A Tale of Three Trimesters - EditPro-Services

neck, upper chest or arms, especially if you have fair skin. Varicose
veins — blue or reddish lines beneath the surface of the skin — also
may appear, usually in your legs. Hemorrhoids are varicose veins in
your rectum that may itch, swell or hurt. If the veins in your legs
cause pain, stay off your feet if possible and elevate your legs. To
stave off hemorrhoids, eat plenty of fiber and drink water to prevent
constipation.
Frequent urination. As your baby moves deeper into your pelvis,
you'll feel more pressure on your bladder. You may find yourself
needing to visit the bathroom even more often than before. This
extra pressure may also cause you to leak urine — especially when
you laugh, cough or sneeze. Be alert to the signs of a urinary tract
infection, such as painful urination, fever, abdominal pain or
backache. An untreated urinary tract infection can trigger
premature labor.
Braxton Hicks contractions. This is the name for the “warm-up”
contractions you will start to feel during your third trimester. They
are not extremely painful, and will come and go unpredictably.
Braxton Hicks contractions are not regular, like those of true labor.
If you’re really in labor, your contractions will become increasingly
strong, and will come at regular intervals.
Vaginal discharge. It’s quite normal to have vaginal discharge near
the end of your term, but if it suddenly becomes heavy, contact
your doctor. A large, sudden watery discharge could be amniotic
fluid, possibly signaling the beginning of labor.
Adapting Exercise to Your Changing Body
As long as you’re not at risk for delivering a preterm baby, exercise is
safe in the third trimester. But if you’re used to doing moderate or high
impact exercise, ask your doctor or midwife whether you should
continue your routine. Avoid lifting heavy weights, as they can put too
much stress on tendons and ligaments, which become more relaxed
the closer you get to your due date.
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