Home Stretch

Congrats! You have made it into your third trimester and are headed toward the finish line with baby in tow. For some women the past six months have been filled mixed emotions and extreme highs and lows. You have gone through morning sickness and so many aches and pains that you never thought were possible. With your new arrival not long off, this is a good time to start thinking of living arrangements after birth.

Where will your baby sleep? Some new mothers want the little one close at all times and place a bassinet by their bed while others prefer the baby to start out in a crib or a bassinet in their own room. It is a good idea to think this through now, but realize your mind may change once you come home with your baby. If this is your first baby, you will soon understand that a lot of things change once you actually hold that little one in your arms and swell with the most intense love imaginable.

Look at You Now:

Most women still feel healthy and energetic at this point. The extra weight may be wearing on you more or less than others, but hopefully you are still able to carry through with daily life feeling fairly well.

One of the physical discomforts possible at this point is shooting pains in the back, legs, or sometimes buttocks. This is due to the rather large uterus pressing into the back and pelvis. This can be mild for most women if they feel it at all, but in some women it can be intense.

Sciatica is a condition where the pain is extremely intense and may even require physical therapy if recommended by your doctor. In some cases, the pain can be so bad it is painful to walk or raise the legs. Most women do not experience this condition but if you are suffering it is important to let your doctor know and follow directions on how to relieve some of the pain. Some simple solutions may be to sleep on a firm mattress, avoid sitting for long periods, and of course to stop any movements that bring pain.

Look at Baby Now:

Your baby can be well over a pound now, but the growth rate will vary from baby to baby here on out. Babies are born at different weights so while you baby will be gaining fat and filling out, there is no guarantee of how much she may weight on any given week.

The blood vessels in the lungs continue to develop as well as all the system functions continuing to get stronger in preparation of birth. The bones are still hardening as well.

New this week: spinal structures will start to form and the nostrils could open toward the end of the week!  

Tips for Now:

If you have younger children, they have probably noticed that mommy has an expanding belly and may have a lot of questions. Many children will be excited to have a little brother or sister, while others may be concerned and worried about this change. It is important to talk with your little ones and determine their range of feelings and act accordingly. Their emotions will change once the baby comes home, but you can prepare them as much as possible before that happens. 

You may want to check out books written for children on this subject, and use that as a guide to bring out their thoughts and concerns so you can discuss them, and help guide their thinking in a positive direction. Give them lots of love and quality time because once the new baby hits your arms these little tykes will likely appear huge in comparison! Many new mothers are surprised that their three year olds suddenly seem like giants.