Third Trimester Hallmarks

I would say the 3 main hallmarks during the third trimester are growing belly, insomnia and Braxton hicks contractions!

Growing belly is a pretty obvious one. As you continue along your pregnancy, you will really start showing in the third trimester. Clothes won’t be able to hide what is growing underneath. With my first, I was noticeably showing in my seventh month and still you couldn't tell looking from behind. Some may say I was lucky, but honestly I was craving more of a baby belly in the later months to make it feel more real. With my second, I was noticeably showing earlier - about five or sixth months in and the third even earlier than that. That is completely normal with subsequent pregnancies since your belly and uterus have previously been stretched out. With this growing belly you will catch yourself unconsciously rubbing and touching your belly like you are protecting it or checking in on your mini-me. And this will continue for a bit even after birth. However, with this growing belly you will feel some unwanted side effects that we will delve into next post.

Insomnia

Insomnia is another ‘fun’ symptom of pregnancy that you will especially feel in the last trimester. Not necessarily that you won’t be able to sleep at all it’s just very disturbed sleep to say the least. That baby is usually not on the same schedule as you. Generally up at night kicking and squirming and during the day taking lots of naps while you up and about unintentionally rocking baby to sleep. And of course the baby is putting even more pressure on your bladder so that means more frequent trips to the bathroom. I would invest in a nightlight for the bathroom so you are not constantly trying to navigate in the dark or switch on the lights only to wake yourself up even more. Honestly there is probably an even more genetic reasoning why this is happening not simply from cause and effect. Your body is slowly preparing you for the nights to come when you have a newborn baby. And it makes complete sense. I kind of remember being a good sleeper before when I wasn’t pregnant. Used to take me a normal time to fall asleep and I would seldomly get up in the middle of the night. But ever since I was pregnant with my first child, my sleeping patterns have completely changed. I have morphed into a mother even before I was officially one. Now as a mother, I am such a light sleeper, wake up several times a night. I swear I have hyper sensitive ears to any noises my children make in the middle of the night, it is almost superhero level. My husbands snoring did not use to bother me that much. Now it drives me crazy! I have literally trained him to roll over in the middle of the night when he starts snoring with my poke or light shove (when he is on his back he starts snoring). Not joking. And if he is drunk, he is not allowed to sleep in the same bed.

Braxton Hicks Contractions. You have probably never heard of this word before unless you have a close friend/family who was pregnant. This occurs nearing the end of your third trimester. You will be getting some earlier on too, but too delicate to even notice them. It will feel like a tightening along your abdominal muscles, belly and lower back. Contracts, holds for a bit than releases. As they start to really progress and near the end of your pregnancy, the tightening will start to become a bit painful and you will get some pressure near your vagina. They become almost like uncomfortable period cramps that come and go. With my first I didn’t feel that many or notice them as much. With my second, I would get them quite frequently. I even had a few false alarms when they started getting more frequent, longer in duration etc., (similar to labor), but then would stop. With my third I started feeling them easily starting in my second trimester. They also get worse if you are dehydrated or overexerting yourself. If they do stop or become more sparse, that is how you know you are not in labour. Labour is always progressive. It doesn’t stop or slow down. And these practice contractions as you can call them are essentially getting your body ready for the big day. Yes they are uncomfortable, but don't stress about them. All part of the process.