How should the third trimester of pregnancy go: is sex possible? What week does the third trimester of pregnancy begin? 3rd trimester from what week

The third trimester has arrived, most of the pregnancy has passed. This is the final stage of pregnancy - preparation for childbirth. During these weeks of pregnancy, a woman physically and mentally prepares more and more for childbirth.

At this time, the expectant mother is a little calmer, because there are many ultrasounds and tests behind her to confirm the proper development of the long-awaited baby.

At this stage, the child is almost formed. Now the baby is gaining weight more actively than before. The baby's movements have become more pronounced and the mother can already distinguish and feel a leg or arm. By the end of the last trimester, the baby will dig less and less. This is due to the fact that he will increase in height and there will be less and less space for him.

I'm glad that the expectant mother can boast of a big belly. Because of this, she becomes less agile. It’s getting harder and harder to bend over. Now fatigue occurs more often. Every 1-2 hours a woman wants to take a horizontal position to rest. This is due to a large tummy, which puts stress on the back. Characteristic for women is swelling of the legs and dilation of the veins during these weeks of pleasant anticipation of the birth of the baby. Some even buy shoes two sizes larger.

During these last weeks of pregnancy, the uterus enlarges significantly. In the 3rd trimester, possible training contractions. This is a normal physiological preparation of the uterus for the upcoming birth. Frequent urination is also common. The uterus puts pressure on the bladder, which constantly makes you want to empty your bladder.

3rd trimester of pregnancy: fetal development

At that time The baby has grown well and every day is becoming more formed and more prepared for birth. All body systems are improving and completing their formation.

Every mother closely monitors the growth of her child; she is interested in knowing what is happening with her beloved child at the present time.

At the 7th month(in the third trimester of pregnancy) the fetus is ripe. So, what happens in the 7th month of pregnancy:

• Can respond to taste and sound. When he tastes something bitter or sour, he may react violently with tremors. The same reaction can occur to loud sounds.
• The formation and improvement of the brain cortex is completed.
• The child already feels pain.
• Active period for subcutaneous fat deposition.

8 month

• The child is less active due to lack of space.
• Basically it is already placed in the correct position for upside down birth. But the more active ones turn over and change their position more than once.
• At this time, the baby’s body is already producing urine, since its urinary system has already formed.
• Lanugo disappears.
• The cornea takes on color. Characteristic for all children at this time is the light blue color of the eye.
• The skin begins to smooth out, but the original lubricant is present on it.

9 month

How does a mother change in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy?

At the onset of the 30th week of pregnancy a woman has the right to leave in connection with childbirth (70 days before childbirth and 70 days after childbirth).

A woman has a lot of time, and therefore the opportunity to relax a lot. In fact, she really wants this now. In addition, this is a good opportunity to walk more in the fresh air.

During these weeks, my mother became quite distant from the outside world. The range of his interests is currently very narrow and only understandable to her. Choosing a crib, clothes, and furniture for the nursery are its main tasks. Many friends simply become uninteresting to a woman in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy. To a greater extent, she is open to talking only about her child and childbirth, and she is not interested in anything else. This is the nature of a pregnant woman.

What to watch out for in the third trimester of pregnancy

During this period there may be certain changes during pregnancy. Some of them simply cause discomfort, others are very dangerous for the pregnant woman and the fetus. The reasons for their occurrence are still varied, and you never know what to do to protect yourself from unpleasant health issues. But having information about certain diagnoses, you will be able to notice them in time and take the necessary measures.

Preeclampsia

Gestosis (late toxicosis) - a fairly common and dangerous disease that only goes away completely after the birth of the child. The disease is characterized by the following symptoms:

• the presence of protein in the urine;
• swelling of the legs;
• increased blood pressure.

This pregnancy complication can have a detrimental effect on both the mother and the fetus. The most terrible manifestation of this disease is cerebral edema, which causes a seizure and loss of consciousness.

Very often, placental abruption occurs as a consequence of this disease. It is also dangerous for the woman and the fetus. Premature separation of the placenta from the uterine wall can lead to bleeding or even fetal death.

