The last month of the third trimester, the final month of pregnancy – it’s all about him, about the final stage of a long journey of 9 months in length. Now the woman is having a hard time – she is overcome by doubts about whether the birth will go well, it seems that not everything is ready for the appearance of a new family member, and the impressive size of the belly significantly limits activity. Now you need to take care of your well-being with double activity, sleep more, walk, relax, preparing for childbirth.
How to calculate due date?
This date depends on the period of fertilization of the egg, but since it is not possible to accurately determine it, the gestational age is counted from the first day of the last menstruation. According to this method, pregnancy lasts an average of 40 weeks, or 280 days. Deviations in the range of 38-42 weeks are considered normal variants.
Two ways to calculate the date of delivery by the period of menstruation:
Add to the first day of menstruation 280 days, or 10 obstetric, or 9 calendar months;
From the first day of the last menstruation, count back 3 calendar months, and then add 7 days.
With an irregular cycle, this technique does not work, in addition, a woman may not remember the date of the last menstruation. Another method for determining the term of labor is to focus on the time of the first movement of the fetus. During the first pregnancy, the onset of movements is 20 weeks, during the second and subsequent – 18 weeks. This method is not entirely accurate, since a woman’s feelings can be subjective, depending on her sensitivity and constitutional features.
When using an ultrasound scanner, the exact date of delivery is determined by examining the size of the fetus in early pregnancy – up to 12 weeks. At a later date, the parameters of the fetus may differ significantly from woman to woman.
Harbingers of childbirth at 9 months of pregnancy
During the ninth month, the uterus sinks lower, and its bottom is at the level of 32 weeks – in the middle of the distance between the navel and the xiphoid process.
A woman will definitely feel it by the following signs:
Breathing became easier;
Heartburn has decreased or gone completely;
It became easier to sit on a chair;
Urination became more frequent;
From time to time there are pains in the lower abdomen.
The last two signs are caused by the fact that the baby’s head is lower than just recently, it entered the pelvic area.
The excitability of the uterus at this time has increased markedly, it is increasingly weak and irregularly reduced. These preparatory (preliminary) contractions are accompanied by mild pain, they prepare the uterus for the upcoming labor activity. The thin line between these and real fights cannot be determined even by a specialist. Excitability of the uterus, lasting more than 1-2 days, requires treatment in a specialized department of the maternity hospital. A prolonged preliminary period is harmful to the fetus and can lead to a deterioration in its condition.
On the day of birth, or a few days before it, a mucous plug leaves the cervical canal of the cervix. This is a sign that the cervix is softening, it is ripe for labor. “Cork” consists of light mucus, sometimes it has bloody streaks.
Another sign of approaching childbirth is a decrease in body weight by 1-2 kg a couple of weeks before the expected event. This phenomenon can be explained by a change in the balance of hormones, a decrease in the amount of fluid in the body, and a decrease in appetite.
At this stage of pregnancy, almost all women have already decided on the maternity hospital in which their child will be born.
Now the following documents should always be at hand:
An exchange card of a pregnant woman with the data of the last ultrasound and fresh test results entered into it;
Insurance policy;
Passport.
Each time you leave the house, you need to take these documents with you, because in the event of the onset of childbirth, a pregnant woman who has not undergone a complete examination will be placed in the observational department of the maternity hospital or in a specialized infectious maternity hospital.
Video about preparing for childbirth, about partner childbirth, about changes in a woman’s body, lifestyle requirements:
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