Third Trimester

By the third trimester you will feel as though you have been pregnant for a long time and will probaby be getting impatient for your baby to arrive. Your concentration may also be getting a bit ragged and you may find it quite hard to get things done.

Gentle exercise, such as walking or swimming, can help and is perfectly safe to do. Do not overdo it, though, or tackle difficult jobs such as heavy lifting, especially if you are on your own.

This is a time when you need to relax, have calm thoughts and enjoy making all those little final preparations for your baby.

Try not to get overstressed about anything! I have a friend who, during the third trimester, used to retreat to the spare room every Sunday with all the newspapers and magazines...her partner, bless him, brought her all her meals and looked after their toddler, just so that she could keep her inner calm. What a great arrangement - and a lovely man! I tried telling my other half about this but no dice! Still, if you have a kind and understanding partner, it's worth a try!

Childbirth Choices.This is also when you will be thinking about what method of childbirth you want. Choosing the right method of birth for you and your partner is very important. Do you want a natural childbirth ? What if you ended up having a C-section...how could you make that the best possible experience for yourselves? To some extent your choice of childbirth is hard to control, but thinking ahead to all the options is a great way to go. Braxton-Hicks Contractions
You may feel your abdomen tighten for about 30 seconds several times a day during this trimester. These are Braxton-Hicks contractions and they mean that your womb is practising for labour. They don’t mean you are in or about to go into labour but many of us are confused and there are lots of false alarms at this time! Real labour contractions, though, are very different; they are regular, usually more powerful and painful and do not go away.

You may suffer swelling of your fingers, hands and ankles towards the end of your pregnancy. Try to avoid standing for long periods if at all possible and it could be wise to remove any tight rings until after your baby is born.

Although it feels as if this will go on for ever and your pregnancy body feels huge and ungainly, this can also be a very precious time of preparation. Good luck and happy planning!

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