In this state, a pregnant woman will definitely be hospitalized. In a hospital setting, she is provided with peace, and all factors that excite and cause tension in a pregnant woman are minimized.

Placental insufficiency

In this case, there is a disruption in the functions performed by the placenta. Usually one, and maybe several at the same time. The most common problem with this disease is poor respiratory function. As a result, fetal hypoxia occurs. That is, the child experiences oxygen starvation.

Violation of nutritional function leads to delay or arrest of fetal development. Namely, the discrepancy between the height and weight of the child and the indicators characteristic of this period.

Such abnormalities can be seen on ultrasound. Therefore, despite various reservations about the effect of this device on the health of the body, it is still necessary to undergo routine diagnostics.

The occurrence of such a situation in pregnant women is most often caused by gestosis, previous long-term threats of termination of pregnancy, chronic diseases, and the like.

In such cases, doctors must prescribe drugs that improve placental blood circulation. Along with this, measures must be taken to eliminate the factors that caused the woman’s condition.

Dyspnea

For women at this stage of pregnancy the respiratory process is somewhat modified. A pregnant woman cannot breathe deeply, so to speak. Feels some discomfort about this. This is due to the fact that the fundus of the uterus rises very high. There is pressure on the diaphragm and does not allow the lungs to expand.

This discomfort should simply be endured calmly and not panic. In addition, normal breathing will return to the woman even before birth. About two weeks before birth, when the fetal head descends into the cervix, taking the correct position for birth.

Sleep disturbance

Common problem among pregnant women is insomnia. In the third trimester, a woman is increasingly concerned about both physical and moral factors.

A pregnant woman cannot find a comfortable position for herself, which is why she falls asleep. She is bothered by pain in her back and lower back, and her big belly is bothering her.

Frequent awakening at night due to trips to the toilet. After this, it is impossible to fall asleep again.

Labored breathing, especially in the summer, when it is too hot outside, also interferes with normal sleep.

Closer to the due date, training contractions can pose a threat to restful sleep.

In addition, the closer to childbirth, the more a woman worries and thinks about the birth process itself. She is overwhelmed with emotions. Sometimes being too anxious is the biggest challenge to healthy and restful sleep.

To improve your sleep, a woman should adhere to a certain evening preparation for bed:

1. Before going to bed, take a walk for half an hour in the fresh air.
2. Take a warm shower.
3. Ventilate the bedroom before going to bed.
4. Arrange a comfortable sleeping place with special pillows for pregnant women.

And most importantly, do not torment yourself with thoughts and worries about the upcoming birth. After all, everything will go as it should.

Constipation

Almost every woman sometimes suffers from constipation during pregnancy. This is the effect of progesterone on a woman’s body. It has a relaxing effect on the intestinal muscles. This is impossible to predict, because even women who have never had problems in this part suffer from constipation during pregnancy.

This unpleasant phenomenon is accompanied by other symptoms.. In particular:

• feeling of bloating;
• feeling of a full stomach;
• unpleasant taste in the mouth.

To cope with this insidious disease, you must follow certain rules in diet and lifestyle.

Be sure to include in your diet:

In addition, you should move more and spend time outdoors. Do gymnastics and swim.

Phlebeurysm

The problem occurs quite often among women. Praise be, it does not contain a threat to the child, however, it bothers the woman enough. This is a violation of venous outflow, which is due to the fact that :

• Hormones somewhat weaken the vascular network.
• Delayed outflow from the lower extremities due to compression of the abdominal vessels by the uterus.

To combat this uncomfortable condition, and to somehow preserve the attractiveness of your legs , special events are scheduled. In this case, the doctor will select special compression tights for you, which have a special tightening effect and keep the veins in the desired tone.

In this case, be sure to wear only comfortable shoes. Don't forget about evening foot treatments. Lie down and keep them elevated (for example, on a pillow) for half an hour. Next, take a cool foot bath.

All these manipulations are somewhat annoying, but during pregnancy the main task of a woman is to keep herself normal and monitor her health.

