse — merely ane theory is that baby is pressing on a nervus that runs to the neck. Other than change positions, in that location's not much you can practise virtually the pain also wait it out. It should just last for a few seconds, however. Hurting that goes on any longer warrants a call to your doc.

  • Fatigue. Yous'll feel more zapped this trimester because of the demands pregnancy is putting on your body, and then eat well and frequently, stay active and minimize pregnancy sleep problems.

  • Heartburn (acid reflux). In the last few weeks of pregnancy, your uterus will push button your stomach and its contents upwardly, causing that persistent burn. If it'due south really bothering y'all, talk to your medico most proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) or H2 blockers, which are condom to use during pregnancy.

  • Braxton Hicks contractions. Your body's way of preparing for labor, you'll start to feel these irregular practice contractions effectually now until real labor starts.

  • Varicose veins. You may notice these jutting veins (including hemorrhoids, which are actually a type of varicose vein) in your lower body due to all of the actress blood yous're pumping. The practiced news: If you didn't have them earlier pregnancy, they'll likely disappear after you deliver.

  • Stretch marks. These tiny tears, which appear in skin that'southward beingness stretched to the limit during pregnancy, are usually a result of genetics. Moisturize to minimize their appearance.

  • Backache. Every bit the pregnancy hormone relaxin loosens your joints and your growing belly pulls your center of gravity frontwards, you lot may start to have an achy back — another reason to put your feet up, literally. (Sharp, shooting pain from your back down your legs, on the other hand, may be a sign of sciatica.)

  • Insomnia. Leg cramps, constant trips to the bathroom and but full general aches and pains (not to mention all those other pregnancy symptoms you're experiencing) tin can all seriously interfere with your shut-middle. In fact, indisposition affects more than than 75 percentage of the expectant set. A few sleepless nights are probably no big bargain, but if the trouble continues, talk to your doctor about ways to manage sleeplessness. You might be able to accept melatonin or a magnesium supplement.

  • Crazy dreams. Thank you to pregnancy hormones, your dreams may be more vivid than ever as yous most your due date. They're totally normal — so take them with a grain of salt and have fun swapping stories with a loved one.

  • Clumsiness. Your hormones are on overdrive, your belly is throwing you off balance and you're more forgetful than ever. Y'all're in expert (pregnant) company — so just endeavor to be careful and have a sense of humour nigh information technology!

  • Lack of bladder command. Y'all sneeze = you pee. Indeed, all that actress weight on your pelvic floor makes it harder to stay dry out. To the rescue: Your daily Kegels regimen.

  • Leaky breasts. Your body's warming up to feed your baby.

  • Weight gain. Your infant is packing on the pounds, just your weight volition likely irksome downwardly as yous near delivery day. It's not unusual to gain effectually 8 to ten pounds this trimester. It's also normal if you lot lose a few pounds at the end of your ninth calendar month.

With all these pregnancy symptoms and more weighing on y'all, just try to go on your eye on the prize: your beautiful babe, whom you'll run into in just a few weeks!

When should I worry virtually my 3rd trimester?

You'll likely want to caput to the hospital around the time active labor starts, when baby is on the fashion (though check with your doc to be sure).

Every bit delivery 24-hour interval approaches, you may experience faux labor symptoms — but the existent signs of labor to spotter out for include:

  • Baby dropping.By almost week 36, you may notice yourself waddling as your baby drops into your pelvis.

  • Bloody evidence. This stringy mucus tinged pink or brown with blood is a sure sign labor is well on its way. You as well may or may non observe the belch of your mucus plug (which seals off your uterus from the outside world).

  • Pelvic pressure. Crampiness in the groin area can be a sign of labor as your neck starts to dilate and thin out.

  • Labor contractions. Compared to Braxton Hicks contractions, these intensify, rather than diminish, the more than you motility around.

  • Your water breaking.This may not even happen, however, until you're already at the hospital.

