Family

Third Trimester Update

The third trimester did not go as expected, at all. I intended to write this post at around 36 weeks, but I never made it that far. Baby Noah was born at 34 weeks on November 1st after I went into unexpected preterm labor.

third trimester update
Third Trimester Update – Patience & Pearls

What I can remember was feeling very large during the third trimester. The second trimester was great! I didn’t even feel pregnant. The third trimester was full of pain and discomfort. I couldn’t bend over to put shoes on, and most of my shoes didn’t fit me anymore. Additionally, I was running out of comfortable clothes to wear, so I just bought me a few oversized sweaters from ThredUp just to get me through some of the chilly fall nights. I did manage to look cute when we went apple picking, but I couldn’t walk around for very long outside without getting winded.

pregnancy essentials
Third Trimester Update – Patience & Pearls

Third Trimester Symptoms

Heartburn

The heartburn was ridiculous. I thought it was bad before, but man it was terrible in the third trimester. Even water gave me heartburn. There was no food I could eat to escape it, and I was popping Tums like candy. I had to learn to accept that I was just going to be miserable until the baby was born.

Pubic Symphysis Pain

I didn’t have too much going on pain-wise until the day we went to the Post Office to pick up a bassinet that was shipped to us from our registry. My husband had gone to put the bassinet in the car (it was heavy), and I had stayed behind to check my PO Box. I was trying to cross the street to get to our car, but there were no crosswalks. A truck stopped to let me cross, and I ran/waddled across as fast as I could.

When I made it to the other side, I was in excruciating pain. I got in the car, but it took me 10 minutes to get out of the car when we got home, and forever to get up the stairs. I applied ice and rested, but I was in pain everyday until after I gave birth. That limited my ability to move and exercise during this trimester.

Eczema

I am prone to having eczema and usually only get it in cold, dry weather. It was really bad over the backs of my hands and it finally just healed a couple of weeks ago (5 months postpartum). I would usually have put steroid cream on it, but I was pregnant, and then nursing, so I just tried to moisturize as best I can.

Increased Urination

I was surprised that I didn’t have to go to the bathroom in the night as often during the second trimester, but it hit me hard in the third trimester. I went at least twice every night, but it got me mentally prepared for those middle-of-the-night feedings. Anytime we went out, I needed to find the restroom. I couldn’t go more than an hour and a half without needing to go. It was kind of inconvenient.

Third Trimester Milestones and Doctor Appointments

The only milestone I could think of was not being able to see my toes past my belly, but we did schedule an outside 3D ultrasound so that my husband could finally see the baby. He was never allowed to come with me to my ultrasound appointments because of COVID restrictions.

As for doctor appointments, although Noah was head down at my anatomy ultrasound, he flipped and was breech as I went further into the third trimester. The doctors gave me some exercises to do at home to help him turn, but he never did. I was scheduled to have an external cephalic version done at 38 weeks, but we never made it that far, and so the vaginal birth experience I was hoping for was not in the cards.

Nesting in the Third Trimester

I must have known that I was going to have him early, because I started nesting at the end of the second trimester and the beginning of the third trimester. We had all of his diapers and changing stations set up, and his newborn clothes and swaddles were washed and organized in his dresser. 

Third Trimester Update - Patience and Pearls
Third Trimester Update – Patience & Pearls

Highs & Lows

Highs

Getting closer to meeting our baby boy

Lows

Heartburn, pain

Going into labor early

Third Trimester Update – Patience & Pearls

What I’m Looking Forward To in the Third Trimester

I was looking forward to meeting and loving our baby, and finally being a mom. I just didn’t expect it to be at 34 weeks.

Patience & Pearls – Third Trimester Update – Pinterest

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