Third Trimester | 3D Animated Pregnancy Guide

The third trimester includes weeks 27 through 40 of pregnancy. The baby is considered full-term at the end of week 37. You'll gain about 0.5 kilograms a week until delivery. This trimester brings back some of the toughest early pregnancy symptoms, such as fatigue and the frequent need to pee, and introduces new ones, like Braxton Hicks contractions. I hope this series of videos will be a helpful companion through your pregnancy. The third trimester is a time of steady growth as your baby gets ready for birth. As your baby gains weight, fat is stored under the skin. This smooths your baby's skin and makes your baby look plumper. During the beginning of this trimester, you may feel plenty of kicks, squirms, flips, and hiccups. At 32 weeks, your baby has grown so much that there is much less room to move around. You can feel the difference in your baby's movements, which are like wriggles and twists. Your baby starts having regular sleep and wake cycles, and you will notice the difference in activity. You may also notice your baby responding to bright light, as well as sound. The lungs are the last major organ to finish developing, and are unique in that they are one of the only systems that stay primarily dormant until birth. Every other system, such as the cardiac system, is fully up and running, even while the baby is still in utero. A baby in the womb gets their oxygen supply from the placenta, so their lungs don't get their official test run until the moment they're born. The most important part of lung development is the production of surfactants, a mixture that coats the lungs. This helps keep the air sacs, where the oxygen exchange happens, open. As the fetus grows in size and crowds the abdominal cavity, some mothers-to-be experience difficulty taking deep breaths. However, around 36 weeks, your baby will move further down into your pelvis. You will then notice more room near your ribs, and breathing will become easier. But this also places more pressure on your bladder. You may experience Braxton-Hicks contractions, which are the tightening of the uterus muscles. They last around 30 seconds, and are more likely to occur in the afternoon or after physical activity. They are not a sign that labor has begun. In the final week of pregnancy, you may notice the release of the mucous plug that sits within the cervical canal. This is an early sign that your labor will begin soon. If you'd like to learn about the phases of labor and delivery, please watch my next video.