Sex in the third trimester

During the entire pregnancy, doctors, in principle, do not focus on this in terms of “possible” or “impossible”. They speak specifically only when there is a clear warning. But young parents often ask this question, however, it is often inconvenient to ask their doctor.

Generally speaking, then Sexual activity occurs in most cases. The exception is various pathologies and threats. Of course, even without a doctor’s instructions, one should take into account the woman’s special condition and adhere to certain boundaries.

If we talk about sexual activity in the third trimester, then if there are no special contraindications, then this is allowed. However, you should be very careful at this stage. In particular, avoid pressure on the abdomen and too deep “male penetration”. In the last months, the fetus has already dropped quite low, and you should be extremely careful in intimate caresses so as not to damage the placenta.

Hygiene in sexual life, of course, is not news, but during this period you should be as careful as possible, especially with new partners, so as not to introduce an infection.

From the point of view of women’s moral perception of sex at this stage, the position is far from the same.

Some women say that this feeling has intensified to a certain extent and their attraction to the male sex has increased.

Other women, on the contrary, cite that all attention was taken by preparation for childbirth and the long-awaited baby. But the woman herself does not consider herself an object of desire. Some categorically refuse intimate life because they consider themselves unattractive and fat.

Be that as it may, each woman experiences this pleasant, but difficult period in her own way. Pregnancy and motherhood- this is a feeling that only she understands. And she herself has the right to decide what she wants at this time and what she doesn’t.

The main thing is not to impose non-existent prohibitions on yourself. And act as your desire and condition allow you. Of course, within the limits of what is permissible and with caution towards your own child.

Trimesters are a common word in the pregnancy lexicon. But expectant mothers constantly have questions: how to determine the beginning of each new period, from what week does the 3rd trimester of pregnancy begin (after all, it brings the crucial stage of childbirth closer)? Let's figure out when it occurs, how long it lasts and how it differs.

Starting points of pregnancy

I can’t even remember when they first started dividing the “interesting situation” into trimesters. Obstetricians take the first day of the expectant mother's last period as the first starting point. But conception could not occur exactly on this day, so the actual gestational age will be 2 weeks later than expected.

Further division into trimesters is used. But it does not happen mechanically, through mathematical calculations. The basis is the fundamental changes occurring in the woman herself and the embryo. Thus, each of these periods has its own nuances in the course of gestation and development of the baby.

The division into three trimesters is used to make it convenient to monitor the pregnant woman. For example, in the first triad it is prohibited to take most medications, and by the third trimester there are no longer strict restrictions in this sense. In addition, it helps to carry out official procedures (applying for maternity leave).

From the first to the ninth: division into trimesters

Sometimes (but extremely rarely) doctors use a simplified scheme when calculating the gestation period of a child. They simply divide the maximum waiting time for a baby by 3. It looks like this: 42:3 =14. It’s not hard to guess that in this situation, the last trimester will begin at week 29. If we express this in months, then the third trimester starts from the 7th month.

Much more often, another method of breaking down pregnancy trimesters by week is used - a table. You can see it below. When compiling it, we took as a basis the characteristic features and critical moments during pregnancy (when the fetus is vulnerable and there is a threat of developing pathologies and even interrupting pregnancy).

If you are trying to find out what week the 3rd trimester of pregnancy begins, then use the following information (this is the most detailed classification):

• the first trimester is weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12;
• second - 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28;
• third - 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 29, 40, 41, 42.

However, keep in mind: in medical practice it is accepted that an obstetric month is exactly 4 weeks without any remainder. If we count, guided by this rule, it turns out that the 3rd trimester begins already from the 24th week. In this case, its duration is limited to 16 weeks, which makes it the longest.

There are classifications in which the start is 26, 27 or 28 weeks. In reality, this does not in any way affect the course of pregnancy. The main thing is that the birth occurs during this period, and the division is purely symbolic. Doctors themselves use the word “week” much more often than the concepts “trimester” or “month”.

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Thus, you are convinced that to give an unambiguous answer to the question “The 3rd trimester of pregnancy is how many weeks?” It's simply impossible. If your gynecologist used this word, then simply clarify what he meant, from which specific week he considers the final stage.

