Third Trimester: Week 29-40

Your Body's Changes

In the 3rd trimester, your baby's weight increases rapidly and so will yours. Your body temperature is elevated, so you tend to feel warm most of the time. You will also notice an increase in the amount and thickness of your vaginal discharge during the last month.

In advanced pregnancy, it is likely you'll feel increasingly fatigued due to the growing weight of the baby. You may find it difficult to find a comfortable sleeping position because of the large size of your abdomen. The extra weight also means that your feet and legs will be more prone to swelling at the end of the day.

You can see and feel the baby's kickings from the outside. Your growing baby now puts pressure on your bladder, causing you to feel the need to urinate. There is added pressure on your lungs and diaphragm too, which reduces your lung capacity and may cause you to feel shortness of breath.

During the final weeks of pregnancy, changes start occurring in your body as it prepares for labour. The cervix softens and you could experience painless uterine contractions (called Braxton-Hicks contractions) which become more intense. The ligaments of the pelvis begins to soften, allowing the baby's head to be 'engaged' or dropped into the pelvis, which increases your desire to urinate.

By the 8th month, your breasts stop growing, but you may notice a white, opaque discharge called colostrum. Colostrum is the food for your baby before your breasts start producing milk.