What to Expect: Third Trimester
What to Expect: Third Trimester
It’s the final stretch! These last few months can feel like a wild ride- your body may be changing even more rapidly and you’re actively preparing and planning for the baby’s arrival. Soon, you’ll be seeing your provider more often and talking (and thinking) more about the day.
This is an emotion-filled time and again, it’s okay to feel anything and everything- excitement, fear, even grief (life is going to change and it’s okay to mourn your “old” life before baby). Especially as you get closer to your due date, you may be feeling it all!
As always, we are here to support you but discuss any questions and concerns you may have with your doctor.
The third trimester can sometimes feel like two separate ones-- the early third trimester, and then the later third trimester, often the “just get this baby out” phase.
However you’ve been feeling during the second trimester may just continue for a little while but then, as your belly reaches max capacity, things can start to get uncomfortable as you patiently (or not so much) wait for baby’s grand entry into the world.
Again, like so many other aspects of pregnancy, this is so dependent on the woman and even each pregnancy, so while we dont’ want you to expect to feel terrible, we just want you to be prepared and empowered! Those final weeks are a really good time to take things slow and give yourself a lot of grace.
Some common symptoms you may experience, especially towards your due date:
You may start feeling more tired again. As we’ve said before, pregnancy takes a lot out of your body and your mind!
Sleep may suddenly escape you again. Or maybe not so suddenly, depending on how pregnancy has gone. (You’d think that with such a demanding process, you’d be so exhausted that you sleep like a rock, but many of us just aren’t that lucky). As your belly grows and there’s more pressure and even anticipation, getting enough good quality sleep can be really tough. Tossing and turning, flipping your pregnancy pillow every which way, getting up to pee every hour, restless legs or even cramps (or “Charlie horses”)- these are the ironic challenges that may be faced at a time where you just want to bank some sleep before the baby arrives.
If you didn’t have heartburn all pregnancy, you may find it happening now. Your digestive organs are basically smushed and pushed aside to accommodate your baby, so it’s common to get to a point where food just doesn’t sit well.
Braxton Hicks contractions- often called false labor pains- can increase during the third trimester, although some women experience them earlier (especially if this isn’t a first pregnancy). They basically feel like Charlie horse cramps/muscle contractions in your belly. It may get super hard and even dome out. They’re different from labor cramps, however, but can still cause anxiety and even make women think they’re in labor. Generally, they’re benign but if you’re experiencing them often or they’re super painful, contact your doctor.
Some first trimester symptoms can pop up again, too- like decreased appetite and return of nausea. A lot of this has to do with your digestive system being a bit crowded but also hormonal changes as you approach birth.
Pelvic pain, pressure, or tightness can increase as there’s more demand on your pelvic floor. Leaking can also increase for some mamas. Although common, we are passionate about teaching women that this is not something to ignore or that you just need to live with. It’s important feedback from your body! As your baby grows, there is an increase in pressure on your pelvic floor, less space for your bladder, and big changes in the way we manage pressure in the entire system of your core. We believe that connecting with a pelvic health specialist in person or even virtually can be so helpful- for leaking but also for other symptoms and overall, learning how to breathe and manage pressure properly!
Back or hip pain, sciatica, and other aches can come up, especially as you are carrying more weight and your body is simply a little more stressed.
Lightning crotch- yes, it’s a real thing! Although not really a medical term, it’s been coined to refer to the uncomfortable feeling of getting punched in the crotch. It’s a sudden and usually short-lived sensation, but if it does happen longer, it may actually be pelvic pain, pubic symphysis, or round ligament pain.
So while it may not all happen to you, it’s not uncommon for the end of pregnancy to just get a bit more uncomfortable. Fortunately, there are some really powerful ways you can support yourself and reduce your symptoms. And the best part is that there’s a light at the end of the tunnel! While the fourth trimester will bring some new challenges, most of your pregnancy symptoms will just go away magically when the baby is born.
Dealing with third trimester symptoms:
Body work! We can’t emphasize this enough- getting some outside help to do manual therapy, relieve pain and pressure, and get things aligned during pregnancy is so underrated. Whether it’s chiropractic, massage, osteopathic adjustment, PT or OT, make sure whoever you work with is knowledgeable about pregnancy and your unique needs during this phase. Seeking out a chiropractor trained in the Webster Technique can be beneficial. This is a specific chiropractic technique focused on sacral analysis and adjustment to support healthy function and position of the pelvic during pregnancy. You can find a Webster Certified Chiropractor (and learn more about the technique) here.
Epsom salt baths are amazing for so many reasons- for one, epsom salt- or magnesium sulfate- has muscle relaxing properties. Baths are also so soothing and force us to relax- which can be tough at the end of pregnancy. Plus, being in water helps take pressure off our joints and just feels good. Check with your doctor to ensure baths and epsom salt are okay for you.
For acute leg/feet cramps, magnesium lotion or oil can help a lot. You can rub it to your legs before bed or any time you need some soothing and can’t jump into an epsom salt bath.
Do the Prenatal Maintenance session as often as you like. It’s gentle but super effective and gets you moving without intensity.