Waiting for a happy ending: what changes happen in the 3rd trimester?

When pregnancy reaches the finish line, the body of the expectant mother is intensively preparing for the climax - childbirth. In the period from 28 to 30 weeks, the fetus develops rapidly. Its weight reaches 1500 g, and its height becomes about 39 cm. This creates additional stress on the pregnant woman’s kidneys. At this time, the babies' lungs begin to prepare for independent breathing.

Week 31-33 is coming. The pregnant woman will have an ultrasound, and she will even be able to capture the photo of her little one’s face in her mother’s tummy. The baby is gaining significant size. He already weighs about 2 kg, and his height is 43 cm. The body carries out “training” every now and then - pain occurs, reminiscent of contractions. The uterus continues to enlarge, the woman finds it difficult to breathe, and has difficulty falling asleep.

By 34-36 weeks, almost all fetal organs are already formed. In fact, he is ready to leave his cozy “home” and be born. The remaining time he will only gain weight. Since he no longer has enough free space in his tummy, he moves less. The baby weighs approximately 2.3 kg, and his height is within 48 cm. He is already making breathing movements, can distinguish taste and smell, hairs appear on his head, and his body is covered with lubricant, which will help him move along the birth canal.

Finally, the hour “X” comes - 37-42 weeks, the period when childbirth will occur. Woman and nature have fulfilled their mission: the baby can exist separately from the mother, he is ready to make his parents happy with his appearance.

Attention: in the last weeks before childbirth, late toxicosis sometimes occurs - edema develops, blood pressure rises, protein is detected in the urine and increased weight gain occurs. The expectant mother should be very careful about her diet. After all, if the child gains too much weight, this can cause difficulties during childbirth and cause a caesarean section to be prescribed. If during this period the woman’s weight increases significantly, this will also negatively affect delivery and can lead to problems with veins or blood pressure.

Is it really important for a pregnant woman to know exactly what week the third trimester of pregnancy begins? Of course, this is not an end in itself! Such information will simply help her choose the optimal behavior regimen (rest more, eat right), and prepare for childbirth in a timely manner. Naturally, every pregnant woman has her own due date. For some, the 3rd trimester will take 12 weeks, and for others, 16 weeks.

It is important to know, especially considering that this period in itself is very important for the expectant mother. The third trimester is the final stage, which brings a lot of surprises, troubles, and sometimes problems. The baby is about to appear! There is very little left.

What did he prepare for the expectant mother? What should she prepare for? You can find out more about all this below. After all, this is a very important process, especially at its very end and beginning.

Uncertainty

In general, anyone who has ever encountered an “interesting situation” is aware of some of the perplexities of future young mothers who have just registered and are trying to determine what week they are in. The point is that there are two options for the development of events. Which ones exactly?

Wondering what week of pregnancy the third trimester begins? Then keep in mind: your data and the doctor’s testimony will differ. For approximately 2 weeks. After all, there is a so-called obstetric period and an embryonic period. They influence the readings. This means they won’t match. This makes it difficult to answer which week of pregnancy the 3rd trimester begins. But probably.

Obstetric

Most often, in order not to confuse or frighten a woman, it is customary to take both options into account. The first thing you should pay attention to is the obstetric period. It is extremely important for setting the PDA (the approximate date when you are due to give birth). Of course, it will be in the third trimester that it will take place.

The obstetric indicator depends on your menstruation. It is counted from the beginning of the last critical days. If you believe this indicator, then you can answer the question of what week the third trimester of pregnancy begins on your own, without the testimony or conclusions of a doctor. What will be the answer? The third trimester is, as you might guess, 27 weeks. It is from this period that you reach the finish line with such a long and important process.

Embryonic

But not everything is as simple as it seems at first glance. It has already been said that there are two options. In the first case, obstetric, you can do without the help of doctors and determine everything yourself. But in the second, embryonic, only an examination by a gynecologist, as well as an ultrasound report, will give you the result. And accurate.

