You’re almost there.
The last trimester has begun. A lot of woman feel discomforts during the third trimester especially at night towards the end of the pregnancy. The last few weeks should be used to relax as much as possible.
Save your energy – you will need it.
Problems Sleeping
The belly gets bigger and bigger and it gets harder to sleep.
That can have many causes besides the growing belly though. Since the Baby is getting bigger and putting pressure on your bladder you might have to get up quite a few times at night to use the bathroom.
Some Babies like to be very active at night and since they barely have space to move anymore you can feel their activity even more intense.
You may think about delivery and your thoughts are keeping you awake or you experience cramps in your calves.
TIP: A pregnancy pillow can help you find a comfortable position to sleep. Drinking tea or warm milk before bed can make you sleepy. A warm bath and light massage can help to relax and get your mind off of things.
To find out what lower priced alternative for a pregnancy pillow i used check out #5 on my post 10 questions about pregnancy.
Vena-cava syndrome
Most pregnant woman are already having a hard time sleeping on the back.
Laying on the side is more comfortable with a big belly. It is not just more comfortable but also healthier. Laying on your back for a longer time can cause the so called Vena-cava syndrome (obstruction of blood flow through the superior vena cava in the back).
The growing baby puts pressure on your vena cava, slowing down the blood flow to your heart which can cause some serious problems.
Dizziness, rapidly beating heart, circulatory system issues and in really bad cases fainting.
In extreme cases this can cause a under-supply for the baby. Usually your body will automatically move and cause you to wake up when it detects the slower intake of oxygen.
TIP: Laying on your left side is the best. Your Vena cava is on the right side so laying on the left relieves it more.
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Tiredness
Your body is preparing for the big finale and needs all the energy it can get.
No surprise you feel extra tired. You might need more and longer breaks throughout the day.
Blood sugar and blood pressure are usually lower and your whole system is changing mostly because of all the pregnancy hormones.
This is probably one of the most discomforts not only in the third trimester but during the whole pregnancy.
TIP: Plan breaks during your day. Eat lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and listen to your body – it will tell you when to take it slow.
Muscle Cramps
Cramps – especially in your calves – can occur. This will happen mostly at night.
The cause for them is almost always a lack of magnesium. If your leg is also red, swollen and hot it could be a inflammation of your veins.
The possibility of that happening is very low but not impossible.
If you experience those symptoms you should let your doctor know immediately.
TIP: Eat food with a high magnesium concentration or take magnesium pills. (As always – check with your doctor first)
Varicose veins
Women with a conjunctive tissue weakness are more likely to experience varicose veins.
During pregnancy the chances to get them goes even higher thanks to the hormones.
Veins are widening and blood gets clogged up. This happens especially on the lower half of your leg.
One of the big discomforts during the third trimester.
TIP: Try not to sit too long. Raise your legs as much as possible. You can also get compression stockings (ask your doctor)
Stretch marks
Stretch marks are basically scars.
They are caused by rapid weight gain or loss and during pregnancy when your skin is stretching.
When the stretched skin heals you can see stretch marks. Some women don’t get any at all and others may have them all over their body.
Nobody can tell.
Even though the chances of getting them is higher when you have a known conjunctive tissue weakness.
In general you can also say that dry skin tears more. So it is a good idea to use lotion or oil on your growing belly.
TIP: Use lotion or oil high in fat to get your skin what it needs. It will also help the itching.
Vaginal discharge
The hormone estrogen in your body causes your vagina to be better supplied with blood.
You may notice some milky white vaginal discharge.
It is also called leukorrhea and completely normal.
It is actually a good sign that your vagina is cleaning itself. If you see a more yellow or greenish color, weird consistency or funny smell, itching or burning when peeing it could be caused by a fungus.
That fungus causes inflammation. Check with your doctor in that cause to get medication if necessary.
TIP: Wear cotton underwear and no pads with plastic. Do not over do it with hygiene down there.
Edema
Because of the widening of your vessels during pregnancy your tissue will store water.
This can be very uncomfortable but is usually completely harmless.
After your pregnancy they are usually gone in a very short time. Unfortunately they can be a big part of your weight gain during pregnancy and make your whole body look swollen up.
The most affected parts of your body are ankle, finger and feet. Especially during the summer when it’s hot.
TIP: A shower with switching between hot and cold water can help. Stretching and flexing your feet can also help.
This is the very last photo i took while still being pregnant.
One week before my baby made her arrival. I was so over it at that point especially since I was already over my due date.
Thankfully i did not have many discomforts during the third trimester. Overall the pregnancy went pretty smooth.
Did you experience many of these symptoms? Or are you one of the lucky ones that had a amazing pregnancy?
Are you currently pregnant?
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