Pregnancy can be daunting. While you have lots of excitement for the new bundle of joy, however, you are scared about many other things especially when you are in your third trimester. For your information, the third trimester of pregnancy is from week 29 to week 40 – months seven, eight and nine. Feelings at this stage of pregnancy tend to go from tiredness and worry to excitement about the baby.
To save you the time you’d waste on Googling unnecessary questions everyone searches in their third trimester, we’ve compiled a helpful list of the most common questions:
How many months is 37 weeks?
If you’re 37 weeks pregnant, you’re in month 9 of your pregnancy. Only a few weeks left to go! Here’s an interesting fact: At birth, your baby’s head — which, by the way, is still growing — will be roughly the same circumference as his chest.
Will I know when my water breaks?
Mostly yes, but different women have had different experiences. Some women experience the telltale gush of fluid, while others have nothing more than a slow trickle that resembles leaking urine. Some signs – the leaking is uncontrollable, it is mostly clear and odourless, you might feel painless pressure or popping, might feel like leaking urine and it is not sticky, thick like discharge.
Will labor hurt?
While the experience is different for everyone, labor usually feels like extremely strong menstrual cramps. During the pushing phase, some people feel clingy, some yell, some tremble and feel overwhelmed and anxious; and some lose all sense of modesty. To some people, pushing feels like you are having a large bowel movement. When the baby finally starts to come out, many people think they’ve actually pooped. Good luck mommy-to-be.
Why am I so hot?
Pregnant women have an increased amount of blood in their body, so it causes them to feel warmer than most people. Your growing little one gives off body heat that you absorb. This can make you feel hotter from the inside out.
What is the mucus plug?
During pregnancy, the mucus accumulates in the cervix, forming a plug that stops bacteria from entering the uterus. The discharge can be clear, pink, a little bloody, or brownish in colour. The mucus can come out in one thick string or in smaller segments. You might notice it on the toilet paper after you wipe, or you may not see it or notice it at all. If you notice bleeding that’s heavy, like a menstrual period, contact your healthcare provider, as this may not be the mucus plug coming out, but something else that may require medical attention.
All these things are common and worth it when you see the baby popping out. Calm down and enjoy your time. Have a happy and healthy pregnancy.
