The third trimester can be very impressive to women - you might get lots of attention due to the fact you are a visibly pregnant woman. By this time, you are used to being pregnant and may even have some tips for your other women who are just finding out they are pregnant. And of course, the anticipation of meeting your little bundle of joy is peaking as you cannot wait. Unfortunately, the third trimester also has its shares of symptoms.
Tips for dealing with the third trimester of pregnancy. To deal with the heartburn and indigestion that many women experience in the third trimester of pregnancy, be sure to eat smaller meals frequently. Also try not to drink a lot right before bedtime.
Keep hydrated. The leading cause of premature labor is dehydration so be sure to drink plenty of water early in the day. Try not to drink as much in the late afternoon and evening as you won't want to be getting up constantly to go to the bathroom when you are sleeping (or anymore than you need to!).
To help with anxiety and nervousness around labor and birth, take a childbirth and newborn class. It may also be beneficial to take a breastfeeding class if you are planning to breastfeed your baby. These classes will provide you with tons of information about what to expect during labor, ways to cope with the labor, as well as how to take care of a newborn. It is also a good idea to be around other pregnant women to exchange experiences and advice.
Try to stay as active as you can. One walk a day can help relieve cramps, insomnia, as well as helping your digestion and emotional frame of mind. It may even help with labor too.
Remind yourself that not everything has to be ready before the baby arrives. Some people want the nursery set up and ready to go even if they won't be using the nursery for the first few weeks or even months, whereas others prefer to buy things after the baby is born. Newborns tend to not need all that much - especially if you are planning on breastfeeding. So stop worrying about everything being perfect before the baby arrives - you will be able to do things once your baby is born. And don't put added pressure on yourself to do "last chance" things. Parents do still get to go out for dinner, have fun and so on so don't feel like the last few weeks of your pregnancy you have to cram everything in.
Allow you and your partner to have some time together to enjoy this special time before the baby is born. It is ok to tell friends and family to back off until after the baby is born. When you are getting closer to 40 weeks, people might bombard you with questions like "Any signs of labor?", "Are you doing ok?" and so on. It is normal for pregnant women to feel a little cranky when they are around the 40 week mark and might not want to socialize until the baby's arrival. It's perfectly normal to feel that way and to tell people that you will keep them updated instead of them contacting you.