You’ve made it through two trimesters of pregnancy. That pesky morning sickness magically disappeared, you’ve gotten used to that weird elastic band at the top of your jeans, and your besties are planning the baby shower to end all baby showers. Congrats! Now you’re on the home stretch. Your bump is really, truly bulging now, and you’re starting to notice… changes. If you’re kind of wondering what’s going on, check out what you should (but might not) expect from your third trimester.
1. Raging Heartburn: Okay, so this isn’t the only part of your pregnancy that comes with some heated heartburn. The influx of hormones caused the not-so-nice post-meal sensation earlier on. It’s entirely possible that you’ve had heartburn for the duration of your pregnancy. It’s also possible that it hasn’t touched you — until right now. Your growing baby is starting to run out of space. As she presses against your stomach, you may start experiencing trouble with your digestion. This can include heartburn that’s much more noticeable than before.
2. Considerable Constipation: This is yet another joy (said with total sarcasm, of course) that comes with your third trimester-sized baby. Now that she’s fully pressing on most of your digestive tract, whatever is moving through you is suddenly slowing down. Your preggo hormones aren’t helping the matter either. So don’t be surprised if your normal morning bathroom routine just isn’t happening. Keeping yourself hydrated, eating plenty of fiber-rich foods (just don’t overdo it, as that can have the opposite effect), and getting physical activity can all help your slowing situation.
3. Discharge: Yeah, we know — yuck. Suddenly you’re on an all panty liner all the time routine, and you’re not sure why. As your hormone levels change and your body begins prepping for the end of pregnancy, you may notice more discharge than what you usually experience. Typically, this discharge is clear or whitish. If it’s chunky (again, yuck), is bloody, has an odd odor, or in any way troubles you, call your doc right away.
4. Fatigue to Fight: Ugh! You thought the massive case of pregnancy tireds that you had was gone and done with after your first trimester. You had a spring in your step and plenty of energy during trimester two. Now that you’re in the final phase, that fatigue is creeping back in. Between all of that extra weight you’re carrying around (we’re talking the baby, not your butt) and the way that those stress-dreams keep waking you up all night long, it’s no wonder that you can barely make it through a day of work without needing a nap.
5. Shortness of Breath: Your baby isn’t just wreaking havoc on your digestive tract. She’s pushing all of your internal organs out of her way. The bigger your uterus gets, the less room there is in there for your lungs to expand. Some shortness of breath is completely normal during the end of your third trimester. But if it’s getting in the way of your daily activity, you have pain in your chest, or you notice a sudden inability to catch your breath, get to a doctor immediately.
6. Veins That You Can See: Spider and varicose veins are completely common in the third trimester of pregnancy. Your blood volume is on an upswing, majorly. Couple this with the pressure your baby is putting on the blood supply around your uterus (making the blood return to your heart slow slightly), and you’ve got a recipe for enlarged veins. Don’t stress: It’s likely that these not-so-pretty lines on your legs will fade after pregnancy.
What’s surprised you most about pregnancy so far? Share your answer and tweet us @BritandCo!
(Photos via Getty)
