Pregnancy: 3rd trimester

You are now officially in your 3rd trimester. It covers the 27th to 40th week – or even up to the 42nd week, because the babies don’t come right on time. And what your baby does until then is one thing above all else: grow and gain weight.

Strenuous final spurt

For some women, this trimester is the most difficult. Perhaps you are also noticing that you are becoming increasingly sluggish, that you are out of breath more quickly and that your stomach suddenly seems to be in the way everywhere and at all times. Water retention, back pain and sometimes insomnia and restlessness can also occur now. But the anticipation is also increasing: soon you will meet your baby!

Your baby will continue to gain weight and their little home in your belly will get tighter and tighter. You realise that too: you may need to urinate more often because the baby is pressing on your bladder. Breathing can also be made more difficult by the pressure, and sometimes heartburn occurs. Around the 30th week of pregnancy, your baby is probably already facing head down. You may already notice the first tugging or even slight contractions during this time. In most cases, these are training contractions, also known as Braxton-Hicks or practice contractions. Among other things, they are there to train your uterus for the real labour pains. When your baby sinks further into the pelvis, you can recognise this from the outside by your belly, which is now further down. And you may find it a little easier to breathe because your lungs have more space again.

Your baby becomes more and more your baby

Your baby is also in the final spurt and is putting on a lot of weight. They now have their eyes open more and more often and – when it’s light – can see reddish light in your belly. And they may well react to other external influences, such as loud noises, by kicking.

Your baby’s lungs are fully developed from around 28 weeks. If the baby were to be born prematurely, they would already have a very good chance of survival with little support. And they now have hiccups that you might notice. Your baby trains their lungs this way. Your baby may already have thick hair and the protective layer on their skin, known as vernix, will gradually disappear.

What you can do

If you haven’t already done so, now is the time to take a antenatal course if you want to. You will be familiarised with the birth process, learn about different birthing methods and positions, learn breathing exercises and receive tips for the time immediately after the birth. You can attend the course alone, with your partner or with someone else you trust.

You can now also use the perineal massage to make the tissue more elastic and prepare it for the birth. All you need is a little oil and a few minutes a day. Your midwife or gynaecologist can advise you on this.

The 3rd trimester in brief

• • You and your baby are in the final spurt! Your child will put on a lot more weight – it is quite possible that you will feel increasingly unwell and find it difficult to breathe, for example.
• • Your baby is probably already head down in the birthing position and will continue to descend during the 3rd trimester.
• • They use hiccups to train their lungs, which are almost fully functional from the 28th week onwards.
• • Now is the time for a birth preparation course, if you fancy it.
• • Prepare yourself slowly but surely for the birth and have your packed bag ready: It’s almost time!