If you haven’t sought out a pelvic floor PT, this may be a good time. Many women wait til after birth to start seeing one, but especially if you have symptoms during pregnancy, working with one can help reduce these and also be a proactive approach for postpartum. (Dr. Jessie Carter explains what Pelvic Floor PT is here). You can learn more about signs of pelvic floor dysfunction and find a practitioner here!
Rest! Take it easy, mama. Growing a baby is hard work. If you feel tired or are just uncomfortable, get horizontal- or more likely, propped up on some pillows. (It’s generally recommended that you do avoid laying on your back during the third and even second trimester because the entire weight of your uterus and baby can put too much pressure on your vena cava).
Heartburn - again, Some natural supports include drinking a few teaspoons of raw apple cider vinegar mixed into a glass of water and ginger or chamomile tea.. Chew really well, small meals, liquid meals
Check out the Pro Tips page for the Round Ligament Release & Pubic Symphysis Dysfunction videos with Dr. Erica Boland.
Pause, take some deep breaths, and give yourself lots of grace (it’ll come in handy in the future, we promise). Taking time out for meditation and even simple mindfulness activities can positively impact you now but also set you up for success in postpartum. We love the Expectful app but there are plenty of awesome meditation apps out there and even YouTube videos. Find one that you love!
If you’ve ever competed in an event- like a marathon, triathlon, or Olympic weightlifting competition, you know you usually have to make some significant changes to how you train, eat, sleep, recover and more in order to optimize your performance for that type of demand. You also likely know that a “deload” period is an essential part of optimizing your performance. It’s a critical time when your body integrates all of the training and preparation and has a chance to recover and prepare.
NSCA’s manual, “The Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning” explains the purpose of a deload week as an opportunity “to prepare the body for the increased demand of the next phase or period,” and to mitigate the risk of overtraining. This is probably one of the most widely underutilized principles of fitness. We often think “more is better” when in reality, “better is better” and being intentional about our fitness, exercise, recovery, and how we care for our body is essential to our actual “strength and conditioning.”
While we’re certainly not comparing the act of birth to a marathon or Olympic weightlifting meet because there are simply some variables about it that no one could ever “train” for and you cannot “outfitness” some of the complications that may arise, we do believe in the importance of respecting the later stages of the third trimester as a “deload” period in preparation for birth and more importantly, postpartum.
As your belly grows even bigger, there’s more demand on your pelvic floor, core, and your joints, plus your energy and even motivation can start to dip or at least shift. You may find yourself prioritizing relaxing, nesting, quality time with your partner, quiet time alone or finding special ways to connect with your little one inside or any older siblings outside. Please know this is all okay and encouraged as a part of the preparation for the day your family will grow by one or more!
Working out up until the day you give birth is totally doable and amazing but it’s also not required and does not guarantee an “easy” birth or labor. In fact, the last thing you want is to be completely exhausted or so sore that you can’t move well as you go into labor. We know that some women, especially with more athletic backgrounds, are totally capable of maintaining intensity throughout the entire pregnancy and we certainly appreciate and honor those experiences. We also know that for many, movement and exercise is a form of therapy and really essential to maintaining mental health and again, we respect and value this as a valid reason to push yourself when others may be suggesting slowing down. We simply want to encourage you to keep checking in with your intentions, exploring ways to adapt that feel good to you, and try to remember your long term health and fitness goals.
All of this is to say that we hope you consider integrating more intentional rest and recovery into your 3rd trimester. We hope that you can dial back intensity, impact, load, and volume knowing that you’re preparing for something much bigger and more demanding than any WOD will ever be.
Here are some ways to keep moving while also managing intensity and dialing back volume:
No timer workouts- Try moving for quality vs. time, reps, load, or distance
Shift and bodyweight workouts- These more simple versions of the workouts can sometimes allow you to focus on your core and pelvic floor pressure management strategies like posture and breathing techniques.
Choose movement that brings you joy or helps you cultivate peace- Walks in nature, dancing to your favorite tunes, swimming, prenatal yoga or Maintenance, etc.
Incorporate tempo training to some of your lifts or movements to continue building strength without needing to increase load or volume.
Change the AMRAP or For Time rep scheme to an EMOM - You can take all of the same movements in the workout but scale the number way down to what you can comfortably complete in 30-40 seconds and cycle through the different movements each minute with a comparable time cap.
Ways to adapt your training to incorporate more intentionality:
Decrease loads to lifts that you can move without any strain or bearing down
Incorporate posterior chain strengthening (like Good Mornings, Sumo Deadlifts, Box Squats, etc.) to support the growing belly.
Focus on joint range of motion and stability over compound or explosive movements.
Remove or minimize running- Walk, farmer’s carry, sled push/pull, swim, or ride a stationary bike instead. There are definitely exceptions to this rule- like if you can maintain the appropriate biomechanics while running and have awareness of how to manage the pressure on your core and pelvic floor. But just because you “can” doesn’t always mean you “should” and we suggest consulting with a pelvic health specialist if you plan to continue running throughout the 3rd trimester.