So, for example, be prepared for a discrepancy between the obstetric and embryonic stages of pregnancy. This is a normal phenomenon; it never happens that they coincide. In practice, the second indicator exceeds the first by approximately 2 weeks. After all, as a rule, conception occurs on the day of ovulation (from here the countdown of embryo development begins). It happens closer to the middle of the cycle, on average after 14 days.

From what week of pregnancy does the 3rd trimester begin in this case? Only your doctor, who observes the difference between obstetric and obstetric, will answer you. But if we take the generally accepted indicators of 2 weeks, then at 25 (relative to the first day of the last menstruation) the final stage of your baby’s development has already begun. But the immediate beginning of the 3rd trimester for the mother remains the same - from the 27th week.

Attention, childbirth

So we have decided when the pregnancy can be called almost complete. Only now is it worth understanding the features of this period of time. There are a lot of them, much more than at the very beginning of the journey of bearing a fetus.

The third trimester of pregnancy begins in what week? As it has already turned out: with an obstetric period - from 27 weeks from the day of the last menstruation, and with an embryonic period - from approximately 25. There is nothing difficult about this. The focus will be more on the first indicator, which is what both women and doctors look up to.

The thing is that already at the beginning of the third trimester you may go into labor! Approximately this phenomenon is called spontaneous miscarriage or a similar birth process, premature. If the child is developing normally, nothing worries you, and there is no need to panic too much. The baby will be born naturally, but until a certain moment he will remain in intensive care, connected to special devices that will help the birth of a newborn who is not yet fully formed. Quite a rare occurrence, but it happens. Your doctor will usually warn you about the risk of preterm labor.

Race

We have already found out what week the third trimester of pregnancy begins. Moreover, already at the beginning of this period you can encounter such a phenomenon as childbirth. But, as already noted, this does not happen so often. Therefore, it is worth considering a typical situation in which the expectant mother looks up to the PDR.

The third trimester of pregnancy becomes a huge headache for women. Why? Already from 27-28 weeks and up to 30 inclusive (which is about a month) you will be sent to doctors. Regular examinations and tests! Donating urine alone is not enough.

The third trimester is remembered by many for running around to the doctors. First, you need to donate blood for many hormones. Not too critical, but sometimes unpleasant. Secondly, gynecological smears according to indications. Thirdly, the passage of narrow specialists. This moment can unsettle even the calmest pregnant woman. Very often, it is narrow specialists (for example, a therapist) who begin to raise unnecessary panic around pregnant women, prescribe a lot of additional tests and studies, which is why the expectant mother is unable to sign an exchange card in the maternity hospital and conclude an agreement. But this is inevitable, you will have to be patient. Once the tests have been completed and the doctors have been cleared, you will finally be given recommendations for delivery.

By month

We have already found out at what week of pregnancy the third trimester begins. Or from 27, or from 25. It all depends on what exact period you had in mind - obstetric or embryonic. But now there is another question that worries some quite seriously: “How many months is this?”

It’s not hard to guess (and count too) that the third trimester begins from the 7th month of pregnancy. And it lasts until 9 o'clock inclusive. Therefore, many consider the periods of an “interesting situation” not in weeks, but in months. This is much easier than clarifying obstetric and embryonic periods.

From now on, we know when the third trimester of pregnancy begins. Moreover, it is now clear what you can mentally prepare and prepare yourself for, especially if you are not too fond of taking tests and going to doctors.

The final stage

What else can be said about the features that await the expectant mother during this period? For example, we should not forget that a birth that is normal for the development of the fetus, but not entirely suitable for the mother and doctors, cannot be ruled out. Also premature, but resuscitation will no longer be required.

The point is that it is important to know when the third trimester of pregnancy begins, because of the likelihood of childbirth during this period. The question is: when will they start? Completely premature and dangerous ones, equated to a miscarriage, occur at 28 weeks, but simply premature babies are born at 36. This is a normal phenomenon.

Nevertheless, doctors generally believe that the body is completely ready for childbirth by the 38th obstetric week. And such births are normal. As practice shows, from 38 to 40 weeks they will definitely take place. Otherwise, you will have to wait for the full embryonic period to expire. This is not the most common occurrence, but it does happen. Now it is clear from what week of pregnancy the third trimester begins. Be prepared for this period! Start packing your bags for the maternity hospital!

