The third trimester of pregnancy can be tough. Your belly is growing, the baby is kicking, and your body is getting ready for birth!
If your pregnancy has been easy so far, consider yourself lucky! Some people continue feeling great throughout the third trimester, but there are many people that begin to feel uncomfortable.
The third trimester of pregnancy starts at week 28 and continues until the baby is born. While you may have breezed through the second trimester, the third trimester is what many moms feel is the “longest” trimester.
The third trimester has its own unique symptoms, but fortunately there are many ways to help alleviate the discomfort. Keep reading to learn my third trimester must-haves and what you can try to help.
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Third trimester of pregnancy symptoms
There are many new symptoms of pregnancy once you hit the third trimester, and things can get uncomfortable quickly!
- Aching of the lower back, hips and pelvis: It’s not uncommon for your lower back, hips and pelvis to ache, and all of this can be very uncomfortable. This discomfort is due to the increased pressure of your uterus and the weight of your baby, as well as the hormone relaxin causing your joints to relax before delivery.
- Waddling: you may find yourself waddling around as the baby gets lower and lower into the pelvis.
- Insomnia and/or fatigue: sleeping problems just don’t seem fair when there’s a newborn coming! Many moms report difficulty sleeping in the third trimester, both with falling asleep and staying asleep.
- Nausea, heartburn, and indigestion: Nausea and heartburn may return, just like in the first trimester. This is likely due to the extra space baby is taking up around your gut! If your morning sickness returned in the third trimester, check out this post for some morning sickness remedies.
- Braxton Hick contractions: these “practice” contractions may become annoying and uncomfortable, but are generally harmless. They feel like a tightening of the belly.
- Swelling: Swelling in the lower legs can be common in the final stages of pregnancy. You should always discuss this with your doctor, however, as it can also be a sign of pregnancy complications like preeclampsia.
- Itching, stretching skin: And as your belly expands and grows, it can cause a lot of itching and discomfort. You may or may not develop stretch marks to compliment your growing tummy.
The Third Trimester Must-Have Items
To help you sleep at night: a pregnancy pillow
Being that this is my third pregnancy in three years, I started feeling uncomfortable much sooner this time around.
In my first pregnancy, I found the pillow to be helpful at around 18 weeks. This time I had this bad boy out at 12 weeks!
Pregnancy pillows are a game changer, especially if you’re a stomach or back sleeper. This is because in the later stages of pregnancy, it’s not recommended (or comfortable) to sleep flat on your back or stomach.
The way a pregnancy pillow is shaped prevents you from lying flat on your back! If you roll from side to back in your sleep, the pillow will still be slightly under one hip. This keeps blood flow to the baby strong.
I use a C-shaped pillow during my pregnancies, but I honestly think I’d like a U-shaped or oval shaped one better. At this point, I’ll stick with what I have, but I do wonder how much different the other pillow would be.
I also had a ton of symphysis pubis pain with my last pregnancy, and having a pillow in between my knees was the only thing that was comfy. I even used it a few weeks postpartum as that joint healed.
After pregnancy, the pillow can be used as a way to support your back during breastfeeding! Or, just keep using it because it’s comfy. No judgment here!
Related: Can prenatal massage induce labor?
To help with back and hip pain (and to help baby into a good position): a birthing ball
It’s no secret how much I love birthing balls! I write about them in every labor post, and it’s my favorite thing to use at the end of my pregnancies.
Why, you ask? They’re a simple, effective way to keep your body loose and relaxed during labor, and a great way to relieve back and hip pains during pregnancy.
At the end of my pregnancies, I eat dinner on a ball, watch TV on it, and just chill on my ball. Sitting on a birth ball was SO much more comfortable to me than anything else.
I talk about them in my post about managing pain in labor, and in my post about how to manage each phase of labor.
As a labor nurse, I suggest a birthing ball to all of my patients. When I’m getting report for a patient I always ask if there’s a ball in the room. I am a true believer in the power of the ball for keeping a laboring mom’s body relaxed and helping baby descend into the pelvis.
