By the time the third trimester arrives, you have been pregnant for a good while, and it shows. The bump is real now. The nights are getting more awkward. And somewhere underneath the tiredness is a growing flutter of anticipation, because the finish line, and your baby, are finally within sight.

These last weeks, from around twenty-eight weeks to birth, ask a great deal of your body. Your baby is growing quickly and getting ready to meet you, and you are doing the quiet, enormous work of carrying them there. So let’s talk about how to look after yourself through it, gently and without adding one more thing to your endless list.

What is happening in these final weeks

It helps to understand what is actually going on in there. In these final weeks your baby is laying down fat, their lungs and brain are maturing, and they are gradually shifting down into position for birth. As they grow and there is less room to spare, you might find yourself breathless walking up the stairs, suddenly aware of your changed centre of gravity, and feeling more pressure low in your pelvis. You may notice Braxton Hicks too, those practice tightenings that come and go. All of it is normal. All of it is your body preparing, exactly as it should.

Nourishing you and your baby

Your nutritional needs are at their highest now, but this has never meant eating for two. It means eating well for you both, and a few nutrients deserve a little extra attention. Iron becomes especially important as your blood volume peaks and your baby builds their own stores, so lean into lentils, leafy greens, red meat and pumpkin seeds, with some vitamin C alongside to help you absorb it. Calcium supports your baby’s fast-developing bones, and you will find it in dairy, fortified plant milks, tinned fish with the bones, and greens. The omega-3 fat known as DHA supports your baby’s brain and eyes in these final weeks, so oily fish a couple of times a week, or a supplement if fish is not for you, is well worth it. And steady protein and plenty of fibre will help with both your energy and the sluggish digestion that so often turns up now.

Easing the common aches

Then there are the aches, because the third trimester does tend to come with a few. Heartburn is one of the most common, and it often eases with smaller meals, staying upright for a while after eating, and going gently on very rich or spicy food. Swelling in the feet and ankles is helped by hydration, gentle movement and putting your feet up whenever you can. For the back and pelvic aches, gentle movement and good support when you sit make a real difference, and a pillow tucked between your knees at night can be a small revelation. Sleep, admittedly, becomes something of an art form. Side-sleeping with plenty of pillows is your friend, and while the broken nights are frustrating, they are also completely normal, and not a sign anything is wrong.

All of it is normal. All of it is your body preparing, exactly as it should.

Gentle movement and preparing for birth

Movement stays wonderful right up until the end, as long as it feels good. Walking, swimming, prenatal yoga and gentle stretching all ease tension, support your circulation and can even help your baby settle into a good position for birth. Many women find that gentle hip and pelvic openers feel especially welcome in these final weeks.

This is also the season of nesting, that funny, powerful urge to wash tiny clothes and organise drawers you had forgotten you owned. Let it be a pleasure rather than a pressure. And while you are getting ready, spare a gentle thought for the weeks that come after birth. Preparing even a little now, a few nourishing meals tucked into the freezer, a rough sense of who might bring you food or hold the baby while you shower, gives you a far softer landing once your little one arrives.

Be gentle with yourself

Above all, let yourself feel however you feel. The end of pregnancy is a strange, tender mix of impatience and nerves and wonder. Some days you will feel radiant. Some days you will feel enormous and exhausted and a bit weepy, and both are completely allowed. You are doing something remarkable. Rest when you can, eat kindly, and know that you do not have to have any of it perfectly figured out.

Written by

Brydee Thomas

Holistic health coach and founder of Radiant Bloom, supporting women through trying to conceive, pregnancy and the postpartum months. Evidence-based guidance, no programmes and no generic plans.