Are you pregnant and wondering what to expect during the third trimester of pregnancy? Here are all the third trimester symptoms you can expect and how to deal with them!
The third trimester of pregnancy occurs during months seven, eight and nine. Just when you thought your belly couldn’t get any bigger, it does!
This trimester comes with it’s own set of emotions ranging from tiredness to excitement about the baby to worry about delivery and so much more. The thought of having a baby in your arms to snuggle is magical… but the process to get the baby from your belly to your arms can freak moms out, especially first time moms.
But aside from those jitters, the third trimester of pregnancy is another very important part of your pregnancy journey. Your baby will continue to grow and with each passing week your baby has a better chance if for some reason he/she is born early.
This post is focused on the possible third trimester symptoms you will experience during pregnancy including the difference between braxton hicks vs real contractions, third trimester back pain and back pain relief, why heartburn in third trimester is so common, the best restless leg syndrome stretches and so much more.
This post is all about third trimester symptoms.
Third Trimester Symptoms
Just like with the first and second trimesters of pregnancy, the third trimester comes with some uncomfortable symptoms too, some of which you may have experienced already.
Here are the top eleven third trimester symptoms you may experience during pregnancy.
1 – Braxton Hicks
Braxton Hicks contractions are the tightening of the uterus caused by sporadic contractions and relaxation of the uterine muscle as it prepares for labor. They typically last about 15-30 seconds on average and subside when you change positions.
The crazy thing is some women experience them intensely while others barely notice them at all.
Braxton hicks vs real contractions might be hard to differentiate at first but Braxton Hicks contractions are also referred to as “false labor” because they’re usually irregular and painless. True labor contractions are steadier and grow stronger and longer with time.
As you get closer and closer to your due date, Braxton Hicks Contractions can intensify and become more frequent. I recommend talking to your doctor about them, but in my personal experience I was instructed to call my doctor if they intensified or occurred more than 4x in one hour.
Braxton Hicks Relief:
- Try changing positions
- Drink plenty of water
- Take a warm bath
- Practice breathing through them
2 – Back and Hip Pain
Back and hip pain are very common third trimester symptoms. Your body is going through many changes to prepare you for childbirth and your rising hormone levels cause your connective tissues to loosen. This often leads to hip pain but back pain is also common as your posture changes too.
You may also experience sciatica pain during pregnancy. Your sciatica nerve runs from your lower back down to your feet. Typically in pregnancy, the enlarged uterus pushes on the sciatica nerve, which causes pain, tingling or numbness in the lower back, butt and thighs on one side of your body. The good news is that it is not harmful for your baby despite the uncomfortableness it causes for you.
Hip and back pain relief:
- Take a warm bath
- Apply a warm compress or ice (avoid abdomen)
- Get a prenatal massage
- Sit in chairs with good back support
- Take Tylenol to reduce soreness and discomfort (with doctor approval)
- Daily stretching
- Use pillows to position yourself while you sleep
3 – Shortness of Breath
Experiencing mild breathlessness is totally normal during pregnancy and isn’t a cause for concern for your baby.
In the third trimester, your uterus pushes up against your diaphragm as it grows and compresses your lungs. This limits your ability to fully expand your lungs when you take a deep breath.
Another cause for shortness of breath during pregnancy though is due to pregnancy hormones. They stimulate your brain to increase the oxygen frequency and depths of your breaths so that you take in more oxygen for your baby.
The hormones also swell the capillaries in your respiratory tract and relax the muscles of the lungs and bronchial tubes. This can cause you to feel like you can’t catch your breath just from taking a walk to the fridge or climbing a flight of stairs.
You might start to feel some relief once your baby drops lower into your pelvis towards the end of pregnancy. But until then here are some tips you can try:
- Practice good posture and stand as straight as possible
- Sleep propped up on your lift side (the best side for circulation)
- Continue exercising but listen to your body and don’t push yourself too hard
- Take it easy when you can
If you’re constantly feeling short of breath or are having trouble catching your breath, it’s a good idea to talk to your doctor. Sometimes anemia can lead to shortness of breath so your doctor will want to be aware so he can check your iron levels.
4 – Heartburn
Heartburn is one of the unpleasant third trimester symptoms that can begin as early as the first trimester and can last through the duration of your pregnancy.
Hormones are at the root of this in early pregnancy as your body is producing large amounts of progesterone and relaxin, which relaxes the smooth muscle tissues in your body including your GI tract.
It causes a burning feeling in your chest, right behind your breastbone that can last for minutes to hours. It can move up to your throat too and even cause a bitter or sour taste in the back of your throat. The pain can be worse after eating or when lying down in the evening and is all around very uncomfortable.
Mild heartburn is common and not a cause for concern but more regular and painful heartburn should be discussed with your doctor. It can be a sign of a more serious condition that should be monitored by a doctor.
More severe cases of heartburn that impact your daily life are usually considered gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and may require prescription medications or even surgery or other procedures.
Many women complain about lots of heartburn during pregnancy. It unfortunately comes with the territory but unlike heartburn in a regular person, there are a few other things that play a role when you are pregnant:
- Changing hormone levels: It’s no surprise that your hormone levels change during pregnancy but the change can actually impact how you tolerate and digest foods. Slower moving food can oftentimes cause bloating and heartburn.
- Esophageal sphincter relaxing: The pregnancy hormone progesterone can relax your lower esophageal sphincter, which in turns allows stomach acid to move up into your esophagus.
