What to Expect During Pregnancy: The Third Trimester

Congratulations, you have made it to the last trimester. The third and final trimester of your pregnancy is categorized as weeks 27 until birth typically week 40 but it can range between weeks 38-42. This trimester is vital in your baby's growth and development. This is the trimester where under most circumstances you and your baby will finally meet. During your final trimester you will have noticeable changes including the growth of your belly. This trimester is when your baby will begin to change positions in order to prepare for birth.

What happens during the third trimester of pregnancy

During the third trimester, your baby continues to grow at a rapid rate and beings to develop even more major organs. One major organ, the lungs are still maturing Your baby is growing in both size and weight. By the end of the final trimester, your baby will average 6 to 9 pounds and 19 to 21 inches.

Third trimester development

In the third trimester, you baby has begun to recognize the sound of you and your partner's voice. You may notice that your baby has hiccups, and lots of more movement than before. Around week 33, your baby will have positioned his or her head for delivery, by resting on your cervix. Their skin is becoming thicker, and bones harder. Here are some other things that are happening to your baby in the third trimester:

• The brain is continuing to develop

• The bones in the skull remain soft in order to pass through the brith canal

• Your baby can suck their thumb

• Your baby has the ability to cry

Changes to your body

You can expect to notice some changes during your third trimester. Some women find it increasingly uncomfortable as the pregnancy nears an end. Your baby has begun to crowd your abdominal cavity, and for some this makes it harder to take deep breaths or get comfortable at night.

As your baby continues to grow, you may feel hot from the increased skin temperature. The increase pressure on your bladder may cause you to have to urinate more frequently. You will have an increase of fluid retention that may cause you to have swelling in your ankles, hands, and face. Stretch marks may start to appear on various parts of your body. You may also start to experience Braxton Hicks contractions.

All of the changes may sounds scary on unsettling, and you may be anxious about your new arrival but it will all be worth it. Do not be alarmed if you do not have some or all of the symptoms described earlier, as every expecting mother will have a different experience.

Prenatal care

During this final trimester, your healthcare provider may schedule more frequent visits with you. You can expect to be visiting the office every two weeks beginning at week 32 and weekly at 36 weeks. Like the weeks before, your provider will be checking your vitals and asking about any signs or symptoms you may be experiencing. They will also be doing screenings to test for, gestational diabetes, iron deficiency anemia, and group b strep.

Your provider will be able to provide you with an update to your baby's size as well as check their heart rate. As stated before, your baby will begin to have more frequent movements, which your provider will want to know all about. They might go into more details with you asking about your labor and delivery plan. Now is the time to clearly define your birth plan, including if your initial plan is to go medicated or unmedicated.

What to do

You and your baby have went through weeks and weeks of growth together. These final weeks may be filled with a lot of anxiety for what is ahead, but it should also be a time of excitement. As your due date approaches, make sure to ask all the questions that you may have. You never know everything of what to expect but doing your research along the way is sure to help. Relax as much as you can, and enjoy each and every week!