Future mothers in their interesting situation are concerned about every little thing: how the baby is developing, whether he feels well, how he looks at one time or another, and much, much more. They often wonder about the timing of their pregnancy. There is especially great confusion with trimesters.

How to calculate correctly?

It seems that everything is simple: you just need to divide 42 weeks of pregnancy by 3 and you get 14 weeks for each decade. You can even simplify the calculation: 9 months divided by 3, it turns out that the 3rd trimester of pregnancy begins at 7 months. But it is quite difficult to determine what specific day the beginning of this period will fall on.

The fact is that gynecologists calculate the gestational age not in months, but in weeks. With this method of counting, there are exactly 4 weeks in a month, which is 28 days. Therefore, obstetric and calendar terms of pregnancy will always diverge. With the calendar method of calculation, the third trimester begins at week 29, and with the obstetric method, at week 27.

The division into trimesters is very arbitrary and is practically not used to determine the duration of pregnancy. Experts distinguish these three periods when describing fetal development. In the first decade, the baby's main organs and vital systems are formed. During this period, the woman undergoes the first screening test for possible abnormalities in the fetus.

In the second decade, the baby grows and develops in the mother’s tummy, its organs become more perfect. The baby begins to move - slowly at first, but as he grows, these sensations can become quite painful. At 21-23 weeks, the expectant mother undergoes a second screening test. In most cases, the doctor performing this test can determine the sex of the baby.

The third trimester no longer allows the mother to lead the same active life as she had before pregnancy, and her thoughts are occupied with completely different things. Therefore, at 30 weeks, a woman goes on maternity leave in order to closely take care of her own and her baby’s health, as well as preparing for childbirth. At the last ultrasound at 31-33 weeks, you can clearly see the baby’s face, and modern technologies make it possible to print his first photo.

Baby development

For the baby, the time has come for the final formation of internal organs and life support systems. Only the immune and respiratory systems and, of course, the brain continue to actively develop. Lack of oxygen is very harmful for him - hypoxia. Most often it is caused by anemia in the expectant mother. With this disease, the amount of hemoglobin, which is responsible for the distribution of oxygen throughout the body, is significantly reduced.

During this period, the baby begins to produce surfactant - this is a substance that prevents the alveoli from sticking together during the first breath. If the child’s body lacks this substance, he is connected to an artificial respiration apparatus. Surfactant deficiency is observed mainly in premature infants.

All glands work in active mode, producing hormones necessary for the body:

• pancreas - insulin;
• thyroid - thyroxine, triiodothyronine and calcitonin. The latter is responsible for the exchange of phosphorus and calcium in the body;
• pituitary gland - melanotropin, thyrotropin, somatropin, etc. The third of these hormones is responsible for the growth of the baby: with its deficiency, dwarfism develops, and with excess, gigantism develops.

The third trimester is a time for external changes in the baby. Now he is almost the same as he will be at birth. Parts of his body are developed proportionally, his face is formed, hair and nails are actively growing. You can already see eyelashes and eyebrows. The baby opens his eyes from time to time. Of course, not very widely - after all, it is still in the amniotic fluid, and you can’t see much there. Sometimes, when amniotic fluid is swallowed, the baby may experience hiccups - a pregnant woman feels these light but frequent tremors very well.

The baby can turn towards the light, which it sees as vague spots. In addition, he can react to external sounds - for example, actively pushing during loud music or conversation in a raised voice. Experts say that the baby remembers the melodic compositions that he listened to in the womb. After birth, he will calm down and fall asleep faster if he turns them on again.

Most often, experts recommend that mothers and babies listen to classical music - it has a beneficial effect on the baby. Mozart is the first among the great composers of past centuries - it is not known why, but his works surround the child with psychological comfort, promoting the development of creativity, intelligence and attention in the child.