- Uterus enlarging: Your uterus gets bigger and bigger as your baby grows, which can crowd your stomach and push stomach acid up into your esophagus. This is why heartburn in the third trimester is more common than heartburn in early pregnancy.
Heartburn usually goes away after birth but here are a few things you can try for heartburn relief:
- Avoid trigger foods
- Tums can sometimes provide relief
- Eat several small meals throughout the day
- Eat slowly
- Drink less while eating
- Sit up straight when you eat
- Don’t lie down right after eating
- Sleep with your head propped up
Related: The 8 Best Kept Secrets to Pregnancy Heartburn Relief
5 – Feeling Fuller, Faster
This is totally normal and is caused by increased hormone levels and the growing size of your uterus and baby.
It’s recommended that you eat frequent, smaller meals rather than three big meals to help with digestion and not feeling so full, so fast. Plus, make sure to drink a lot of water throughout the day to help with hydration.
6 – Varicose Veins, Spider Veins, and Hemorrhoids
Increased blood circulation is at the root of varicose veins (swollen veins in legs) and spider veins (tiny red/purple colored veins).
They usually fade after delivery but you can ease the swelling by:
- Exercising
- Elevating your legs frequently
- Including plenty of fiber in your diet
- Drink lots of fluids
7. Hemorrhoids
Hemorrhoids are another one of the common third trimester symptoms and are usually painful, itchy and very uncomfortable varicose veins in the rectal area. They can appear at any time but most women notice them starting around 28 weeks pregnant in the third trimester.
Hemorrhoids are usually caused by a combination of increased blood flow to the pelvic region plus the pressure from your enlarged uterus and growing baby. This causes veins in your rectal region to swell. Sitting for long periods of time also puts pressure on your anus and rectum which can trigger hemorrhoids.
Hemorrhoid relief:
- Soak in a warm tub
- Applying witch hazel pads to the area
- Avoid sitting for long periods of time
- Use a donut shaped or ring pillow
8 – Frequent Urination
Frequent urination is unavoidable for many pregnant women. Initially, you can thank your hormones for increasing your urine production. Your HCG levels will be increasing and contributing to increased blood flow to the pelvic region and kidneys.
In the third trimester of pregnancy, your once fist-sized uterus has stretched to accommodate your growing baby and will put pressure on your bladder causing the urge to urinate.
You can try to get longer stretches of sleep overnight by emptying your bladder fully (try leaning forward) and avoiding fluids before bed. This doesn’t mean cutting back on fluids though! Fluids are vital for you and your growing baby and dehydration can lead to urinary tract infections.
9 – Swelling
Gradual swelling in your feet, ankles, legs, hands and fingers during pregnancy is completely normal. You can pretty much expect there will be a day where your rings and favorite shoes don’t fit.
Sometimes swelling is more noticeable at the end of the day because the extra fluid can gather in places furthest from your heart. A hot and humid day can also contribute to increased swelling.
During pregnancy, your total body water volume and blood volume increases dramatically. The water stays within your cells to help the function and the increase in blood helps supply the placenta with everything it needs to help the baby grow and develop.
But as you get closer to birth in the third trimester of pregnancy, the increased blood volume and more pressure from your baby’s growing size leads to increased swelling.
Pregnancy swelling remedies include:
- Elevate your feet at a level above your heart throughout the day to increase circulation
- Drink more water
- Wear compression socks to improve circulation
- Avoid being outdoors in hot and humid weather
- Wear comfortable, breathable and supportive shoes
- Eat more foods with potassium (bananas and avocados) to flush out sodium and increase urine production
- Limit high salt foods
10 – Restless Leg Syndrome
Restless leg syndrome is the constant need to move your legs that is not only uncomfortable but it can make it feel impossible to fall asleep. The uncomfortable sensations it causes have been described as tingling, crawling and creepy feelings that cause you to want to move the affected limb.
I speak from personal experience that restless leg syndrome isn’t a pleasant pregnancy symptom and usually comes on most when I’m overtired.
It’s not completely clear what causes restless leg syndrome but it has been associated with lower folate, iron, ferritin and vitamin D levels.
Some restless leg syndrome remedies you can try include:
- Checking iron levels for anemia and if low, treating it properly.
- Exercise
- Yoga and prenatal stretches
- Massage leg muscles
- Compression socks
If you’re experiencing restless leg syndrome, it’s important to talk to your doctor about a remedy that will work best for you and your pregnancy. Never start taking any additional supplements without discussing with your doctor first.
11 – Insomnia
Believe it or not, the lack of sleep doesn’t wait to start until you have delivered your baby. For many, sleep problems arise as early as the first trimester of pregnancy but it is an extremely common third trimester symptom.
Pregnancy insomnia is a real thing and pregnancy symptoms can make it difficult to get the kind of restful sleep you might be used to. It can be caused by a variety of things too including frequent urination, hip pain, body aches, restless leg syndrome, leg cramps, expanding third trimester belly and vivid dreams.
This post includes many resources and ideas to help with many of the third trimester symptoms that impact sleep but another thing you can try is a pregnancy pillow. Unlike regular pillows, pregnancy pillows are specifically designed to provide extra support in the places most commonly affected by your growing belly (and baby) and can help make sleep more comfortable and enjoyable.
This post was all about third trimester symptoms.