You have now reached your third trimester. Congratulations – not long to go now! Your baby has their own pattern now for sleeping and being awake. It is also thought that baby may now be having vivid dreams when they are sleeping.

Your baby’s development

Your baby is now around 38cm long weighs just over 900g.

Their senses are well developed. They can see different shades of light through your belly, taste the sweetness of your amniotic fluid, feel touch, and hear and recognise your voice.

When you speak, your baby’s heartbeat may speed up and he or she may recognise your voice after birth.

There’s now less space for your baby to roll around. In search of a comfortable position, they’ll start to pull their arms and legs up towards their chest: the classic foetal position.

Your Body

Your digestive system may not be as efficient as usual during your third trimester. The combination of pregnancy hormones and pressure from your growing baby can lead to bloating and indigestion.

Take steps to alleviate the discomfort of indigestion:

• Eat smaller meals more often – large meals can be harder for your body to process
• Take your time eating and chew your food well
• Sit upright when you eat and for a while afterwards to take any extra pressure off your stomach
• Avoid foods that are hard for the body to digest, such as fried fatty foods, fruit juice and spicy food

Want to know more? Call us on 1800 842 098 or Live Chat now.

Please note: These pregnancy week-by-week articles, are meant to give you a general sense of the growth and development going on within you. However, it’s important to remember that every baby develops differently, even during pregnancy.