This Pregnant Body
Yulin, as you mark the days of your third trimester off the calendar, your body will continue to change and grow. You will gain weight more rapidly than in your first or second trimester, and your breasts will increase in size and weight - up to four times larger and heavier. By the time you deliver, your total weight gain will probably be between 25 and 35 pounds if you are carrying a single baby, 40 and 50 pounds with twins, 50 and 60 pounds with triplets, and between 65 and 80 pounds with quadruplets. Your baby needs you to gain this weight so it has plenty of nutrition to develop and grow. If you skip a meal, so does your little one. Keep in mind that your weight gain is not just the baby; about 75 percent of your new weight is due to increased bodily fluids (such as blood), the placenta, and the increased size and weight of your breasts.
Sex may be the at the bottom of your top 1000 things to do right now, but if the mood should hit sex is still on the "okay-to-do" list for you, with your doctor's approval. In an uncomplicated pregnancy, a mom-to-be can continue to have sex to the degree her changing body and the couple's creativity permits. Bleeding or contractions following intercourse may be serious signs of pre-term labor. If you have had problems with pre-term labor before, your doctor will most likely tell you to put a hold on your sex life until after your baby is born.
Your Baby
Your baby weighs approximately 2 pounds and measures about 9.6 inches from crown to rump. His or her facial features are almost fully developed and synchronizing enough that he or she may make faces that are visible on an ultrasound. Your babys skin is becoming thicker and fleshier and increasingly wrinkled, thanks to the amniotic fluid. The skin will remain wrinkled for the first month or so after birth just think about how your hands or feet look after you have been in the water for just 30 minutes! During this week, the brain continues its rapid growth, and the lungs continue to develop.
OB Appointment Week 26-29
You have just finished your second trimester of your pregnancy and you are heading for the finish line! If your doctor or midwife has special concerns about your pregnancy or if you have developed any complications such as gestational diabetes, high blood pressure, or signs of preeclampsia, you may begin to have prenatal appointments every two weeks during months seven and eight. If you are having a normal pregnancy with no complications, you will continue to see your doctor or midwife once a month up until week 30 and then most doctors and midwifes will want to see you every two weeks regardless.
Now may be the week that your doctor or midwife will take a hard look at your weight gain to make sure you keep on track. The next several weeks your baby will grow by leaps and bound and it is very easy for mom to fall into the same pattern. If you have gained a significant amount of weight already, your doctor or midwife may want to review your diet and they may refer you to a nutrionist to help you keep your weight gain under control for the duration of your pregnancy. Your doctor or midwife will most certainly want you to give an assessment of baby's movements. If there is some reason to believe that baby is not thriving, your doctor or midwife may opt to run a non-stress test (NST). This test is most often used when a pregnancy has gone past term but your doctor or midwife can use it at anytime to assess your baby's well being. The test measures the baby's heartbeat in relation to his movements. This test is risk free and painless for both mother and baby, and it can be performed in the office.
