The third trimester is a hard one in pregnancy. Week by week until Baby is here you and him are getting bigger. Sleep is hard and uncomfortable and sometimes you’re hit with the same symptoms you had in the first trimester. Over the last few weeks I have developed a proper waddle and getting out and about has been hard. In fact I have found from about 35 weeks really hard and I’ve had some tears. I’ve written about all the hormones and emotions I’ve been feeling in pregnancy and how overwhelming they can be.
I have been uncomfortable, my bladder is not what it was, I’m waking up every two hours to pee, I’m hungry all the time, the pressure on my bladder gets a bit much, I struggle getting in and out of the bath, I’ve had pelvis pain and I’m just generally feeling a bit sorry for myself to be honest.
I know that it’s not long now and we are just a few weeks away from meeting my baby and birth will happen. I know that soon it won’t be uncomfortable movements but sleep deprivation and bleeding nipples that make me cry. But I have to say the third trimester, particularly from week 35 has been the hardest for me.
The Third Trimester Box by Baboo Box
Babboo Box are a pregnancy subscription service offering four boxes for pregnancy and post natal. Each box is suitable for each trimester and I was so grateful to receive the Third Trimester Box which is set up with products to make this tough stage of pregnancy a little easier.
Inside the box you have:
a massage roller
cooling and soothing gel for puffy ankles and legs
a wheat bag for hot/cold therapy
baby shower games and mock tail card with straw and umbrella
lip balm
Many of these items are perfect additions to your hospital bag but the cooling gel has been a particular help to me in these last few weeks where I’ve noticed some puffiness in my ankles. Extreme, severe of sudden swollen ankles and hands can be a sign of pre eclampsia and needs a conversation with your midwife however some puffiness and swelling in this late stage of pregnancy, Edema, is quite common and something I have noticed these last few weeks particularly at the end of the day. Rubbing a little of the gel around the swelling has felt amazing and I think has contributed to a better night sleep.
The wheat bag can be heated or cooled depending on your needs and is lovely to relieve any back pain. The lip balm smells amazing too and is an essential in labour, especially if you’re using gas and air.
Having this box of really lovely and useful treats in this last stage of pregnancy has been amazing!
Discomfort and Symptoms
A waddle when I walk and the need to wee every 20 minutes or so. I’ve been avoiding long walks or going places that don’t have a toilet stop on the way. We’ve also forked our for taxi and bus fares to get places that I would usually be able to walk to or had to resort to asking for lifts. At my 36 week appointment I asked for further midwife appointments to be done at my home as I was planning a Home birth anyway.
As the day goes on I’ve had some pelvic pain of which the best thing is exercise but that’s been hard to accomplish and I’ve just not felt like leaving the house. My swimming costume no longer fits and I have struggled finding a plus size maternity costume that doesn’t have a halter neck which I don’t find very supportive. I’m having to switch sides at night when sleeping and using two pregnancy support pillows for my back and legs.
The Third Trimester Hunger
Now this has been unreal I have to say. I am trying to eat little and often throughout the day and continue to drink plenty of water, raspberry red leaf tea and the occasional hot drink. I should be avoiding fizzy drinks and I’ve cut down on them but I still have either Pepsi max or lemonade at least once or twice. I’m having cereal for breakfast and then a mid morning smoothie. I’ve mostly been craving salty or savoury dishes so chicken salads with croutons and anchovies have been something to look forward to and a yoghurt. I’m hungry mid afternoon and will try and hold out until dinner around 6pm if I can by drinking more water or having another yoghurt.
The evenings though, that’s where it really gets me and twenty minutes after I’ve eaten I feel really hungry again. I don’t like drinking too much at night because I already have a really broken sleep and I’m trying to avoid eating all the junk food. I’m going to work on adding more whole grains into my evening meal and more vegetables but mostly I just feel the need to constantly eat. I have honestly not known hunger like third trimester hunger!
Am I Nesting?
I don’t think so but clutter is really annoying me and I want big open spaces. I’ve drawn into myself a lot more and I don’t really like leaving my home at this late stage of pregnancy. However this has lead to a lack of stimulation and a feeling of restlessness and boredom.
The Waiting Game
Now I just feel like I’m waiting for those first signs of labour to be honest. The show, the first period like cramps and a feeling of baby dropping lower into my pelvis. Baby is head down and has been for practically all of my third trimester of pregnancy but I’ve had no other signs so to speak. Now we are just waiting for him to arrive!
For more pregnancy content please head to my hub post which contains links to all my relevant pregnancy based blog posts. My second High Bmi Pregnancy.
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