BABY CHAT THE THIRD TRIMESTER

Your Baby

An average-sized baby at this stage will weigh 3.5kilos and will be 16 inches long.

During the last four weeks prior to the birth, your unborn will put on a lot of weight and will start to develop their own fat deposits which they can use once they are born.

Since babies have their own fat deposits their faces will appear quite rounded. Your baby’s arms and legs are fully grown and have their coating of subcutaneous fat to make them look plump. The baby’s fingernails and toenails will also be fully grown as well and the fine covering of hair that your baby had will be completely gone. The skin will still be quite wrinkly, especially over the palm but once the baby is born and starts feeding they will fill out. Internally the baby’s lungs are fully formed and are able to feed on their own. At the moment the baby has not been breathing air but has absorbed the necessary oxygen through the mother’s blood supply. Now they start to produce a hormone called cortisol which helps the lungs to develop and perform upon birth. Your baby’s skull is made up of flat bones and unlike adults these bones are soft and have not fused into place yet. They are soft in nature so that they are able to slide over each other and pass through the birth canal. After birth the bones will still remain soft for several months. So it is very important to not press on a baby’s head after birth and thereafter for some time.

In your third trimester you might notice your baby hiccupping, these are small jerky movements and will give a tickling sensation, they will last five to ten minutes and are not harmful but might feel a little comfortable to the mother.

The Mother

Even though this is the last stage in your pregnancy it will also be a trying period considering your size and the impatience that builds in waiting to see your baby. By the end of this trimester you will have gained 25 to 30 pounds more. Most of this weight should be in the baby, placenta and surrounding fluid.

It is not easy creating another human body and most of your organs get pushed around to make room for the growing baby, therefore you tend to tire easily. Some ways you can prevent tiredness is by

Doing some light exercise, such as taking a small walk. Engaging in some swimming or a session of prenatal yoga should give your energy levels a boost. Always listen to your body and do not over tire yourself.

Whenever you can take small breaks, a few minutes on the couch with your eyes closed can give you the temporary relief so needed.

Eat small meals frequently. Eating large meals can make you feel tired and bloated whilst small meals are easily digestible and give you the boosts of energy needed.

During this trimester other aliments include the return of the nausea due to an influx of hormones. A good solution to nausea is ginger tea. Due to the size of the baby you might also have heartburn and indigestion after a meal.

Swelling of face and ankles and feet is a common occurrence in the last stage of pregnancy. In order to avoid or reduce such symptoms, stay off your feet and get plenty of rest. Also drinking lots of water flushes out any waste in your body which can cause the limbs to swell up in the first place. Make sure you keep your intake of salt at a minimum since excesses can cause severe swelling. If swelling persists you should consult a doctor immediately to rule out any abnormalities in your pregnancy.

Now that your baby is nearly to term you feel all the movements that he or she will make, keep a mental check everyday, if you haven’t felt your baby for the day drink a glass of juice and wait for a few minutes till they make their presence known.

Despite all the physical ailments mentally and spiritual this will be the greatest joy you will feel creating your baby. The physical aspect of it is for a temporary period and it will all be worth it when you see your baby for the first time.