Call your dr., however, if you start to experience signs of preterm labor or any of the following late-pregnancy warning symptoms:

  • Heavy vaginal haemorrhage

  • Severe vaginal pain

  • Severe pain in the lower abdomen

  • A fever over 101.v Fahrenheit

  • Severe lower abdominal pain

  • Sudden weight proceeds

Remember: Y'all're always better trusting your instincts and staying on the safe side when y'all're expecting.

How much does a infant grow during the 3rd trimester?

Your little 1 will get a whole lot larger in the third trimester, growing from about 2 i/2 pounds and 16 inches long in week 28 of pregnancy to between 6 and 9 pounds and 19 to 22 inches long in calendar week forty. Because your baby is growing so fast, don't be surprised if that growth spurt (forth with a decrease in living infinite) leads to some serious kicks and pokes in your gut.

Here are a few of the highlights of your 3rd trimester of pregnancy:

  • Bones. Equally cartilage transforms to os in months 7 and viii, your baby volition be getting calcium from yous — so be certain to eat plenty of calcium-rich foods.

  • Hair, skin and nails. Past calendar week 32 of pregnancy, baby's formerly meet-through skin will become opaque. In week 36, fat continues to accumulate equally your babe sheds vernix (the waxy substance that protects the skin from your amniotic fluid) and lanugo (the warm, hairy coat).

  • Digestive system. In the last weeks of pregnancy, meconium — or baby's first poop, consisting mostly of blood cells, vernix and lanugo — starts to build up in baby's intestines.

  • Five senses. Your baby'southward touch receptors volition exist fully adult around week 29 or week thirty. By week 31 of pregnancy, your baby will become signals from all five senses, perceiving light and dark, tasting what you eat, and listening to the audio of your phonation.

  • Encephalon. In the third trimester your baby's brain will abound faster than ever, test-driving some nifty skills including blinking, dreaming and regulating body temperature.

Effectually week 34 of pregnancy, babe'south trunk turns south, settling into a heads-down, bottom-upwardly position — unless, of course, your baby remains stubbornly in the breech position, in which instance your doctor volition likely attempt to manually plow baby around calendar week 37.

3rd trimester checklist

You're nearing the abode stretch, but there's plenty to exercise in the meantime. Hither are the superlative to-dos for the third trimester.

  • Keep track of fetal movement. From nigh week 28 on, you lot'll want to count baby's kicks regularly and note whatsoever changes in activity, peculiarly during month nine.

  • Watch your weight. Your pregnancy weight proceeds will pick upward speed at the beginning of the third trimester and boring down as your due date nears. You may fifty-fifty lose a pound or two. If you're non gaining enough, or if yous've gained as well much, work with your physician to accommodate your pregnancy diet to get back on track.

  • Keep moving! Every bit long as y'all accept your practitioner's okay and you follow a few fettle safety precautions, it's safe to keep doing your pregnancy-safe exercises up until your due date.

  • Schedule your third trimester checkups. Await your glucose screening by about week 28 (or the start of month 7) if you oasis't had it already, an anemia test around calendar month 7, and your grouping B strep test in calendar month 9. Also in your ninth month, your practitioner will perform an internal exam of your neck to meet if effacement and dilation (the thinning and opening of your cervix) accept begun. If you lot're classified as "high-hazard," your medico may too schedule a biophysical profile or nonstress test in the last few weeks merely to be sure everything is proceeding every bit expected.

  • Take a infirmary tour. If yous oasis't already, calendar month 7 is a great fourth dimension to take a tour of the hospital or birthing center where you plan to give nativity.

  • Choose your babe's pediatrician. Interview a few candidates with a list of questions around week 32 and choice your favorite.

  • Buy baby gear. Make sure you have the babe gear essentials — especially a crib, stroller, car seat (which y'all'll need to bring your babe home from the hospital), changing tabular array and baby monitor. On that annotation, take your car seat in to exist professionally installed.

  • Become educated. In addition to a childbirth class — which will help yous to experience more prepared for the entire nascence process — you may also want to consider classes on infant CPR and baby care.

  • Prepare to breastfeed, if you lot plan to. The best fourth dimension to larn about breastfeeding is before baby arrives. You might even want to take a breastfeeding class, or hire doula or a lactation consultant for advice or help now or later if you need it.

