3rd Month Pregnancy Care – What To Expect, Do’s & Dont’s

You are now officially in the last month of the first trimester! The feeling sure is exciting.

The third month of pregnancy commences a rapid development of your baby. You will begin to experience some new overwhelming feelings during this time. Your body will be set to undergo major transformation! 

Get ready for a plethora of advises and suggestions from the near and dear. You are now set to announce to the world (if you haven’t done already) that you are pregnant!

[ Check: Pregnancy Due Date Calculator ]

3rd Month Pregnancy Care – What To Expect?

Here are the few things that you will have to bear in mind at the commencement of your third month:

• You will be recommended a series of medical tests to check such as your weight, blood pressure, uterus growth, baby’s heartbeat and urine.
• You will undergo a complete scan, for the first time in your pregnancy, which looks at your baby and his/her heartbeat. Get ready to be surprised and overwhelmed!
• Get mentally prepared for a number of bodily changes at the commencement of your third month.
• Make sure you talk to your gynecologist about your anxieties and fears. They are but natural, thanks to the waging hormones.

Changes In Your Body:

During this phase, your body is quickly adapting to your growing baby. Here are some of the key changes that will be happening to your body:

• If you had morning sickness before, the feeling may get intense or reduce this month. You are likely to feel dizzier and throw up more often than before.
• Make sure you speak to your doctor about the inconvenience. If you are a working woman, you will need to take special care during 3rd month of pregnancy dealing with the frequent throwing up and uneasiness.
• You may still feel dizzy while performing sudden reflexes like sitting and standing.
• The vaginal discharge might increase.
• Get ready for a gush of hormonal changes. You will experience a roller coaster ride of emotions.
• Your gums may also bleed due to the shift in hormonal balance.
• Constipation will be gradual and you may start developing hemorrhoids. Make sure you eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and foods rich in high fiber.
• You will experience a dull to heavy back ache, which is majorly caused due to the excessive leaning backwards. This happens naturally to support your baby’s weight in the front.
• Fatigue comes and stays like an unwelcome guest. You are likely to feel more tired, sleepy and exhausted than before.
• Your abdomen will continue to expand. This is also a good sign indicating that the chances of any likelihood of a miscarriage to occur are very less now.
• You will feel less nauseous by the end of the third month. The morning sickness will eventually fade out, giving in a rush of food cravings. Don’t be surprised at the kind of foods you can crave for at this point in time.
• You will slowly emerge from being tired to being fit and active by the end of the month.
• Your nipples will change too. They may appear darker and larger, in many women.
• A dark line starts to develop down the middle of your abdomen to your pubic bone. This is due to the change in hormones.
• You will start to gain weight from here on. Make sure you eat healthy during this month as some women who tend to neglect their diet now can lose weight, which is not a good sign.

[ Read: 3rd Month Of Pregnancy Diet ]

Changes In Your Baby:

Your baby will now commence the phase of rapid development. Here are some of the changes happening to your baby inside your womb as you battle the extremities outside:

• Your baby’s bones will now start to ossify or harden, forming a concrete body structure.
• Do not expect to feel your baby move yet; there is still time for that.
• Your baby’s eyes will be large and wide open, even though his eye lids will form later.
• The external ears have formed by this time.
• There is still time for your baby’s reproductive organs to form. However, the external genitalia will begin to differentiate.
• Your baby is no longer a fetus. The tail bone is now redundant, in short, it disappears.
• Your baby’s head will still be the biggest part, about 1/2 the size of the rest of the body.
• The brain cells of your baby are rapidly developing.
• Your baby will now weigh about 14 grams and be about 3.54 inches in height.
• Your baby’s heartbeat can be heard with a Doppler by the end of the third month!

 3rd Month Of Pregnancy Precautions:

You will have to make an additional effort from here on. Dealing with the sudden changes in your body is not going to be easy. However, ensuring that you are well prepared to tackle the challenges will help win the battle.

Below are some of the precautions during 3rd month of pregnancy that you have to remember while dealing with the body changes.

1. Food and Diet:

Make sure you take care of the healthy food and diet measures.

• Stay hydrated. Drink lots of water and juices. Fluids are important to combat the ongoing constipation and hemorrhoids.
• Eat fiber rich foods like fruit, vegetables and cereals.
• Have iron and folic acid rich supplements. It is always better to start these supplements before conceiving, if not done then this is the right time to begin.
• Eat balanced meals during the day. Break your meals in several servings. Consult your doctor for the same.

2. Hormonal Imbalance:

You will find yourself getting upset or over excited rather easily. You may be constantly angry, touchy or upset for no reason. Do not worry about this state. This is mainly caused due to the increased hormonal changes, a change that is beyond your control.

• Talk to your doctor about your worries and anxieties.
• Make sure you are in happy surroundings and in the company of happy people.
• Listen to some soothing melodies that will uplift your moods.
• Understand that this is just a phase that will soon pass.
• Do not brood in silence alone. Take support when necessary.

3. Dizziness And Fatigue:

You are going to be very tired during this month.

• Get plenty of rest when possible. Take short breaks if you are working.
• Sleeping while tired is okay. Do not try to battle fatigue. Surrender to it and get some sleep.
• Napping in the mid-day helps you feel much better.

[ Read: Sleeping Position During Pregnancy First Trimester ]

4. Exercise And Fitness:

Exercise and fitness is an absolute must.

• Make sure your do your physical exercises under the supervision of a trained professional.
• Yoga and meditation will help you control your thoughts.

5. Personal hygiene:

You will start having more vaginal discharge than before.

• Make sure that you keep your vaginal area clean and dry all times.
• Maintaining a good hygiene will reduce the chances of yeast and bacterial infections.

Don’t:

Here is a list of things you should avoid during 3rd month of pregnancy care:

• Do not lift heavy objects; this will put pressure on your womb.
• Do not eat spicy and oily foods. Unhealthy food increases your nausea, indigestion and gas.
• Do not indulge in stressful activities that can be dangerous for your baby.
• Avoid tight clothing as this causes more discomfort to a growing bump.
• This is the time to bid goodbye to heels. Make sure that you wear comfortable flat footwear.
• Smoking is an absolute NO. If you were a smoker before, it is indeed time to bid tobacco a fond goodbye.
• Limit your coffee intake as much as possible.
• Say no to drugs and alcohol. Whatever you consume or inhale directly impacts your baby’s development.

Some Tests:

Your doctor will also recommend further screenings and tests such as Nuchal Translucency Measurement Test, First Trimester Combined Screening, Integrated Prenatal Screening, etc. These tests may be suggested to rule out any birth defects or pre natal issues, where applicable.

Emotional Changes and Depression:

This will perhaps be the biggest challenge for you this month. The increased shift in the hormones will make you experience the following:

• Feeling out of control.
• Unexplained crying.
• Feelings of loneliness, sadness, anger, despair, etc.
• Disturbance in sleep pattern.
• Loss of sexual appetite.
• Lack of self-esteem as your abdomen starts to look larger.
• Unknown fears and apprehensions.
• Change in the way you behave with the people around you.

Understand that these are absolutely normal during pregnancy. Keeping a calm mind, talking to your doctor or any support group, helps you cope with some of the emotional turmoil. Talk to your partner constantly about what you are going through. Getting plenty of rest is a key measure to rule out further stress in the form of fatigue.

You will have to battle the discomforts of your body changes, but remember that there will be more moments of joy and excitement than those of moodiness and sorrow.

Experience your pregnancy with more positive outlook as this is the beginning of a very memorable journey to come in the next two trimesters. All the best!

Don’t forget to share your 3rd month pregnancy care experiences with us.

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