After passing through the first and second trimester stages, you would now like to know what to expect in the third trimester. You might feel that your belly can’t get any bigger but it will get bigger all through your third trimester. So, here is all that you need to know about your third trimester.

The third trimester of your pregnancy is from week 28 to week 40, which is usually 7-9 months. The feelings during this trimester tends to vary from nervousness to excitement about the baby coming.

Here is a week by week guide to your third trimester pregnancy.

Week Twenty Eight

By this week, your baby weighs nearly over 1 kilogram. At about this time, your baby can open his/ her eyes and turn his head. His fat layers are forming and his new shiny fingernails appear. At this stage, you will be nervous and excited about the baby. Start selecting possible baby names and begin planning the baby’s arrival!

Week Twenty Nine

Your baby’s head is getting bigger, and brain growth is very rapid at this time. Nearly all babies react to sound by the 30th week. During this time, your baby needs the maximum amount of nutrients and so you need to eat a large amount of protein, Vitamin C and calcium. In this week, the baby’s skeleton hardens even more and the brain, muscles, and lungs continue to mature.

Week Thirty

While your baby may soon slow up growing, but only in length. He/she will continue to gain weight until he or she is born. In this week, your baby continues to open and shut his eyes. As you and the baby continue to grow, don’t be worried if you feel breathless. This is because, as the baby is growing your uterus is pressing against your diaphragm.

Week Thirty One

You may notice lesser moments of your baby in your tummy. The baby is growing and does not have enough space to move. You’ve probably gained about 2 kilograms this month. Gaining weight is normal during this time.

Week Thirty Two

Your little one’s lungs won’t be fully developed until just before birth. The baby when awake will be practising all necessary skills like breathing, kicking and sucking. Some babies have a crown of hair already, others have only a few wisps. In this week, your body begins to start prepping for delivery by flexing its muscles. If you feel your uterus bunching or hardening periodically, those are Braxton Hicks contractions. These are like a pre-labor rehearsal before the real moment.

Week Thirty Three

Your baby should already be getting ready for delivery by turning upside-down i.e. his head should be pointing down for a normal delivery.  Your doctor will be paying careful attention to your baby’s position in the coming weeks. Keep visiting your doctor regularly.

Week Thirty Four

Your baby is getting rounder as she/he will need the fat layers later to regulate the body temperature. If you don’t already talk to your baby, this is a good time to start. If you’ve been nervous about going into premature labour, you’ll be happy to know that most babies born at week 34- 35 and can survive outside the womb.

Week Thirty Five

By this week the wall of your uterus and your abdomen stretch thinner and let in more light for your baby.  Also, your baby will begin to develop daily activity cycles. This week, your little one is now sporting fingernails and has a fully developed pair of kidneys.

Week Thirty Six

You may begin to feel an increased pressure in your lower abdomen and notice that your baby is gradually dropping. This is called lightening or engagement, and your lungs and stomach will finally get a chance to stretch out a little.

Week Thirty Seven

By this week, many babies now have a full head of hair, with locks around one inch long. But don’t be surprised if his or her hair isn’t the same colour as yours.

Week Thirty Eight

Babies at week 38 weigh about 3 Kgs and continue to build the fat stores that will help regulate body temperature after birth. Your little one’s organ systems are fully developed and in place, but the lungs will be last to reach maturity.

Week Thirty Nine

Your baby has reached full term this week and is waiting to greet the world! If your water breaks, call your healthcare provider immediately.

 

Here are a few common experiences that you go through during your third trimester:

1. Craving or eating too often

With your trimester going on, you would be gaining weight. Sometimes while eating you may even feel full as your uterus is pressing your stomach. Here are some of the interesting cravings pregnant women have during their pregnancy.

2. Keep moving

As long as you’re not at risk for delivering a preterm baby, exercise is safe in the third trimester. But if you’re used to doing exercise, discuss with your doctor whether you should continue your routine.

3. Rest up

Feeling uncomfortable and going to the bathroom a lot at night can leave you tired. Use a body pillow when sleeping and limit your liquid and food intake after 6 p.m. To combat fatigue during the day, take a five-minute break every hour. Sit back, relax, do deep-breathing exercises or take a walk to rejuvenate yourself.

4. Anxiety

All pregnant women are nervous about how they are going to handle motherhood especially if they are expecting their first child. Babycell has an initiative “Mummy Ki Paathshaala” where they teach women about the journey towards motherhood

5. Planning the future

All to-be-parents, plan their baby’s future well in advance. They plan their child’s school, clothes, food, etc. Some parents also bank their baby’s stem cells with private banks. Babycell is one of leading stem cell banks in India –

Hope this helps you through the final leg of your pregnancy!