  • Acquire about the stages of labor. Become prepared for baby's altogether by learning what to wait during early, active and transitional labor besides every bit pushing baby out and delivering the placenta.

  • Consider how you'd like to manage labor hurting. Desire an epidural or other medication to manage labor pain? Thinking about having a natural nascency, perhaps in a birthing tub? Now's the fourth dimension to discuss your options with your practitioner.

  • Check your nascency plan. From whether or non you want an epidural to when and who cuts baby's umbilical cord, make or finalize your birth plan. (Just think, when information technology comes fourth dimension to push button baby out, non everything always goes exactly equally planned — the of import part is keeping you and your babe safe and healthy!)

  • Prepare your nursery. Get all of the essentials you'll need for your plant nursery. And don't forget baby basics like bottles, baby clothes, diapers, wipes, pacifiers and formula (if you're not planning to breastfeed).

  • Commemorate your baby bump. Accept some cute bump shots — y'all tin hang them in the plant nursery or add to your baby's photo album after.

  • Stock your refrigerator. Yous may want to whip up a few meals to keep in your freezer for the first few weeks, when you'll be busy with a new baby and recovering from birth.

  • Plan financially. The costs of having a infant can add together up rapidly, so make a new family budget and start post-obit it accordingly.

  • Pack your hospital bag. Pack low-cal — but don't forget a few comforts from domicile that you'll want to have with you at the hospital.

  • Arrange for cord blood banking. If you're considering cord blood banking — public or private — be sure your practitioner is aware of your plans, and don't forget to pack any cord blood kit the bank sends y'all in your hospital bag.

  • Learn what happens after birth. Read up on what happens after birth as your trunk repairs and you brainstorm to accommodate to your new role.

  • Set up for baby's first year. Learn more than virtually all the exciting milestones that happen in babe's start year of life — at that place'due south so much to look frontward to!

What to avoid during the third trimester

With your burgeoning belly and lower-than-usual energy levels, y'all might non be doing very much of anything these days. The good news: Now that you're in your third trimester, you don't have long to go. Hither are a few things to avoid in your third trimester — you'll be able to do many of them again shortly!

  • Traveling. This may be stating the obvious, but if your due date is nearing, y'all probably don't desire to venture too far from dwelling house. Plus, some modes of transportation — like air travel, for example — are off-limits after around 36 weeks of pregnancy (and perhaps sooner), depending on the airline's policy.

  • Lying on your back. Chances are, you haven't been sleeping or doing exercises on your breadbasket for a few months at present. But you should also avoid lying flat on your back during pregnancy, since the unabridged weight of your uterus and baby can compress the vein that carries claret from your lower body to your heart, causing y'all to feel nauseous and short of jiff.

  • Hot tubs and saunas. You've never needed a long soak more than — and yet, you'll still need to avoid hot tubs and saunas (specifically, anything that raises your internal temperature to more than 101 degrees F) until you lot deliver. If you exercise accept a bath, go on the water at around 97 to 98 degrees F and monitor the levels with a thermometer. And, of course, exist careful not to lose your residuum in the tub.

  • Exercising in warm temperatures. You don't take to cease working out during your third trimester, but you should avert exercising in hot weather. Now is non the time to effort hot (Bikram) yoga, after all. Stay indoors to reduce your odds of overheating or becoming dehydrated.

  • Booze. No amount of alcohol has been shown to be safe at whatever betoken during pregnancy — so make it a mocktail.

  • Raw or undercooked foods. Raw and undercooked foods (mainly poultry, eggs, meat or fish) can harbor infection-causing bacteria, so keep them off the menu for the balance of your pregnancy.

  • Unpasteurized dairy and juices. Yous may not run into unpasteurized milk or juices very often, but you lot may meet sure cheeses that have been made with unpasteurized milk. Soft cheeses, like Brie, goat, and feta, are common culprits, for instance. Check the characterization to brand certain the production has been made with pasteurized ingredients.

Getting excited? Y'all should exist — information technology won't exist long now until you come across your baby!