The Third Trimester Of Pregnancy | Few Tips For Final Stages Of Your Pregnancy | NextMamas.
What happens to the mother’s body during 3rd trimester of Pregnancy?
In the third trimester, a woman may experience more aches, pain, and swelling as she carries her baby. A pregnant woman may also begin to become anxious about her delivery.
Other events that occur during the third trimester include:
- A lot of movement by the baby.
- Occasional random tightening of the uterus called false pains which are completely random and usually not painful.
- Going to the bathroom more often.
- Heartburn.
- Swollen ankles, fingers, or face.
- Hemorrhoids.
- Tender breasts that may leak watery milk.
- Difficulty sleeping.
When to call your doctor?
Call your doctor immediately if you experience:
- Painful contractions of increasing intensity and frequency.
- Bleeding at any time.
- Sudden decrease in activity by your baby.
- Extreme swelling.
- Rapid weight gain.
Tips to stay healthy provided by the team of NextMamas:
It’s important to be aware of what to do and what to avoid as your pregnancy continues in order to take care of yourself and your developing baby.
What to do:
- Continue to take prenatal vitamins.
- Stay active unless you’re experiencing swelling or pain.
- Work out your pelvic floor by doing Kegel exercises.
- Eat a diet high in fruits, vegetables, low-fat forms of protein, and fiber.
- Drink lots of water.
- Eat enough calories (about 300 more calories than normal per day).
- Stay active with walking.
- Keep your teeth and gums healthy. Poor dental hygiene is linked to premature labor.
- Get plenty of rest and sleep.
What not to do:
- strenuous exercise or strength training that could cause an injury to your stomach.
- Alcohol.
- Caffeine (no more than one cup of coffee or tea per day).
- Smoking.
- Illegal drugs.
- Raw fish or smoked seafood.
- Shark, swordfish, mackerel, or white snapper fish (they have high levels of mercury).
- Raw sprouts.
- Cat litter, which can carry a parasite that causes toxoplasmosis.
- Unpasteurized milk or other dairy products.
- Deli meats or hot dogs.
- The following prescription drugs: isotretinoin (Accutane) for acne, acitretin (Soriatane) for psoriasis, thalidomide (Thalomid), and ACE inhibitors for high blood pressure.
- long car trips and airplane flights, if possible (after 34 weeks, airlines may not let you board the plane because of the possibility of an unexpected delivery on the plane).
If you must travel, stretch your legs and walk around at least every hour or two.
Author: Dr. Iram Gill
Dr. Iram Gill is an MBBS doctor by profession and a Content Writer by passion. She is a mother as well and has observed the health-related challenges faced by mothers and babies. She wants to play her part in increasing access and support for breastfeeding and maternal health problems.