Congratulations! You are in the third trimester of pregnancy. Although only a few weeks to go for the delivery; this part of your pregnancy is said to be the most challenging.
Here are some of the most common discomforts faced by women in the third trimester of pregnancy along with the solutions:
Hot Flashes
It is not uncommon for women to feel hot during the third trimester. Excess sweating can disturb your sleep. The body temperature will return to normal after the baby is born. The problem arises due to dilated blood vessels, increased metabolic rate, the body temperature of the baby, and fluctuating hormones.
Solution: Have a lot of cold water. Staying hydrated is important. You may turn on fans and air conditioning.
Insomnia
This is one of the most common problems women face during pregnancy, especially during the last trimester. Most women are known to experience disturbed sleep during pregnancy. This is due to the difficulty they face while sleeping. Some of the major causes include a backache, discomfort, nocturnal fetal movement, snoring, increased urge to urinate, heartburn, anxiety, etc.
Solution: Stop the intake of caffeine completely. Get soothing yet very gentle feet massages.
Poor Memory
Don’t worry. This is just momentary. You may misplace your house keys, bag, sunglasses, and many other things too. Many women face this problem through their third trimester. This may be due to a lack of quality sleep (owing to changes the body goes through).
Solution: Get plenty of rest. Try to take some time off work if it is causing you stress. Writing things down will let you keep close track of various tasks and crucial dates.
A backache
So you feel achy and sore. Don’t worry. This will ease once you deliver the baby. The additional body weight is putting a lot of pressure on the back. Feeling discomfort in the hips and pelvis is also common because your ligaments go loose as they prepare for labor.
Solution: Make sure you practice good posture. Sit straight. You may use some pillows to keep back straight and ease the pressure. Sleeping on the side will help. Tuck a pillow between your legs. You may also use a heating pad to get relief from ache. Prenatal yoga is also a good way to ease muscles and reduce backache.
Vaginal Discharge
Although this is common during pregnancy, you might observe more of it after hitting the third trimester. A thick, clear, slightly bloody discharge is also common right before delivery. Don’t worry, this is the mucus plug. It indicates that your cervix has started to dilate in labor preparation. A sudden rush of fluid is an indication that water has broken.
Solution: Call your doc if your water breaks.
Heartburn and Constipation
The third trimester is also about an extra production of progesterone, the hormone that eases some specific set of muscles such as muscles in the esophagus responsible for keeping food and acids down inside the stomach. Progesterone also relaxes muscles that move digested food through the intestines.
Solution: Focus on eating frequent, smaller meals throughout the day. Go easy on spicy, greasy, and acidic foods (even if you crave them). Increasing fiber intake will help you with constipation. Also, have lots of healthy fluids (avoid caffeine and carbonated drinks).
Leg Cramps and spasms
Leg cramps and spasms can be extremely awful during the third trimester, causing severe pain in the middle of the night. This can be due to muscle fatigue and maybe decreased minerals and electrolytes.
Solution: Legs massage can help in improving blood circulation and thus the relief. Also, walking is another good way to increase blood flow. To alleviate cramps, stretching of calf muscles really helps. Besides, consume enough minerals such as potassium to fulfill the body’s requirements.
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