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Pregnancy comes with so many rules, doesn’t it?
It’s okay though. They’re all there to protect the health of both you and your baby.
You may have already been told what you should and shouldn’t eat, medicines you can and can’t take, but you may not have considered specifically what you shouldn’t be doing during the third trimester.
Here are a few tips to get you through:
1. Don’t Ignore Your Body Signals
Your baby’s growth and development is reaching its max so you should be pretty in tune at this point with what would be considered normal activity and what may be cause for concern.
The third trimester is not the time to start ignoring your body’s signals.
If your baby should be in any sort of distress your body may be able to pick up on this.
Be especially mindful to keep an eye on baby’s movement’s and regularly count the kicks.
The rule of thumb is that the baby should move about 6 times per hour while you are at rest. It can be more, but less than 6 means you should call your doctor.
If you haven’t felt baby moving as much as usual get checked out right away.
Related: – 19 Important Things to Consider for Your Birth Plan
2. Don’t Diet
All women gain some weight during pregnancy. The third trimester is NOT the time to start dieting though.
Sure, you should pay close attention to what’s fueling your body on a daily basis.
Maybe it’s appropriate to make changes to your typical meal selections or increase your intake of nutrient-dense foods, but it is NOT time to cut calories.
If anything, you are now “eating for two” and guess what, your body will feed your baby before it feeds the rest of your body.
Your overall health is vital for your baby’s, so you have to keep both you and your little one consistently fed, especially as the big delivery day approaches.
3. Don’t Avoid All Activity
If you have certain medical conditions your doctor may advise that you spend the bulk of your third trimester relaxing as much as possible.
If you do not qualify for that, you should be immersing yourself in regular, low-energy, safe activity that is healthy for both you and your baby.
Walking, dancing and swimming are ideal.
4. Don’t Avoid Resting
On the contrary, too much activity can be exhausting and sometimes even dangerous.
Be careful to steer away from excessive activities that could deplete too much of the energy you’re taking in through calories, or any actions that could even send you into early labor.
Talk to your doctor about a reasonable activity plan that you can follow and what warning signs should send you to the couch for rest.
5. Don’t Let Yourself Go
Pregnancy can be exhausting and daunting, but know that soon enough your baby is going to be on the outside and you’re soon going to return to “just you”.
While your baby will be starting anew on the outside, you will be a result of the choices you make throughout your pregnancy, especially during the final trimester.
Related- 5 Signs of Pre-Labor
As you approach the home plate, know that feeling like yourself again is just around the corner, and the weight you’ve gained up until this point has been normal to accommodate your growing baby.
Avoid getting too down about a postpartum uphill climb.
Know that breastfeeding and pumping often eliminate most, if not all of your pregnancy weight.
Your body will adjust in due time.
The third trimester is not the time to throw in the towel, give up on positive vibes, or deter from healthy habits.
You should jog at a reasonable pace for your entire pregnancy, and sprint to the finish line—no matter how long the third trimester may seem.
Sources:
- https://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/bed-rest-during-pregnancy#1
- https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/12593-pregnancy-nutrition
- https://www.webmd.com/baby/news/20010306/pregnant-pause-should-expectant-moms-work-into-third-trimester#1
- https://americanpregnancy.org/while-pregnant/third-trimester/
- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/fetal-development/art-20045997
- https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/third-trimester
- https://www.webmd.com/baby/guide/third-trimester-of-pregnancy#1