Third Trimester Symptoms, Foods to Eat and Meal Plans

Among the third trimester symptoms, emotional and physical challenges kicks in. Sometimes the size and position of your baby could make it hard for you to feel comfortable in any position. On top of that you have this emotional stress as the delivery date approaches.

In this trimester you’ll experience continued development of your breasts, swelling of your feet and legs, backaches and heartburn. As your delivery date gets close, you’ll also experience Braxton Hicks contractions. They’re not actual contractions but rather a warm-up for the actual contractions.

As you go through all this, your emotional stress level is likely to be high as the anticipations and the fear of giving birth grows inside of you. At this time you can start spending time talking to your baby and prepare yourself for the due date.Try to redirect your thinking into a more constructive mode, like planning and choosing a good doctor and hospital for your child’s delivery. Remaining calm is very important. You may find it beneficial to take childbirth classes if it becomes necessary.

Third Trimester Foods To Eat

The third trimester is once again a bit hard for the expecting mum. This is the last stretch and shortly you’ll be ready to hold the baby in your hands. Remember that, during the entire pregnancy period your primary goal should be  to maintain a nutritious diet. This benefits you and the growth and development of your baby.

In third trimester you are likely to gain at least a pound each week. Your baby will show some drastic growth in size and weight within this trimester. As you near the end of the this trimester you can anticipate to weigh around 25 – 35 lbs more, before you were pregnant. Much of this weight is accounted for your baby, however some other factors like, enlarged breasts, amniotic fluids and additional body fat also count.

Bear in mind that you may not be able to eat a full meal at any given time, since your stomach is being pressed by the enlarged uterus, therefore you may try to portion your meals into smaller ones. You should consume foods that will increase your energy level, like fruits, cheese, baked beans, peanut butter, etc and supply a minimum of 1,000 mg of calcium each day.

Vitamin K is also important for childbirth and breastfeeding, and also helps the blood to clot. Examples of Vitamin K rich foods are watercress, melon, wholemeal bread, green beans, wholegrain and broccoli. Since you won’t be able to move around much, you’ll be more prone to indigestion. Therefore, cut down on spicy foods and coffee.

Third Trimester Meal Plan

The little one is growing and requires lots of nutrients. As mentioned before, it may become hard to digest three big meals in a day, and that’s why a well-balanced snacking between meals is recommended. Below are meal plans to help you get through the last trimester of your pregnancy. Click to enlarge the images.