Week 29

Mum

The last trimester is for slowing down. You will feel exhausted, hot and slow. You will put on more weight and your glowing looks of Trimester Two will most likely disappear. Be sure to get enough calcium (every day, approximately 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in the baby’s skeleton). You’ll also need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron.
Speak to your LMC about your birth plan: Home birth or hospital; your preference as to pain relief; water birth; induced or natural placenta delivery; whether you want your baby to be washed before being presented to you; what to do with the placenta.

Pain is a part of childbirth, both during the early stage of labour when the cervix is dilating, as well as while pushing the baby through the birthing canal. No two women will experience labour pain the same way. Everybody has a different pain threshold and their own way of coping. It is important to understand your options and remain flexible about your choices for managing your pain during labour. Some less invasive and more natural pain relief methods include birthing water pool or a warm bath, TENS machine (not to be used in water), acupuncture, massage, breathing techniques, hypnosis, acupressure, heat packs, movement, upright positions, music, aromatherapy, homeopathy. Other methods involve breathing in entonox (a mixture of nitrous oxide and oxygen, often called laughing gas), an injection of pethidine (a narcotic related to morphine), or an epidural.

It’s all right to change the birth plan at any stage during your pregnancy or labour.

Dad

More music and play lists. Ask your partner what music she’d like to listen to in labour and make sure you have it all downloaded onto her device. Chances are the whole plan will change as the actual event unfolds, but at least you’ll be ready to play DJ if required. Get some audio books while you’re at it, because the first stage of labour may take a while.

Baby

Your skeleton is hardening, your muscles are developing, your lungs are maturing and your head is growing to accommodate your brain. You are now as big as a butternut squash.