Woman's condition

When the third trimester begins, a woman may feel that her pregnancy is chronic, and now it will always be so. But soon it will all be over - the time for giving birth and meeting your baby is steadily approaching. In the meantime, you need to patiently endure all the inconveniences of your situation. During this period, constipation, heartburn, and shortness of breath may become more frequent. Insomnia causes a lot of trouble for many people. In addition, Braxton-Higgins contractions cause a little concern - they are also called training contractions. In this way, the body prepares for real contractions and the upcoming birth. But there is no need to worry - these uterine contractions do not mean that the pregnancy will end soon. For some, they may appear at 20 weeks.

The main dangers during this period are the following problems:

• anemia - it causes fetal hypoxia, and for the expectant mother it is fraught with disruption of the immune, respiratory and digestive systems;
• gestosis is a late toxicosis, which is characterized by edema and high blood pressure.

In the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, a woman’s belly becomes noticeable, significantly increasing in volume. This may require additional costs for a new wardrobe. Preference should be given to things made from natural materials. This is especially true for underwear - synthetics should be banned for the entire period of bearing the baby. This important part of the wardrobe should be made exclusively of cotton.

It would be nice to follow these rules throughout your pregnancy, but in the third trimester they are especially important.

1. It is necessary to carefully monitor your weight - too much gain can significantly complicate the birth process. If this has already happened and the number of kilograms acquired exceeds any norm, you must introduce fasting days.
2. In general, nutrition for a pregnant woman is a very important component. During this period, everything fried, smoked, salty, sweet and flour should be excluded from the menu. It is worth eating more vegetables and fruits.
3. You should get into the habit of counting the number of times your baby moves.
4. Just in case, you should always carry your passport and exchange card with you - childbirth can begin at any moment and take you by surprise. At home, let the collected bag with the things necessary for mother and baby in the maternity hospital wait for its time.

In the third trimester, you can put aside worries about the baby - even if he wants to meet his parents ahead of schedule, he will be quite viable. Of course, in the beginning you cannot do without doctors and special equipment - an individual box with a controlled temperature, etc. However, for the most part, such cases end quite optimistically, and premature babies are no different from their less hasty peers.

Every woman during the period of bearing a child should be aware of the changes occurring in both organisms. To avoid negative consequences, it is important to know which symptoms are normal for pregnancy, and which should be treated with caution.

What week does the 3rd trimester of pregnancy begin and how long does it last?

Waiting for a child cannot be an unpleasant event, especially if the pregnancy is long-awaited and planned. Every week something new happens to the growing embryo, it develops and gains weight. Each trimester also affects the mother’s body.

The last trimester (third) begins from the 7th month of pregnancy or from the 27th week and lasts until childbirth. This is the period when the woman has already suffered toxicosis, managed to feel the movements of the fetus and realize all the future responsibility. Next, you will find out what else happens at this stage with the child and the expectant mother.

Beginning of trimester (27-28th week)

At week 27, the weight of the fetus is approximately 1 kilogram. At this stage, premature birth no longer poses a strong danger; thanks to special devices, the premature baby can exist independently.

Child

All organs in his body have managed to fully form; in the remaining time, their work will be prepared for independent functioning. The baby can perform training movements with lungs.

By performing an ultrasound, it is possible to see the facial features of the embryo; some have hair on their head.

Fetal movements may include clenching the hands, sucking fingers or toes. The skin is still quite thin and blood vessels are visible through it, but from now on it begins to gain a layer of fat to maintain the thermal regime in the body. The baby opens his eyes with eyelashes already appearing on them and reacts to bright light.

Mother

A woman feels discomfort in the uterine area due to its constant enlargement. It is becoming increasingly difficult to find a comfortable position; it is highly not recommended to lie on your back for a long time and cross your legs, since the voluminous uterus can compress the vein that supplies blood to the heart.

Heartburn and shortness of breath, frequent urge to urinate, and bloating and constipation are possible. By the beginning of the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, the normal weight gain for a woman is 7-8 kg.

It is not uncommon for toxicosis to occur in the later stages. Dizziness and lack of air indoors are normal, unless they are permanent. It is recommended to spend more time walking.

