Wow, third trimester already – time really is flying by this second pregnancy!
This trimester was very exciting, and was very smooth sailing until around 36 weeks pregnant – and even then, it luckily wasn’t too chaotic.
Right near the end of this trimester we also celebrated a very special day – our firstborn baby’s 4th birthday! Oh how relieved we were that baby boy didn’t decide to arrive on the same day as his sister’s birthday – I don’t think that would have gone down well!
Third Trimester (Weeks 28-40+)
Symptoms:
Mild dizziness/light headedness from low blood pressure (common among pregnant women)
General tiredness
Braxton Hicks
Pelvic Girdle Pain/Symphysis Pubis Dysfunction (pain and pressure in groin, especially when walking)
Highlights:
Firstly, generally preparing for baby, getting excited and watching our daughter get excited to be a big sister. Also my pregnancy yoga classes during this trimester were such a helpful tool and also a blissful time for me to check in with my body and connect with baby.
Secondly, feeling supported by the home birth team and Birth Choices to continue to progress through my late pregnancy and into labour naturally and spontaneously, even when baby was deemed to be “overdue” (past due date). A phone call with Birth Choices when I was 41 weeks pregnant left me feeling very supported in my birth choices, the team were still going to honour and respect my choices post 42 weeks pregnant, as long as baby and myself were still appearing healthy and normal.
Also, right around my “due date”, our daughter Ada turned 4 years old. I was so pleased I was able to enjoy her family birthday celebrations with her over the weekend closest to her birthday, and take her to the cinema on her actual birthday (I was so worried baby was going to decide to arrive right then and derail Ada’s birthday celebrations). Luckily, our girl had a wonderful birthday, and baby arrived a whole two weeks later!
Lowlights:
Having a randomly high carbon monoxide reading at 36 weeks pregnant, which caused a domino effect of having to have extra checks and a consultant appointment, which came along with pressure to have a growth scan, which I personally did not feel comfortable with, due to a number of reasons.
Luckily the carbon monoxide readings returned to normal and I was able to decline the growth scan while remaining “within guidelines” and supported by the midwife team.