Remove or minimize Olympic lifting from your training and focus on the accessory lifts like: Snatch grip deadlift, snatch balance, dumbbell hang cleans and dumbbell hang snatches.
Incorporate more of the Functional Progression Warm Up into your training as a part of your warm up, cool down, or even as a low intensity workout in itself.
Find ways to pay attention to your breathing and explore different breathing strategies. Even practicing diaphragmatic breathing for 5 minutes a day before or after your workout can help you bring more awareness to the entire system of your core and pelvic floor as well as provide some tools for relaxation.
Pay attention to where, when, and how you hold tension in your body. Try practicing relaxing your glutes, inner thighs, belly, shoulders, and jaw throughout your day and even during your workouts. This will help you to bring more awareness to how you manage the pressure in your core. Being able to relax the pelvic floor is essential to its full functionality and using some of these cues in other areas of the body can help facilitate relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles as well.
If you haven’t been thinking about preparing for labor, birth, and postpartum/newborn life, now is the time!
If you haven’t been focusing on any of this, please don’t panic. Check out our Motherhood Resource list which has tons of books, podcasts, and even online classes to help you learn more and feel totally confident going into labor, birth, and beyond! (If you’re not on Facebook, shoot us an email- mamas@streetparking.com- and we can send you the list!). Birth, breastfeeding and/or bottle feeding, and newborn care classes can be so helpful, as well as hiring a doula to support you during (or even after) birth!
Many expecting moms like to create a birth plan (or we prefer to call it a list of birth wishes) to help them feel more confident with the experience. There are tons of resources out there to guide you-- like this one and this one (for planned C sections) or this one (for planned VBACs). Making birth affirmation cards (or buying a set like these) can also be a great way to plan ahead for a positive experience.
The reality is that there’s lots you can to educate and inform yourself, get support, and feel more empowered about the upcoming experience. However, there’s always going to be so much that you can’t control and just leaning into the uncertainty and trusting your body, your baby, and your care team (and a higher power, if you believe in one) can be so comforting and even freeing.
From our personal experience, we suggest spending as much time, energy, and money (if not shifting things to spend more) on preparing for life with a new baby and your postpartum needs than you do labor and birth. Not that labor and birth aren’t important and can even be a little anxiety-inducing, but the reality is that 1) it’s just a day or two and then it’s over and your baby is here… then what?! 2) you’ve probably prepared more than enough and have plenty of support- even if you don’t realize it!
A few things to think about:
What you may need to support your physical healing. You probably will get a lot from your hospital (if that’s where you’re giving birth), so it can’t hurt to ask but it may be a good idea to purchase some products ahead of time. Check out our Immediate Postpartum Healing & Support Tools and Tips for info + links!
How you’ll nourish your body (and who will help and how). Food is an important aspect of your postpartum recovery and you’ll need to replenish nutrients and fuel your body- especially to have the energy and strength that taking care of a new baby requires! We’ve compiled a list of Nourishing Recipes for the Fourth Trimester- and many you can prep ahead of time and freeze for postpartum! Outsourcing grocery shopping and meal prep- while you may not anticipate it now- can be really helpful early postpartum. Friends and family may be ready and willing to help when you come home with the baby-
What you might need for your mental and emotional health. While not all women experience postpartum mental health struggles, many do. And we think this only means postpartum depression, it can also manifest as anxiety, rage, withdrawal, and more. Even working through birth trauma, the identity shifts of becoming a mom, challenges with feeding or a baby in the NICU, postpartum body image-- these and more are valid reasons for getting mental health help… but you don’t need a reason or for something to be “wrong.” Identifying a counselor or therapist ahead of time can be helpful, or even just knowing where to find one (we love PSI’s network) should you need one. And lastly, needing mental health support doesn’t make you weak or a failure. Asking for help is a strength and every mom needs support in some way or another. Here’s a compilation of resources for getting the help you need, including
Self care tools you can easily access- especially when you’re sleep-deprived, emotional, or lonely. Will taking a bath help you feel better? Alone time? Getting outside? A cup of tea? Your favorite TV show on in the background? Make a list now of things that support your health and help you feel like you.
Your support team. Healing postpartum is a process and while your body knows what to do, there are people out there who can make the journey more positive and especially help you troubleshoot any issues that you may have- like an IBCLC, pelvic floor PT, nutritionist, acupuncturist, chiropractor, etc.
Open communication with your partner, your provider(s), baby’s pediatrician, and whoever else may be supporting you after coming home with your new baby. Having other moms who you trust is important too, so you can get feedback or simply vent to someone who understands- whether it’s friends of family, a new mom’s group, or our SP Mamas FB group!. This will be helpful postpartum and through motherhood, but even while you’re currently pregnant. Especially if you feel like you’re playing the waiting game and getting constant comments or questions about going into labor! Make sure you set strong boundaries and communicate your needs clearly to those in your life.
Bookmark this resource so that you can come back to it as needed, but we’ve also created a printable chart with a summary of everything across all 3 trimesters that you can print for your reference!