The last weeks of pregnancy are a very special stage and different from what has been experienced so far . The weight of the baby and the weight that the mother has been gaining over the months, as well as the volume of the gut and the imminent arrival of labor causes the appearance of new discomforts and the intensification of others that already existed.
At the same time, women experience conflicting sensations related to the upcoming birth of their baby. On the one hand, a deep desire to know his face and hold him, but on the other the nostalgia to know that this wonderful stage is coming to an end.
We tell you all the events that occur in the final stretch of pregnancy .
Important changes for the mother
In late pregnancy, weight gain is more difficult to control. For this reason, it is important to continue eating in a balanced way, reducing the amount of salt in your meals, drinking plenty of fluids, avoiding fat, and doing moderate physical exercise.
In the third trimester, cramps in the legs and feet (especially at night), back pain and sciatica due to the weight of the belly, and edema caused by fluid retention are especially frequent. There are also women who suffer from the so-called carpal tunnel syndrome, which causes pain and numbness in the hands, as well as pubalgia or cramps in the pubis.
Other very frequent discomforts in this stage are hemorrhoids, heartburn or reflux, gas and heavy digestion. Snoring or respiratory disturbances can also occur during sleep, as well as restless leg syndrome, an annoying condition that significantly hinders proper rest.
And precisely the night’s rest is one of the aspects that is most altered in the final stretch of pregnancy. This is not only due to the aforementioned discomforts, but also to the difficulty of finding a position that is comfortable, the increased urinary frequency, the continuous movements of the baby and the anxiety itself generated by thinking about childbirth. Not surprisingly, in this third trimester recurrent dreams about the time of delivery as well as nightmares usually appear.
When it comes to the breasts , you will likely notice significant changes in this last stage, such as increased swelling and colostrum losses, as your body is preparing to feed the baby. You will also notice changes in your tummy, due to the baby fitting in, and you will probably experience small vaginal bleeding as a result of trauma to the cervix, which is increasingly sensitive at this point in the gestation.
Emotions were on the surface
Probably, at some point in your pregnancy you have experienced doubts, fear or uncertainty about this new stage of your life. But it is especially at the end of pregnancy when worries increase and become more recurrent.
For most women, the main fears in this last stage of pregnancy are related to the moment of delivery, the well-being and health of the baby and our role as mothers. If you already have another child, it is normal to wonder if you will be able to love the new baby as much as your first-born, or if you will have the ability to care for all your children equally.
Although living a pregnancy with another child -especially if it is very young- can be physically and emotionally exhausting, it is recommended that you take time to rest and self-care daily , and that you spend a little time connecting with your baby. It will be great for both of you!
It is also normal to feel that you are living on a roller coaster of emotions , and on the one hand wish for the pregnancy to end and you can meet your baby, but on the other hand that it never ends, because in there your baby is protected and your bond with him it is extremely special.
The latest pregnancy checks
The beginning of the third trimester begins with a visit to the midwife or gynecologist , who will assess your general condition, perform a physical examination and request the complementary tests that you should take in this last stage:
- Blood tests (which will include a clotting test in preparation for delivery) and urinalysis.
- Ultrasound between weeks 32 and 36 of gestation, necessary to assess the baby’s status (measurements of the head diameter, abdominal diameter and length of the femur are taken to estimate its approximate weight and check that it is developing properly and does not suffer from delayed intrauterine growth ), as well as the state of the placenta and amniotic fluid .
- Vagino-rectal exudate to rule out a group B streptococcal infection, which, if left untreated, could affect the baby at the time of crossing the birth canal.
- Prepartum fetal monitoring to monitor the well-being of the baby in late pregnancy. It is usually done from week 37 or 38, and measures both the baby’s heartbeat and the uterine activity of the pregnant woman.
If you have reached week 40 and have not gone into labor, your doctor or midwife may recommend performing the Hamilton maneuver or separation of the membranes. This maneuver will help the labor to start naturally, although it is important that it be performed only when the conditions of the cervix are favorable to dilation and always after having previously informed you and obtaining your consent.
There are also other things you can do to help your labor start naturally when your due date is over, such as relaxation techniques, certain exercises, or having sex to release oxytocin and promote contractions.
The big changes that the baby experiences
In the last stage of pregnancy, the baby is only concerned with accumulating fat under its delicate skin , gaining an average of 200-300 grams a week. Thus, when eating at week 35, it weighs around 2,400 kilos and measures 47 cm, reaching 3,200 – 3,500 kilos and 52 cm at week 40. However, these weights are approximate and highly variable from one baby to another.
Towards the end of the third trimester, the baby will adopt the position to be born, lying on his stomach in most cases . If at your last ultrasound check it had not yet been placed, ask your doctor or midwife for some recommendations to help you turn, and also find out about the possibility of practicing the external cephalic version.
The baby’s nervous system, as well as other fundamental organs such as the liver and kidney, have practically completed their development. In the last weeks all the organs “practice” to function by themselves outside the uterus ; thus, the baby swallows and digests amniotic fluid, eliminates more than half a liter of urine a day and perfects the sucking instinct by sucking the finger.
The lanugo, the fine layer of hair that covers the baby, gradually diminishes until almost disappearing at the time of delivery, while its skin is covered by an abundant amount of vernix caseosa, a yellowish unctuous substance whose function is to facilitate the passage of the baby through the birth canal and protect your skin against bacterial and fungal infections.
Due to the little space that the baby has left in the uterus, in the final stretch of pregnancy you will be able to feel its movements with more intensity , such as kicks, elbows, fists, stretches or even hiccups. Although it can sometimes be a bit annoying, without a doubt feeling your baby inside you is something unique, magical and unrepeatable.
It is important to know your baby’s movement patterns (if he is more active at night or during the day, if he is activated after meals …), and if these change abruptly or disappear, we should immediately consult a gynecologist .
Photos | iStock
In Babies and More | Sleep during pregnancy, trimester by trimester, Nine changes you will (almost certainly) notice in pregnancy, Pregnancy from week 1 to week 40: everything that happens from conception to birth