If fetal movements are felt very rarely or do not occur at all, this is a serious reason to consult a doctor; the following symptoms are unnatural for the normal course of pregnancy:

• watery discharge or those containing blood;
• the occurrence of nagging or sharp pain in the uterine area.

What should a woman's diet be like?

During a difficult period for the body, weight gain occurs rapidly, which will not have a positive effect on the course of pregnancy. Pregnant women should include the following in their diet in the smallest quantities, or better yet completely exclude:

• smoked, fried and spicy foods;
• raw eggs (dishes containing them should also be limited);
• seafood without heat treatment;
• poorly cooked meat;
• alcohol.

• confectionery and flour products;
• chocolate products;
• potato;

Will benefit the baby and the expectant mother:

• vegetables;
• whole grain cereals;
• fruits;
• Brown rice;
• corn;
• coarse bread.

Mid-trimester (34-35th week)

By the 35th week of a woman’s pregnancy, the weight of the child is about 2.5 km, and its length is about 50 cm. The respiratory system is completely ready and in the event of premature birth, the baby will no longer need devices.

Fetus

During this period, the baby has already accumulated subcutaneous fatty retina, and clear lines have formed on the face. The fetal heart beats at a rapid pace; using a special device, it is possible to record more than 120 beats per minute.

The middle of the last trimester strengthens bone tissue, and the nervous system completes the stages of its formation.

The child clearly hears sounds that are unpleasant to his hearing and can be accompanied by sharp jolts. The formation of the boy's genital organs is almost complete. The appearance of the fetus is fully formed, at birth it will be exactly the same, taking into account the fact that it will gain several kilograms before the end of the term.

Pregnant body

During this period, a woman may be bothered by “false” contractions, which are important not to be confused with real ones; the precursors differ:

• short duration;
• painlessness.

Fetal movements in the trimester become less active due to the lack of space for the child to move, but their number should not decrease. The body is still bothered by swelling. Since the stomach has dropped, the organs located above experience relief, frequent urge to go to the toilet and urinary incontinence appear, which are considered normal.

Few people manage to avoid back pain at this time; sometimes the sensations are transferred to the stomach, this is due to the increased size of the uterus. If the discomfort is prolonged, you should make an unscheduled visit to the gynecologist.

It should be noted that premature birth at 35 weeks is not uncommon, it no longer poses a danger, and you can understand the likelihood that it may occur by the following symptoms:

1. Slow discharge of amniotic fluid. Usually the fluid comes out immediately in large quantities, just a few hours before the baby arrives. Discharges with no color or odor can be distinguished by their characteristic features. This case requires immediate emergency medical assistance.
2. Continuous pain. If there is continuous pain in the abdominal area, for several hours, an early birth is most likely imminent.

Diet

Due to the formation of the fetal skeletal system, pregnant women should take foods containing calcium, but it is important not to allow excess of the mineral, otherwise the baby's hard bones will result in a more difficult birth process.

• curd and fermented milk products;
• vegetables;
• fruits;
• beef;
• fish.

End of trimester (38-40th week)

There are only a few days left before a new person is born, he feels it too, so the rhythm of his heart increases to 150 beats per minute. The weight of the fetus can be from 3 kg and above.

Child's condition

The formation of the genital organs has entered its final stage. The skeletal system continues to form, but if childbirth occurs, it will not be affected. The baby is completely ready to be born!

Feeling pregnant

In the last stages, pregnant women feel exhausted, it is difficult for them to walk, it is uncomfortable to sleep, they suffer from swelling, pain in the back and calves. Women don’t want to do anything; rest is the best way to spend their time. Only 5% of women in labor carry their fetus to term until 40 weeks, most often these are those who give birth to a boy for the first time.

About food

Surely many have heard about the addiction of pregnant women to chalk. This occurs from a lack of calcium, in this case it is useful; you can also eat eggshells and other calcium-containing foods.

The hardest part is already over; a pregnant woman needs to be ready to call an ambulance and the upcoming birth any day. The contractions that have appeared in recent weeks cannot be confused with anything, so everything necessary for the maternity hospital should already be collected.

From the following film you can learn a lot of interesting things about the third trimester of pregnancy.