You’re in the home stretch!
The third trimester begins around week 28 of pregnancy and continues until your baby is born. During these final weeks, your baby is growing and developing quickly—and your body is preparing for labor, delivery and life after birth.
It’s normal to feel excited, uncomfortable, impatient, nervous or a combination of all four.
Your Eastern Iowa Health Center Women’s Health team is here to help you understand what to expect, recognize when something may need medical attention and prepare to welcome your baby.
Your body continues to change as your baby grows.
You may experience:
Back, hip or pelvic discomfort
More frequent urination
Difficulty finding a comfortable sleeping position
Breast changes or leaking colostrum
Shortness of breath
Heartburn
Swelling in your feet or ankles
Braxton Hicks contractions
Difficulty getting comfortable
Changes in your energy level
Some discomfort is common during late pregnancy, but don’t assume every symptom is simply part of being pregnant.
If something feels different, severe or concerning, call your healthcare provider.
Prenatal appointments generally become more frequent as you get closer to your due date.
During these visits, your healthcare team may:
Check your blood pressure and weight
Monitor your baby’s growth
Check your baby’s heart rate
Discuss your baby’s movement and position
Complete recommended screenings and testing
Talk about symptoms you’re experiencing
Answer questions about labor and delivery
Help you prepare for postpartum recovery and caring for your baby
Your exact visit schedule will depend on your health and individual pregnancy.
Braxton Hicks contractions are sometimes called practice contractions.
You may feel your abdomen tighten and then relax. These contractions are often irregular and don’t become progressively stronger, longer and closer together the way labor contractions typically do.
Changing position, resting or drinking fluids may sometimes help.
If contractions become regular, increasingly painful or stronger—or you’re not sure whether you’re experiencing labor—call your healthcare provider.
Group B Streptococcus, or GBS, is a common type of bacteria that some people naturally carry without symptoms.
GBS usually isn’t harmful to the pregnant person, but it can sometimes cause serious infection in a newborn during childbirth.
Your healthcare provider will generally recommend GBS screening late in pregnancy. Testing involves taking a simple swab.
If you test positive, your healthcare team will talk with you about antibiotics during labor to help protect your baby.
Preeclampsia is a serious pregnancy complication involving high blood pressure that typically develops after 20 weeks of pregnancy.
Contact your healthcare provider promptly if you experience concerning symptoms such as:
A severe headache that doesn’t go away
Changes in vision or seeing spots
Significant swelling of your face or hands
Pain in your upper abdomen
Difficulty breathing
Other sudden or concerning changes
Some people with preeclampsia may not notice symptoms, which is one reason regular prenatal visits and blood-pressure checks are so important.
Labor that begins before 37 weeks of pregnancy is considered preterm labor.
Contact your healthcare provider if you experience possible signs of preterm labor, including:
Regular or frequent contractions
Pelvic pressure
A constant low backache
Menstrual-like cramping
Changes in vaginal discharge
Fluid leaking from the vagina
Vaginal bleeding
If you’re unsure whether what you’re experiencing is normal, call. Your healthcare team would rather hear from you and help determine what you need.
Your baby’s movements can provide important information about their well-being.
During your third trimester, begin paying attention to your baby’s usual movement patterns. Kicks aren’t the only movements that count—rolls, turns, stretches and other movements matter too.
Your provider can explain how and when they want you to monitor fetal movement.
Contact your healthcare provider promptly if your baby is moving less than usual or you notice a significant change in your baby’s normal movement pattern.
Don’t wait until your next scheduled appointment to mention decreased movement.
As your due date approaches, you may wonder whether every contraction means this is it.
Signs that labor may be beginning can include:
Contractions that become stronger, longer and closer together
Persistent lower back or abdominal discomfort
Bloody or mucus-like discharge
Your water breaking, which may feel like a gush or a slow trickle of fluid
Every labor is different.
Your Women’s Health provider will talk with you about when to call and when to go to the hospital based on your individual pregnancy and birth plan.
If you think your water has broken, have significant bleeding, notice decreased fetal movement or aren’t sure whether you’re in labor, contact your healthcare team.
Those final weeks are a good time to take care of some practical preparations.
Consider:
Packing your hospital bag
Installing your baby’s car seat
Choosing a pediatric healthcare provider
Preparing a safe place for your baby to sleep
Reviewing your insurance coverage for a breast pump
Talking with your provider about feeding plans
Making arrangements for children, pets or others who may need care while you’re at the hospital
Preparing a few easy meals for your first days at home
Gathering postpartum recovery supplies
Washing and organizing basic baby clothing and supplies
Talking with your healthcare provider about your preferences for labor and delivery
And don’t forget something equally important:
Rest when you can.
You don’t need a picture-perfect nursery to bring your baby home. Focus on the things that support a safe and healthy start for you and your baby.
Your baby will need an appropriate rear-facing car seat for the ride home.
Install the seat before your due date so you aren’t trying to figure it out while you’re in labor.
Follow the manufacturer’s instructions carefully. Your baby should remain rear-facing until they reach the highest height or weight allowed by their car-seat manufacturer.
If you’re unsure whether your car seat is installed correctly, consider having the installation checked by a trained child passenger safety technician.
Preparing for your baby is important—but so is preparing to care for you.
Your body and emotions continue changing after delivery. Your healthcare team will talk with you about:
Physical recovery
Postpartum appointments
Bleeding and healing
Breastfeeding or other feeding choices
Sleep and fatigue
Emotional and mental health
Birth control and family planning
Warning signs that require medical attention
Postpartum care is an important part of your pregnancy journey. Keep your appointments even when you’re busy caring for your new baby.
You don’t have to wait until your baby arrives to choose a pediatric provider.
Eastern Iowa Health Center’s Pediatrics team cares for children from the newborn stage through adolescence, including well-child visits, vaccinations, growth and development monitoring, sick-child care and parent support.
Learn more about EIHC Pediatrics →
Want all of this information in one place?
Eastern Iowa Health Center’s Third Trimester Guide includes information about the final weeks of pregnancy, preparing for labor, getting ready for baby, car-seat safety, postpartum care and helpful family resources.
Save it to your phone, download a copy or print it so you can refer to it as your due date approaches.
DOWNLOAD & PRINT THE THIRD TRIMESTER GUIDE
The final weeks of pregnancy can bring a lot of questions.
Bring those questions to your prenatal appointments. If something concerns you between visits, don’t wait for your next scheduled appointment to ask.
Call Eastern Iowa Health Center Women's Health at 319.730.7300.
CALL WOMEN'S HEALTH
