- How to prepare for childbirth
- How to relieve the discomfort of the 3rd trimester
- Cramps: They mainly appear in the night. The solution is to stretch your legs before going to bed, although there are medicines with magnesium indicated to relieve the discomfort.
- Swelling: Most common symptom in late pregnancy and is noticed, especially in the legs, hands and feet. Keep your legs elevated when lying or sitting, this relieves discomfort, and be aware of blood pressure.
- Varicose veins: They arise from the increase in the volume of blood in circulation and due to weight gain. Avoid spending too much time with your legs crossed, sitting or standing. Wear medium compression stockings to help improve circulation.
- Heartburn: It happens when the pressure of the belly on the stomach makes the gastric acid rise to the esophagus more easily. To prevent this from happening, eat little at a time and many times a day and avoid going to bed right after meals.
- Back pain: Caused by the increased weight of the belly. Wearing shoes with a good support base helps to relieve the symptom, as well as avoid lifting heavy objects. Know what shoes to wear and what the best clothes are.
- Insomnia: The initial drowsiness can give rise to insomnia, mainly due to the difficulty in finding a comfortable position to sleep. So, to get around the problem, try to relax, have a hot drink at bedtime and use several pillows to support your back and belly, and remember to always sleep on your side.
- When the baby will be born
- Last preparations
The third trimester marks the end of pregnancy, which ranges from the 25th to the 42nd week of pregnancy. As the end of the pregnancy approaches the weight of the belly and the responsibility to care for a newborn, as well as the worry and discomfort increase, but even so this is a very happy phase because the day of picking up the baby at lap approaches.
The baby grows every day and its organs and tissues are almost fully formed, so if the baby is born from now on, it will have a much better chance of resisting, even if it needs neonatal care. After 33 weeks, the baby starts to accumulate more fat, which is why it looks more and more like a newborn.
How to prepare for childbirth
Both women who want a cesarean section and those who want a normal delivery must prepare for the baby's birth in advance. Kegel exercises are important to strengthen the musculature inside the vagina, making it easier for the baby to leave and preventing urine loss involuntarily after delivery, which affects more than 60% of women.
There are childbirth preparation classes available in some health centers and also in the private network, being very useful to clarify doubts about birth and how to care for the newborn.
How to relieve the discomfort of the 3rd trimester
Although all symptoms related to pregnancy can accompany the entire gestational period, the closer to 40 weeks of gestation, the more uncomfortable the woman can become. Learn how to relieve the most common symptoms of late pregnancy:
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Cramps: They mainly appear in the night. The solution is to stretch your legs before going to bed, although there are medicines with magnesium indicated to relieve the discomfort.
Swelling: Most common symptom in late pregnancy and is noticed, especially in the legs, hands and feet. Keep your legs elevated when lying or sitting, this relieves discomfort, and be aware of blood pressure.
Varicose veins: They arise from the increase in the volume of blood in circulation and due to weight gain. Avoid spending too much time with your legs crossed, sitting or standing. Wear medium compression stockings to help improve circulation.
Heartburn: It happens when the pressure of the belly on the stomach makes the gastric acid rise to the esophagus more easily. To prevent this from happening, eat little at a time and many times a day and avoid going to bed right after meals.
Back pain: Caused by the increased weight of the belly. Wearing shoes with a good support base helps to relieve the symptom, as well as avoid lifting heavy objects. Know what shoes to wear and what the best clothes are.
Insomnia: The initial drowsiness can give rise to insomnia, mainly due to the difficulty in finding a comfortable position to sleep. So, to get around the problem, try to relax, have a hot drink at bedtime and use several pillows to support your back and belly, and remember to always sleep on your side.
Check out these and other tips in the following video:
See more options for dealing with the hassles of this phase at: How to relieve discomfort in late pregnancy.
When the baby will be born
The baby is fully formed and ready to be born from 37 weeks of gestation but you and the doctor can wait until 40 weeks of gestation, to wait for the normal delivery, if this is the couple's wish. If you reach 41 weeks, the doctor may decide to schedule the induction of labor to help with the birth, but if you choose to have a caesarean, you can also wait for the first signs that the baby is ready to be born, such as the exit of the mucous plug.
Last preparations
In this phase, the room or place where the baby will rest must be ready, and from the 30th week onwards, it is good that the maternity bag is also packed, although it may suffer some changes until the day of going to the hospital. See what to bring to motherhood.
If you haven't already, you can think about baby shower or baby shower, as the baby will go on average 7 diapers a day in the coming months. Find out exactly how many diapers you should have at home, and what the ideal sizes are, using this calculator:
