3rd Trimester Guide
As you approach the third trimester, your baby is starting to be the size of an eggplant before reaching the diameter of a watermelon by week 40. Learn about the other key milestones as you eagerly await your baby’s arrival.
3rd Trimester Guide
3 Chapters remaining
11min left
As you approach the third trimester, your baby is starting to be the size of an eggplant before reaching the diameter of a watermelon by week 40. Learn about the other key milestones as you eagerly await your baby’s arrival.
Chapter 1
What To Expect in the Third Trimester
Covering week 28 until birth, this chapter explains how your baby grows and develops in the final stage of pregnancy. It describes the weight your baby typically gains, how their organs mature, and why stronger, more frequent movements such as kicks, rolls and hiccups are a sign of a healthy baby, with advice to contact your provider if movements decrease. It explains lung development and the role of surfactant in helping babies breathe after birth. The chapter closes with how most babies move into the head-down vertex position before birth, and how a breech position will be monitored by your healthcare provider.
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Chapter 2
What To Do During the Third Trimester
Prenatal visits become more frequent in the third trimester, and this chapter explains what they involve. It sets out the usual schedule, every two weeks until week 36 and then weekly until delivery, and the routine checks of weight, blood pressure, belly measurement, and the baby's heart rate and position. Additional tests are described, including the Group B Strep test around weeks 35 to 37 and regular urine tests for signs of preeclampsia. The chapter also covers discussing your birth plan with your doctor, including pain management options, and learning to recognise the signs of labour, such as contractions and your waters breaking.
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How To Prepare for Childbirth
Preparing for birth is the focus of the final chapter. It explains what antenatal classes cover and where to find them, with a tip to book early because popular courses can have long waiting lists, and how reputable online resources can add to them. It then sets out what a birth plan is, when to discuss it with your provider, and what to include, such as pain relief preferences, who you want present and immediate postpartum wishes like skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding. The chapter ends with packing your hospital bag by week 36, with essentials for you, your partner and your baby.
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