You need to know what not to do in your 3rd trimester of pregnancy because you have a better chance of having a safe and smooth delivery and a healthy baby when you know what to avoid.
Pregnancy is not like every other time in life when you may take no conscious thought of what you do. Now, you have to be extra careful in with what you eat, your lifestyle, the things you inhale, and what you do.
There are many precautions because what you do or do not do has consequences on you and your little one.
A little slip-up on your part may cause severe damage to your unborn child. As little as drinking unpasteurized milk or juice or even eating food outdoors may pose a risk to your unborn child.
When you do these things, you could be infected with toxins that pose a risk to your health and that of the fetus; hence you have to be extra careful. Let’s see some precautions in the third trimester.
What Precautions Should Be Taken In The 3rd Trimester?
The following precautions should be held close to the heart and be taken during 3rd trimester of pregnancy.
1. Avoid uncontaminated drinking water.
2. Do not sleep on your back.
3. Avoid over-exhaustion.
4. Take note of any danger signs of pregnancy (Like bleeding, contractions, and pains).
5. Exercise in moderation and skip the high-impact exercises.
6. Do not change cat litter boxes.
7. Do not smoke and avoid secondary exposure to smoke.
8. Avoid drugs without a doctor’s prescription.
Foods To Avoid During The Third Trimester
The following is a list of foods to avoid during the third trimester and any trimester.
1. Fish with high mercury contents like swordfish, mackerel, and shark.
2. Unpasteurized milk.
3. Unpasteurized juices.
4. Alcohol.
5. Caffeinated products.
6. Deli meat.
7. Hot dogs.
8. Raw sprouts.
9. Unwashed or improperly cooked foods.
10. Sushi.
11. Sugary drinks and more.
Read the article on foods to avoid during pregnancy here for a more comprehensive list of foods to avoid and know why these foods are unsafe.
Does Bending Over Hurt Your Baby?
Many women always seem to be confused and then ask this question can bend over hurt the baby? The answer is No.
Doctors say bending over would not hurt the baby if you bend over correctly (squatting to bend rather than bending at one’s spine).
But, it is also worth noting that excessive bending (bending about 20 times a day or even more) can put physical exertion on the bump and pose a risk of miscarriage.
So, though bending down may not affect the baby, it is discomforting and unwise to do it every time because it can pose a risk.
What Should You Not Do In Late Pregnancy?
In this section, we emphasize all the things you need to stop doing in your third trimester to have a smooth delivery experience. We will discuss these in details below.
1. Heavy Lifting
Heavy lifting is what not to do in your 3rd trimester. Why is this? Because it could put a severe strain on the lower back and put pressure on the baby bump.
You may reason I do not feel burdened when I carry groceries from the store or pick up my 4 years toddler.
Or, I have been carrying heavy pieces of stuff throughout pregnancy, and it didn’t cause any harm, so why stop now?
Whether you have been doing it before or feel strong enough, and you have done it in your first and second trimesters, now is the best time to stop.
If you have a young and clingy toddler who always wants you to carry them, make him understand that mummy already has much weight on her baby bump and cannot carry him much for now.
Your husband, his older siblings, or relatives can help out this time. Heavy lifting must be stopped in the 3rd trimester; to avoid unnecessary risks like bleeding and preterm labor.
2. Overeating
Eating more than necessary is something that most pregnant women are guilty of. When you finally see that meal you have been craving for, you become so tempted to eat and eat and become overfull.
Please don’t blame yourself, because sometimes you can’t help it; instead, blame it on the hormones. The cravings increase much more in the 3rd trimester.
Their need for food increases because the baby grows rapidly and accumulates more fat.
While it is good to eat, you need to take caution so that you do not overeat and gain excess and unnecessary weight for yourself and the baby. So, do not eat everything you see because you are eating for two.
Instead, find ways to manage your cravings. In the post, how to have a belly-only pregnancy, I have listed valuable tips to control cravings during pregnancy. You can read it here.
Eating food in smaller portions, not waiting till you start starving, and eating regularly but in smaller amounts, instead of large meals three times a day, can help you manage pregnancy cravings and eat better during pregnancy.
What risk does overeating pose to you and your unborn child? Birth complications like the risk of a C-section, back and body aches, constipation, heartburn, and gestational diabetes.
