As you enter the third and final trimester of pregnancy, your body is preparing itself for the ultimate goal i.e. to deliver a tiny human safely.

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This period starting from 28 weeks of pregnancy right up to the day of delivery is when your baby will be achieving its final weight and growth.

Your Body Prepares for the Final Day 

• Simple activities become difficult to perform– Even something as easy as getting up from a chair or turning in bed becomes a task that could leave you slightly breathless.
• The tiredness returns– Remember the weakness and tiredness you may have felt in the first trimester? Well, it might return, and this time it may be a bit more than before.
• Good sleep can become a distant dream– Sleeping comfortably becomes tricky because of growing belly. Sleeping on sides will be more comfortable than lying on your back. Prefer sleeping on the left side, as it is going to improve blood circulation for you and your baby.
• The baby kicks more– As the baby grows, space for the baby to move becomes more and more restricted, which is why the baby may be more restless than usual. In the final weeks of pregnancy, the baby kicks lesser than before. However, always keep tabs on the movements. In case you feel that the baby is not kicking much, please contact your doctor immediately.
• Make way for more “pressing” matters– The growing baby tends to put pressure on the muscles and veins of the abdomen and legs. So a lower back pain, cramps and swollen veins in the legs and even piles may be experienced. A pressure on the urinary bladder will also have you peeing more frequently.
• Puffy, puffy everywhere– The face, wrists and ankles tend to become puffy because of water retention. To a certain extent, this is a normal part of pregnancy. However, if the puffiness becomes painful and is accompanied by headache and/or blurred vision, you need to inform your doctor.
• Is it labor? Wait, not!– You might experience infrequent and irregular contractions as the muscles of the uterus get ready for delivery. These are called Braxton Hicks Contractions and usually begin a few days prior to delivery. They last for a few seconds and can occur few times in a day. However, if your contractions are severe, recurrent and extremely painful, you must opt for medical help immediately.

Recognizing Labor

As you approach labor, there are going to be a whole lot of changes in your body. But early signs of labor include a mucus plug passing out of the vagina with a sudden gushing of watery fluid and a regularly spaced cramping pain in the back that travels to the abdomen. Your ‘water breaking’ is a definite sign of labor and is usually accompanied with contractions.

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