36 Weeks Pregnant: What to Expect in Your Third Trimester
My third trimester was a wild roller coaster, full of highs and lows. There were moments where I was having fun, and wanted to keep enjoying the ride. Then there were a few points where I thought I couldn’t take it anymore, and needed to get off the ride immediately! Needless to say, I made it through successfully…but not without many lessons learned.
As my due date approached, my smooth and easy going pregnancy journey began to shift. Stepping on the scale, seeing 203lbs, was a bit nerve wracking because it was the highest number I’d ever seen. Of course I had always heard of the infamous “pregnancy week 36 weight gain”, but experiencing it first hand was….uncomfortable….to say the least.
There were also a few physical symptoms that I’d never gone through before. For example, I would be walking around the house or just standing in one place, and feel a sudden excruciating pain surge through my inner thigh and down my leg. (Imagine a charlie horse to the 10th POWER, lasting anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes!) One time it got so bad, all I could do was lay on the floor and try to breathe through my crying. If that wasn’t already tough enough, my right ankle would randomly swell up to the point where I’d be limping and have to sit down and keep it elevated. This was hard for me, because I stayed very active throughout my first and second trimesters. I wasn’t ready to “Just have a seat”, as my husband would often encourage me to do.
My fluid levels were low, no matter how much water I drank to stay hydrated. This brought on a wave of guilt, because I thought it was somehow my fault. Even after my doctor and doula both reassured me that I was doing all the right things, I just couldn’t help but feel like I was doing something wrong, or not doing enough.
Before pregnancy, I never dealt with Acid Reflux. When Week 36 began, I started getting heart burn way more frequently. This was very frustrating, because I enjoy spicy and flavorful foods. I gave all of that up, in an attempt to subdue the fiery feeling in my chest. Unfortunately, that didn’t relieve me of the symptom. Eventually, I just started carrying those mini packs of Tums everywhere I went! I considered them an after meal mint.
Lastly, my sleep pattern was all over the place, because I was so uncomfortable. Although your baby isn’t considered to be “full-term” until Week 39, mine was already positioned with her head down and feet up. She was more active than ever, constantly leaning on my bladder, and it sometimes felt like she was kicking and punching all of my organs. My husband and I would joke about her being our tiny little boxer, because it always felt like a rumble going on in my womb. There were some nights where I would just stare into the dark, toss and turn for hours, not falling asleep until the sun was coming up. The fatigue was real!
Despite the constant cycle of high and lows, I managed to still exude happiness, because I was so grateful to be growing a life inside of me for the very first time. Throughout all of my discomfort, thinking of myself as a vessel for our little blessing, brought me peace of mind. I knew that the pain I was going through was temporary, and the joy of motherhood would last me a lifetime! In the end, that was my biggest lesson, along with learning how to give myself grace. There was no use in being so hard on myself, when it came to symptoms that were simply out of my control. That’s where I went wrong. I let my emotions and fear take over, not simply seeing my symptoms as common side effects of carrying a baby.
Prior to pregnancy, I always equated getting a charlie horse or any cramp, to “Oh I must not have drank enough water today.” However, when it comes to pregnancy, basic hydration isn’t the same as amniotic fluid levels. Amniotic fluid helps keep the baby safe inside the amniotic sac, so that they can move around and also get their nutrients. The amount of this fluid that mothers produce increases throughout every week of pregnancy, until its peak around Week 36. After that, the levels of amniotic fluid will start to decrease. This is normal but for some women, like myself, the fluid drops too low, which can cause concern for delivery. This is why I was so hard on myself, thinking I could control how much fluid retention, when in reality I could not. The truth is, my body was doing the best it could to carry my baby to the finish line, and now that I am on the other side, I can see how paranoid I really was. My advice to any mom who may have fears of various pregnancy symptoms is to stick to the facts…not feelings.
Try not to dwell on the possibilities of what may go wrong, or what you may not be doing well enough. Talk to your healthcare provider, and get professional feedback on your concerns. From there, push yourself to make any necessary changes that were advised -or- if you are doing all the right things, then believe in that. Don’t doubt yourself. Your body is performing a miracle, with each day of your pregnancy. Give yourself grace, and let go of your fears as much as you can. Speak positively about your body, even in moments where you are not the most comfortable or confident. Cherish your final few weeks of your journey, and be proud knowing that you have made it so far in your journey. You are so close to the finish line, and your baby can’t wait to meet you! Remember, it truly takes a village to raise -not only our babies- but US! Be sure to explore more of our pregnancy and newborn content as you prepare for your Baby’s arrival, here.