It also adds increased congenital disabilities, risk of birth injury, and so many others you would want to check out. Since overeating poses a severe threat to you and the unborn child, it is what not to do in your 3rd trimester.
3. High Heels
If you are a fashionista, you would want to slay all through your pregnancy till delivery. Be free to do you, as long as it doesn’t pose a risk to your health and your unborn child.
If you are used to wearing high-heeled shoes, at some point in your pregnancy, you will need to rethink and stop it.
You may not notice any difference in your first trimester as the fetus is relatively still young, and you won’t start feeling the weight. But by the 2nd and 3rd trimesters, the weight becomes more noticeable.
As cute as your baby bump makes you look, the baby’s weight does put extra strain on your back, waist, and legs because the weight distribution is uneven.
Since weight distribution is unequal, wearing high heels in the second and especially 3rd trimester will make you very unbalanced.
To walk, you will have to be quite careful so you do not slip. High-heeled shoes also put excessive strain on your feet and make you very uncomfortable.
I know some women are used to high heels, but I bet you the pains in your feet, back, and waist after one or two rounds of wearing high heels in pregnancy will make you think twice.
Imagine facing the extra weight of the baby and dealing with all the 3rd-trimester symptoms of pregnancy together than trying to walk carefully with a high-heeled shoe.
It wouldn’t be so easy because you would feel uncomfortable clumsy or even dizzy.
Trust me; you wouldn’t be able to keep up for long because you would be unbalanced, tired, and cranky and you may slip, which is super risky because you may fall, and it may affect the baby.
To avoid all this, wearing high heels is what not to do in your 3rd trimester of pregnancy. Instead of high heels, opt for shoes that can balance your weight, are not too tight, and are comfortable.
4. Heavy And Intense Exercise
The emphasis is on the word “heavy and intense”. Exercises are suitable for pregnancy, but it isn’t advisable when it becomes too intense.
Mild exercise are ideal for pregnancy because they help flex and loosen the muscles; it also helps strengthen the muscles (This is very helpful for you during labor).
Exercises help to stimulate activity in the fetus, which is a good sign that your baby is healthy in the womb. Exercise is also super helpful to keep you fit, so you stay that you stay within the ideal weight in pregnancy.
However, extreme and intense exercises like weight lifting, biking, bungee jumping, skipping, etc., can make you balance, dizzy and clumsy. They can also put too much pressure on the baby bump.
Extreme exercises can also cause unnecessary exertion, body hotness, heart palpations, breathlessness, severe aches, increased risk of miscarriage, preterm labor, etc.
Instead of extreme exercises, try out some of these great exercises suitable for pregnancy; prenatal yoga, walking, lap-swimming, Pilates, cycling on a stationary bike, wall pushups, etc. These exercises will help a lot during labor.
5. Traveling At High Altitudes
It is what not to do during your 3rd trimester of pregnancy because it poses a risk to you and your unborn child. You will experience more discomfort this time because the oxygen level decreases at higher altitudes.
It can cause a reduction in oxygen levels for you and the unborn child. It can also cause increased swelling of the legs due to fluid retention.
Motion sickness is very common and can make pregnant women feel uncomfortable, sick, weak, and even throw up. It can also cause a blocked nose.
DVT, Deep Vein Thrombosis, is a blood clot in the legs or pelvis. The risk of developing DVT is higher in pregnant women, especially when they sit for a prolonged period and take long-distance flights.
The best time to travel is before the 37th week of pregnancy.
To avoid these unnecessary risks, most airline companies do not allow pregnant women to board a plane after the 37th week of pregnancy because there may be spontaneous labor and the many other risks listed above.
Plan before the third trimester if you have to travel during your pregnancy. If you intend to go on a long-distance journey, you may need to book shorter flights instead of one long flight to avoid discomfort.
Your doctor or midwife should be aware of your journey plans (this is especially important for women with complications in pregnancy).
Wearing loose-fitting clothes, sipping water, and avoiding tight shoes, caffeine, and other fizzy drinks will help reduce discomfort while travelling on a flight when pregnant.
You can also wear elastic socks of the appropriate size to reduce oedema.
6. Sleeping On Your Back
When you start growing a baby bump, it is important to start changing your sleeping position to accommodate your growing belly bump and to avoid health risks for your baby.
