Pregnancy - Enjoying Your Third Trimester.(information about pregnancy)

information about pregnancy,

The third trimester is the last stage of your pregnancy. This begins at the 28th week and lasts until you give birth to your most-awaited baby. As an expectant mother, the growing excitement and anticipation that you feel would be very apparent because after all, your pregnancy journey is about to end. You would even wish for the time to pass quickly so that you can already see and touch your new baby. However, before your due date, you are likely to experience third trimester discomforts which could be more difficult than the discomforts you experienced during the first and second trimesters. Here are some of the discomforts that you can expect and their possible solutions to help you find relief:

Shortness of Breath

You may experience shortness of breath in late pregnancy because the diaphragm is being pushed up out of its normal place by your expanding uterus. This broad muscle under the lungs rises about 4 centimeters from its original position during the third trimester. You may think that this only makes a small difference, but this is enough to reduce the amount of air that your lungs are able to accommodate. Although your baby is not affected by this, you still need to find relief from this discomfort.

One effective solution is to improve your posture. You can do this by standing or sitting with your back straight and your shoulders back. Take note that a good posture is not only beneficial during pregnancy but also after giving birth. Another solution is to do some aerobic exercises which are recommended for pregnant women. These exercises can help improve breathing and lower your pulse rate. And lastly, you can avoid shortness of breath by lying on your side or propped up on pillows when you sleep. This will reduce the pressure on your diaphragm.
Sleeping Problem

During the third trimester of pregnancy, you will feel more restless, thus you will find it difficult to sleep. A lot of factors can cause this sleeping discomfort such as the increasing size of your abdomen, anxiety or natural anticipation, and frequent urination at night and early morning. Although this sleeping problem can be quite troublesome for you, there is no need for you to worry about it harming the baby inside you.

As a solution, you can change your sleeping position. If you are used to lying on your back, you might as well lie on your side while sleeping because this will take the pressure off the large vein which carries blood from your feet and legs back to the heart. You can also try using a pillow to support your growing abdomen and another one to support your upper leg. Leaning against a rolled-up blanket or bunched-up pillow can also help reduce the pressure off the hip which you are lying on. If these solutions are not enough, do the relaxation exercises that you learned in your childbirth classes. These exercises can help you get a proper sleep and calm your mind to cope with anxiety well.

Hemorrhoids

If you notice firm, swollen pouches which are formed underneath the mucous membranes outside or inside the rectum, there is no need to worry because these hemorrhoids are common during pregnancy. If it is your first pregnancy, you might not be aware that you have them until you felt itching and pain in and around your anus. But if you were pregnant before and knew that you have them, you can do something to prevent these hemorrhoids from making you feel uncomfortable.

One preventive measure is by avoiding constipation. You should eat foods, vegetables, and fruits which are rich in fiber. You should also drink the adequate amount of fluid so that you will not strain during bowel movement. And if you are already experiencing the discomfort brought by these hemorrhoids, you can try these solutions:

o Try warm soaks. These are effective at providing soothing relief by allowing the hemorrhoids to shrink.

o Keep the area around your anus clean. Make sure that you wash that area after every bowel movement.

o Apply a cold compress. This can also help shrink hemorrhoids.

Shortness of breath, sleeping problem, and hemorrhoids are the common third trimester discomforts during pregnancy. But aside from these, you can also experience other minor discomforts such as hip pain, vaginal pain, itchy abdomen, varicose veins, stretch marks, and leaking urine. These discomforts are normal in the late pregnancy, so there is no need for you to worry. And besides, if you experience them, there are solutions to give you relief.

-information about pregnancy-