Caring For Yourself
Be sure to continue to visit your health care provider, and ask him or her to answer your questions and address your concerns about labor and delivery. As the birth of your baby gets closer, you and your health care provider will discuss what kind of delivery you will have. Some women need to have a cesarean section (c-section), in which a surgical incision is made in the abdomen and uterus to remove the baby. If you are able to plan on a non-surgical, vaginal birth, you may want to have your baby naturally, without medications, and you may want to take a childbirth class. A lot of women find childbirth classes very helpful, even if they have already had a baby. And, women also bring their partners or a friend or relative to these classes, mainly if this person will be with them to offer support and coaching during the birth of their baby.
it is helpful to know that only five% of babies are actually born on their due dates. This is very normal and does not mean anything is wrong. Sometimes, though, there are problems or your health care provider has concerns about the baby's and/or your health, and labor needs to be induced. Inducing labor means that your health care provider will start your labor through artificial means. Most health care providers will wait one to two weeks after a woman's due date before considering inducing. There are other reasons why a woman might need to have labor induced. She might have a chronic illness like high blood pressure or diabetes that threatens the health of the baby, or the baby might not be growing or thriving in the uterus. Sometimes, the uterus can become unhealthy for the baby. A woman also might have the membranes that surround the fetus rupture (or have her "water break") without going into labor naturally within a reasonable amount of time. Labor can be induced during a vaginal exam - your health care provider might rupture or strip the membranes surrounding the fetus or insert a gel or suppository containing a hormone to stimulate contractions. A drug called Pitocin can also be given intravenously (put into your body through a vein in your arm or hand) to start contractions.
If you haven't thought about whether you will breastfeed or bottle feed your baby, this is the time to learn more about both, and make a decision about what you plan to do. Breastfeeding has A lot of more advantages over formula for your health and your baby's health. But it is best to discuss it with your health care provider, and then make a decision that is right for you. Click here to learn more about the benefits of breastfeeding , how to make it work best for you, and for tips on breastfeeding after returning to work.
Before your due date, make sure to talk with your health care provider about how to reach him or her if you go into labor. it is also helpful to be familiar with the hospital or birthing center, where you should park, and where to check in ahead of time. Know that sometimes you can think you're in labor, but really are not (called false labor). This happens to A lot of, A lot of women, so don't feel embarrassed if you go the hospital certain that you are in labor, only to be sent home! it is always better to be seen by a health care provider as soon as possible once labor has begun. Here are the signs of true labor:
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Contractions at regular and increasingly shorter intervals that also become stronger in intensity.
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Lower back pain that doesn't go away. You might also feel premenstrual and crampy.
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Your water breaks (can be a large gush or a continuous trickle) and you have contractions.
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A bloody (brownish or blood-tinged) mucous discharge. This is the mucous plug that blocks the cervix. Labor could be at any time, or days away.
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Your cervix is dilating (opening up) and becoming thinner and softer (also called effacement). During a pelvic exam, your health care provider will be able to tell if these things are happening.
Make sure to continue for these last three months the healthy behaviors that you learned in your first trimester . A lot of pregnant women feel great in their last trimester and still have lots of energy. But, your energy may lessen as you enter your 9 th month and you may begin to slow down. This is completely normal. it is important to get enough rest now, even though it might seem difficult to sleep as you get larger. Your baby's stretching movements, having to urinate often, and an increase in your body's metabolism might interrupt or disturb your sleep. And, if you are having any leg cramping, this can affect your sleep as well. You might have a better night's sleep if you try to avoid eating large meals three hours before going to bed. You can also try some mild exercise like walking, which can help relieve stress and may improve sleep. Avoid long naps during the day. If you can't sleep because you are anxious about becoming a mother or about your labor and delivery, try talking with your partner or friends who've been through this before. You can also talk with your health care provider.
Everyone gains weight at different rates, but on average, it is normal to gain about one pound per week, or three to four pounds per month, during this trimester. By the end of your pregnancy you should have gained, on average, about 25 to 30 pounds. About 7 1/2 pounds of that weight should be the baby.
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