Pregnancy: Third Trimester

Information on what you can expect during the last three months of your pregnancy.

Some of the same discomforts you had in your second trimester will continue. Plus, many women find breathing even more difficult and notice they have to go to the bathroom even more often. This is because the baby is getting bigger and it is putting more pressure on your organs. Don't worry, your baby is fine and these problems will lessen once you give birth.

The following aches and pains, adapted from the National Women's Health Information Center website, often appear for the first time during the third trimester:

As you near your due date, your cervix becomes thinner and softer (called effacing). This is a normal, natural process that helps the birth canal (vagina) to open during the birthing process. Your doctor can check your progress with a vaginal exam.

Weight Gain

Everyone gains weight at different rates. On average, it is normal to gain about one pound per week, or three to four pounds per month, during the third trimester. By the end of your pregnancy you should have gained, on average, about 25 to 30 pounds. About 7 1/2 pounds of that weight should be the baby.

Changes in Your Baby

Your baby is still growing and moving, but now it has less room in your uterus. Because of this, you might not feel the kicks and movements as much as you did in the second trimester. During this final stage of your pregnancy, your baby is continuing to grow. Even before your baby is born it will be able to open and close its eyes and might even suck its thumb.

As your body prepares for birth, the baby will start to move into its birth position. You might notice the baby "dropping," or moving down lower in your abdomen. This can reduce the pressure on your lungs and rib cage, making it easier to breathe.

Sleeping in the 3rd Trimester

Your energy may lessen as you enter the ninth month. So you may begin to slow down. This is normal. It's important to get enough rest now, even though it can be more difficult to sleep as you get larger. The baby's movements, bathroom runs, and an increase in your body's metabolism can make sleeping difficult.

Try these tips for sleeping in the last three months of pregnancy:

Doctors Visits

Be sure to continue seeing your doctor or midwife regularly. In the last trimester of pregnancy, women usually see their doctors or midwives more frequently. From 30 weeks to 38 weeks of pregnancy, most doctors and midwives recommend one office visit every two weeks. After 38 weeks, women normally see their doctor or midwife every week until delivery.  As your due date approaches, ask questions and share concerns you have about labor and delivery. You and your doctor will discuss what kind of delivery you will have. Some women need to have a cesarean section (c-section). During a c-section a surgical cut is made in the abdomen and uterus to remove the baby.

If you plan on a non-surgical, vaginal birth, you should talk to your doctor about the pros and cons of pain relief. Some women opt for pain medicines and others want to deliver naturally, without medicine. Many women find childbirth classes very helpful, even if they have already had a baby. Women often bring their partners or a friend or relative to childbirth classes, particularly if this person will be with them during the birth of their baby.

Inducing Labor

Did you know that only five percent of babies are born on their due dates? So being pregnant after your due date is normal and common. And it does not mean anything is wrong. But sometimes the doctor has concerns about the baby's and/or your health. In these cases, the doctor recommends inducing labor. Inducing labor means that your doctor will start your labor through artificial means. Most doctors will wait one to two weeks after a woman's due date before considering inducing. For additional information please visit this inducing labor link.

When to Call Your Doctor

Before your due date, make sure to talk with your doctor or midwife about how to reach him/her if you go into labor. It's also helpful to be familiar with the the different types of birth plans and birth options including your local hospital or birthing center, where you should park, and where to check in ahead of time. Know that sometimes you can think you're in labor, but really are not (called false labor). This happens to many women, so don't feel embarrassed if you go to the hospital certain that you are in labor, only to be sent home! It's always better to be seen by a doctor as soon as possible once labor has begun. Here are the signs of true labor:

Check out how much your baby continues to grow and develop as your due date approaches.  The following has been adapted from the Mayo Clinic website.

Week 28: Baby's eyes open

Your baby is about 15 inches long and weighs about 2 to 3 pounds.

Your baby's eyes are beginning to open and close. The color has been established, but the story's not over yet. Eye color may change within the first six months of life — especially if your baby's eyes are blue or gray-blue at birth.

Your baby is now sleeping for about 20 to 30 minutes at a time. Fetal movement will be most obvious when you're sitting or lying down.

Week 29: Movement is more forceful

Your baby's bones are fully developed, but they're still soft and pliable. This week, your baby begins storing iron, calcium and phosphorus.

As your baby continues to grow, his or her movements will become more frequent and vigorous. Some of your baby's jabs and punches may even take your breath away.

Week 30: Baby packs on pounds

Your baby weighs about 3 pounds — but not for long. He or she will gain about 1/2 pound a week until week 37.

Your baby may practice breathing by moving his or her diaphragm in a repeating rhythm. If your baby gets the hiccups, you may feel slight twitches or spasms in your uterus.

Week 31: Reproductive development continues

If your baby is a boy, his testicles are moving from their location near the kidneys through the groin on their way into the scrotum. If your baby is a girl, her clitoris is now relatively prominent.

Your baby's lungs are more developed, but they're not fully mature. If your baby is born this week, he or she will probably need a ventilator to breathe. Complications such as bleeding in the brain are less likely than they were even a few weeks ago.

Week 32: Downy hair falls off

Your baby is between 15 and 17 inches long and weighs about 4 to 4 1/2 pounds. Nearly all babies born at this age survive the challenges of premature birth.

The layer of soft, downy hair that has covered your baby's skin for the past few months — known as lanugo — starts to fall off this week.

As space in your uterus becomes more cramped, your baby's kicks and other movements may seem less forceful. You may want to check on your baby's movements from time to time — especially if you think you've noticed decreased activity. If you count fewer than 10 movements in two hours, contact your health care provider.

Week 33: Baby detects light

Your baby's pupils now constrict, dilate and detect light. Your baby continues to gain about 1/2 pound a week, and his or her lungs are more completely developed. Babies born this week need extra attention, but almost all will be healthy.

Week 34: Protective coating gets thicker

The pasty white coating that protects your baby's skin — called vernix — gets thicker this week. When your baby is born, you may see traces of vernix firsthand, especially under the arms, behind the ears and in the groin area. The soft, downy hair that covered your baby under the vernix for the past few months is now almost completely gone.

Week 35: Rapid growth continues

Your baby continues to pack on the pounds and store fat all over his or her body. The crowded conditions inside your uterus may make it harder for your baby to give you a punch, but you'll probably feel lots of stretches, rolls and wiggles.

Week 36: Baby can suck

Your baby is between 16 and 19 inches long and weighs about 6 to 6 1/2 pounds. Recent fat deposits have rounded out your baby's face, and your baby's powerful sucking muscles are ready for action. To prepare for birth, your baby may descend into the head down position.

Week 37: Baby is full-term

By the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. As fat continues to accumulate, your baby's body will slowly become rounder.

Week 38: Organ function continues to improve

Your baby weighs nearly 7 pounds. His or her brain and nervous system are working better every day. This developmental process will continue through childhood and adolescence.

Week 39: Placenta provides antibodies

Your baby has enough fat under the skin to hold his or her body temperature as long as there's a little help from you. The placenta continues to supply your baby with antibodies that will help fight infection the first six months after birth. If you breast-feed your baby, your milk will provide additional antibodies.

Week 40: Your due date arrives

Your baby may be 19 to 21 inches long and weigh 7 to 8 pounds.

Do not be alarmed if your due date comes and goes without incident. It is just as normal to deliver a baby a week late, or a week early, than it is to deliver right on time. In fact, only an estimated 5 percent of women deliver on their due dates.

Click on the highlighted links in this paragraph for more information about the 1st trimester and the 2nd trimester.