Slow down, but don’t stop
At this stage, some moms may want to lighten their work load. It’s also a good time to focus on self-care before baby is born.
Try not to overload yourself physically, but keep in mind that just lying in bed is not a good idea either. Moderate exercise is beneficial at all stages of pregnancy, including the third trimester, granted there are no complications or medical reasons to stay on bedrest.
Experts advise future moms to get about 20-30 minutes of moderate activity a day. Exercise will help you prepare for childbirth and can help facilitate a quicker recovery. It can also improve sleep quality, lessen back pain and reduce the risk of edema. For pregnant women, walking, dancing, stretching, water aerobics, and stationary cycling are excellent exercise choices [1, 2].
At this time, you can sometimes feel the uterus contract and then relax. These are known as training or Braxton-Hicks contractions, and are not a sign of preterm labor. These contractions are usually irregular, short-lived, and often subside if you change your position.
If you experience contractions lasting more than a minute at intervals of less than five minutes, call your doctor as soon as possible. You should immediately seek help if you notice liquid discharge from the genital tract, it can be transparent or pinkish and leak slightly or heavily in volumes of up to 150 ml. [3, 4, 5].
If you are expecting twins
You may be concerned about shortness of breath. A large uterus can press into the diaphragm, making it harder to take deep breaths. Allow yourself to slow down and don’t rush. Just focus on your breathing. If you were carrying only one child, then a couple of weeks before giving birth, their head would sink into your pelvis. You would feel it as a lowering of the abdomen, and it would become easier to breathe. With twins it’s a little more complicated, even if they are both head first, because they are so engaged with each other in their position that they may not allow the other one to descend.
Discharge
During pregnancy, you can expect more discharge from the genital tract than usual. In the third trimester, discharge will reach its maximum volume. This is the way the body protects the uterus and the baby from possible infections from the vagina.
Healthy discharge is transparent, with a light milky color. Normally, it is not accompanied by any pain or itching. Discharge that is a yellow-green color, with a foul (sometimes fishy) or strange odor indicates an infection, as does a curdled consistency. If you notice any of these symptoms, consult your doctor and seek immediate medical attention if you experience bloody discharge [5].
