Are you interested in a specific week of pregnancy? Then use the search function to find out directly about a week of pregnancy. At Notdienst Hebamme you will get all the information you need. Do you have a question? Ask it in our group.
- Your baby and you in the last trimester
- How does your body change in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy?
- Emotional nest building in the 3rd trimester
- What happens to your baby in the last weeks of pregnancy?
- What you should look out for in the 3rd trimester
- What you should definitely avoid shortly before the birth
- Facts and figures about the last trimester of pregnancy
- The weeks of pregnancy in the 3rd trimester
Your baby and you in the last trimester
Congratulations dear mum-to-be: the final spurt has begun! You are approaching the day when you will hold your baby in your arms for the first time. But before you are enchanted by the sweet smell and the face of your little one, you still have a few weeks of pregnancy ahead of you. In the coming weeks, your unborn child will learn a lot in your womb, preparing it for life outside. It will grow and eventually mature to the point where it is ready to be born. Your body will also prepare for this day. In the following lines, you can find out what exactly is happening for both of you and what is important in the last trimester of pregnancy.
How does your body change in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy?
Starting with the 28th week of pregnancy, you are in the 3rd trimester of your pregnancy. Time to pause for a moment and remind yourself of the journey you have already made. Your body has changed a lot up to this point and your scales are showing a few extra kilos. How much weight a woman gains during her pregnancy depends on various factors. Most expectant mothers carry around 11 to 16 kilograms more in the 3rd trimester than before pregnancy. If you are carrying a little more, don't worry. What you should definitely not think about now are one-sided diets to lose a few pounds. Your body needs reserves of energy for the approaching labour. Eat a healthy and balanced diet and rest assured: after the birth, the extra kilos will gradually tumble off one by one.
As your baby continues to grow in your belly, your uterus stretches more and more and consequently becomes heavier. As your unborn child takes up more space, your internal organs shift. This may sound a little harsh, but there is no need to worry: very few pregnant women experience pain when their organs shift. What you will notice, however, is that you get less air and suffer from shortness of breath. This is the perfect time to slow down and actively plan several relaxation phases into your daily routine. Old favourites such as heartburn and increased pressure on the bladder can also occur more frequently in the last trimester of pregnancy. In addition, your body may retain more water and your feet, legs, hands and arms may become moderately to severely swollen.
Most pregnant women experience their first contractions around the 36th week of pregnancy. Some expectant mothers have already had some experience with the different types of labour up to this point, while others hardly feel any contractions until the birth. No matter what your situation is: everything is normal and good. If you are unsure how to recognise training or pre-labour contractions, talk to your midwife. She will show you how to differentiate between the individual contractions and how to deal with them in a relaxed manner. Breathing and relaxation exercises will also help you later during labour. If you have not found a midwife to accompany you during your pregnancy, this is not a problem. You can go to the Online courses Katharina from notdiensthebamme.de can tell you everything you need to know about your pregnancy and answer any questions you may have.
The last phase of your pregnancy, the physical and hormonal preparation for the upcoming birth, begins with the contractions.
Practical help for you:
Emergency service midwife Katharina explains the most important things about the maternity pass online.
Emotional nest building in the 3rd trimester
In the last few weeks before the birth, many women start the so-called nest-building instinct. They feel extremely active and prepare their home for their baby. The thoughts of pregnant women often revolve around the approaching labour. First-time mothers in particular sometimes look forward to the big day with enormous respect. This is a good time to look at positive (!) birth reports. Unfortunately, many people have dramatic images of screaming women and powerless men in their heads, as Hollywood and the like like like to use this cliché. However, a "real" birth is very different and you will have enough time to relax between the contractions during a complication-free labour. You may also be able to use special exercises to see the contractions as strong hugs that help your child to see the light of day. Try to look forward to the birth with a positive mindset.
You should also think about who will be by your side during the birth. Your partner is usually chosen, but your best friend, your own mother or someone else close to you can also accompany you during the birth. Discuss with the person you have chosen which techniques you would like to use to minimise the pain of childbirth. If you have already written a birth plan, go through it again point by point. Discuss your plan with your midwife, your birth companion and pack a copy of it in your hospital bag if you have decided to give birth in hospital.
In my postnatal workshop, you will learn what measures you can take during your pregnancy to make your postnatal period more relaxed. The workshop will also help you to recognise what your baby needs in the first few days and weeks.
You and your partner will also be shown how you can function successfully as a team and what you absolutely must prepare before the birth.