Which birth ball is the best?
There are many different brands of birthing balls. I like The Birth Ball brand because it comes with it’s own pump (to make it as firm as you like it), non-skid socks, and a booklet of exercises for before and after pregnancy.
I hate buying things that I know I won’t use beyond pregnancy. So in my opinion, it really makes the product worthwhile when you have use for it after pregnancy.
Additionally, the ball comes in two different sizes so you can decide what works best for you. It’s a great product!
To help your growing belly: a belly cream
The stretching skin of your belly and possibly new stretch marks can make your belly itchy!
Starting early in pregnancy, I recommend using a belly oil or cream.
I have two favorites that I recommend to all of my pregnant friends!
First, BioOil is a great product. I use it after I shower or before bed when I’m wearing loose clothing. It’s soothing, lightweight, and smells amazing!
This is one of my all-time favorite pregnancy products! It’s a little pricey ($22 for 200mLs), but it lasts awhile. I bought a large bottle on Amazon and can get a few months out of one bottle.
For a lotion or cream, I love Earth Mama Organics Belly Butter. It’s also very soothing, and it absorbs better than the oil so it won’t damage your clothing. A little goes a long way!
Their belly butter is extremely soothing and creamy which is perfect when your skin is irritated and itchy.
I love everything about Earth Mama Organics product line, as well as the company mission. They have a wide array of products for newborns that are worth looking into as well!
To soothe aches and pains: epsom salt baths
I suffered from restless legs in my last pregnancy, and I swear that epsom salt baths helped me settle down for sleep! I’ve been soaking in it this pregnancy to alleviate some back discomforts.
Epsom salts contain a high concentration of magnesium which can help soothe aching muscles. It helped me crawl into bed without restless legs or aches and pains each night!
For extra back and belly support: a maternity support belt
During my second pregnancy, I used a support belt throughout the later part of the second trimester and into my third. Between my symphysis pubis pain and my lower back aching, this belt helped alleviate some of those symptoms.
I purchased this one, and I love the strap on the top of the belly. It really gave my belly the extra lift and support I needed.
It’s easily adjustable and the strap on top is easily removed if you don’t like the feel of it.
Wearing the belt helped me get through working long days on my feet! I work as a labor and delivery nurse, and I worked until the day before my induction. That would not have been possible without the use of a support belt!
I never tried using kinesiology tape, but it probably would have helped a lot with my symphysis pubis pain. The nice part about this is that it can be used until the very end, whereas the belt I began to grow out of at the end.
For whatever reason I found the tape to be intimidating, but I know many many other mamas that loved it!
For heartburn, relaxation, and prepping your body for labor: pregnancy tea
Praise heaven for Earth Mama Organics teas.
Anyone else suffer from heartburn during pregnancy? Sip on this heartburn tea for nearly instant relief! Organic spearmint, marshmallow, lemon balm, chamomile, and raspberry leaf will help alleviate your symptoms.
Earth Mama Organics even has a tea specifically for the third trimester! It is specially formulated to provide you comfort during the third trimester.
Sipping on red raspberry leaf tea is a common recommendation by midwives in the third trimester. Many believe it causes faster labors by toning the uterus before delivery day.
I sipped on red raspberry leaf tea throughout my third trimester and had two very quick labors! Once I approach the third trimester of my current pregnancy, I will be sipping on it often.
Full disclosure: I’m not a huge tea person! When I’m not pregnant, coffee is my drink of choice. However, these soothing pregnancy teas are ah-mazing and make me feel great, too!
If you’re struggling with any of these third trimester of pregnancy symptoms, hang in there!
The struggle is well worth it as soon as your babe is in your arms! And you’ll be amazed at how quickly you forget the discomforts of pregnancy.
Hopefully these pregnancy must-haves will give you some relief, and help you have a comfortable pregnancy!
What other things have helped you during your pregnancy? Let me know in the comments below – you just may help another mama!