What happens to your baby in the last weeks of pregnancy?
As already mentioned, your baby will gain a lot of weight and size in the last trimester of pregnancy. The almost one kilogramme that your unborn child would weigh at the beginning of the 3rd trimester will triple or quadruple by the time it is born. It will grow from the length of a standard aubergine (30 cm) to a good 50 cm over the next few weeks. But it's not just the size that changes, the reflexes also finally mature. Your unborn child's lungs are reaching maturity, the brain is working at full speed and your baby is doing its first breathing and swallowing exercises in your belly.
By the way: Whenever you are particularly active, your child is sleeping. When you are resting, it is active. So allow yourself and your baby to relax from time to time. From the 3rd trimester onwards, most babies react to external stimuli. Why don't you let your partner sing or read to your child and observe the reaction in the tummy? Can you hear light kicks or pats? This is a good exercise for the father-to-be to get in touch with his baby.
Your baby is also preparing for birth. By the 36th week of labour, most babies have settled into the correct birth position, the so-called cephalic position. Your baby is pushed into its starting position on your pelvis by the contractions. It will then practise diligently how to make its way through this narrow passage on its big day. Your baby is training for its big day: leaving your belly to finally lie in your arms.
What you should look out for in the 3rd trimester
Many pregnant women suffer from shortness of breath due to organ displacement. So be careful not to take on too much. Even if you have enjoyed a fit pregnancy up to this point, you can now hand over some household tasks. Carrying heavy shopping bags or assembling furniture in particular can be done by someone else.
Make sure you continue to eat a healthy and balanced diet. If at the end of each week you feel like you've eaten fruit and vegetables in every colour of the rainbow, you're on the right track. A balanced diet will give your body exactly the strength it needs for the labour ahead.
If you haven't already done so, take a look at the Online birth preparation course the different birth positions available. In the course, you will also learn important breathing and relaxation techniques to support you during your labour. Midwife Katharina has set up a premium Facebook group for all mums on the online courses. Here you can not only ask your questions to the midwife, but also exchange ideas and network with other mums. For as long as you like, she will answer your mum questions lovingly and with plenty of expertise. She will also explain why it is important for you to familiarise yourself with your baby's movement patterns and how you can benefit from this during labour.
What you should definitely avoid shortly before the birth
In the last few weeks of pregnancy, don't get carried away with buying too many unnecessary things that neither you nor your baby need. Especially in the nest-building phase, we women are prone to buying all sorts of products that suggest to us that they are good for the child. This is a pretty clever sales ploy, because every mum-to-be wants her baby to arrive in the world well cared for. You can find out what you really need to lovingly care for your newborn baby and give them a healthy start in life in the Infant care course from midwife Katharina.
In addition, avoid all things that are not good for you and cause stress. Especially in the last trimester of pregnancy, your child in your belly feels with you. If you nourish yourself with lots of lovely experiences, your baby will also spend the last few days in your belly happily and contentedly.
As mentioned earlier in the article, diets are absolutely inappropriate during pregnancy and especially in the last trimester. Eat a healthy and balanced diet and give your body a healthy basis for a relaxed labour. Avoid fast food and an unbalanced diet. Certain teas can help to soften your tissue and make labour easier later on.
In this trimester, your breasts start producing milk. You may discover the first drops of sweet, sticky colostrum in the shower. But you may also suddenly notice stains on your shirt. You don't need to worry: You won't lose the milk that your baby needs after the birth. However, you may be able to collect this valuable colostrum and freeze it for your baby. If no milk comes out of your breast, this does not mean that you will have no milk for your baby after the birth. The hormones of pregnancy are working at full speed to provide this valuable nourishment for your baby on time. If you want to breastfeed your baby, you can prepare now for this wonderful time with your baby. The Online breastfeeding course by midwife Katharina provides you with all the important information, tips and tricks for an enjoyable and relaxed breastfeeding period.
Facts and figures about the last trimester of pregnancy
The 3rd trimester covers the period from the 28th week of pregnancy until the birth. You will gain another five kilograms during this period. Your baby will grow from around 30 cm to a length of 50 cm. Its weight will increase from around one kilogramme to around 3.5 kilogrammes. All these values are average values and may vary upwards and downwards.
From the 32nd week of pregnancy, you will be examined by your midwife or gynaecologist every fortnight. From the calculated date of delivery, the examinations will take place every other day.
Only 4 % of babies are born on their due date.
Here you can find information on the weeks of pregnancy in the 3rd trimester