What risk can sleep put on your baby during the 3rd trimester? It can put extra pressure on the baby’s bump, discomforting the fetus.
Research has shown that lying in the supine position after the 20th week of pregnancy can compress the Vena cava, a major blood vessel in the body.
The weight of the uterus can compress this blood vessel and disrupt the flow of blood to your baby. It can also cause dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath, etc.
If you are used to sleeping at the back, try adjusting your sleeping position before the 20th week of pregnancy to get used to it for the third trimester.
Using body pillows as support will help you lie on your left side – the ideal position for sleeping in your third trimester. If you do not have a body pillow, you can use several pillows in your home.
Place one pillow between your knee and your hips to balance the weight, and, very importantly, use a firm mattress to sleep. It would make sleeping easier and help relieve the pain.
For more safe sleeping positions for pregnant women, read about how to sleep without hurting your baby in the link provided here.
7. Changing Litter Boxes
This is considered what not to do in your 3rd trimester of pregnancy because you risk toxoplasmosis infection, which can be harmful to the unborn child.
Cat poop contain a toxin that causes toxoplasmosis infection. This infection can affect the unborn child.
Even if you carry out precautions like wearing a mask, gloves, and protective clothes to clean cat boxes, it is safer to avoid changing litter boxes when pregnant.
Instead of you doing this, let your significant other or other family members help out during this period if there is a cat in the home.
If you get infected with toxoplasmosis when pregnant, it can cause illness in the mother.
The infection can also be transferred to the baby, causing congenital disabilities like brain damage, congenital disabilities, etc.
Though this infection can be treated, it is better to avoid having it so it doesn’t lead to serious risk.
Some important tips when dealing with a cat during pregnancy are
- Washing your hands after holding cats
- Avoiding eating raw or undercooked foods to prevent the transfer of toxoplasmosis
- Covering up your food
- Properly cleaning any food eaten raw thoroughly
- Covering drinking water.
8. Excessive Work Schedule
While I was super lazy during my pregnancy, I did see some women who worked like they were running a marathon. They were always up and about and seemed not to get tired.
Truly, I admired those women then, but what could I do? I knew that every woman’s pregnancy is different and accepted mine the way it was.
Being active during pregnancy is a great plus for you and your baby. It helps you keep fit, stretches your muscles, and keeps your baby active too.
However, you should not overwork yourself because you want to be active. When you overcrowd your schedule with too much work and do not give time for proper rest, you are doing things wrongly.
Having a very hectic work schedule, like working long hours in the office and coming home to start cooking, taking care of the kids, cleaning the house with only a few hours at night for rest will stress you.
It can lead to weakness of the body, sore muscles, shortness of breath, increased blood pressure, lack of appetite, irritability, sleep disorders and lowered immune system.
So even if you feel up to it and have the energy to take the whole world, do not push yourself too hard. After working for a while, have time for rest. Do not include only work in your schedule.
Do other things; hang out with friends, pamper yourself, go for a massage, or do anything you feel will relax your nerves. Your body is working full-time. So it deserves it.
9. Eating Those Foods Unsafe In Pregnancy:
Pregnancy is a time to try out different kinds of soups, stews, and dishes. It is also a time when you have increased cravings for food. Y
ou should eat well, but you should, however, watch out for those foods/drink that poses a risk to your little one. Alcohol is one such high-risk food.
Taking alcohol is what not to do in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, in fact, the whole trimester of pregnancy.
You may have tried to avoid taking the glass for the first and second trimesters, and now, you feel that one or two glasses wouldn’t hurt. Well, never say never, as alcohol can pose risks of preterm labor.
Other foods that can pose a threat are raw or partially cooked eggs, deli meat, shellfish, unpasteurized cheeses, unwashed vegetables, unpasteurized milk, and fruit juices.
These may contain bacteria and other toxins that can endanger your health and the health of your little one. Reduce the intake of drinks like coffee and other caffeinated beverages to the barest minimum.
Instead, you can make smoothies or fresh juices. Skip out sugary beverages, junk foods, and snacks as much as possible from your diet. Take only wholesome meals with all six classes of nutrients in the right amount.
10. Constantly Exposing Yourself To Toxins
This is important on what not to do during the 3rd trimester of pregnancy, or any trimester of pregnancy for that matter, because it is dangerous for your health and that of your baby.
Inhaling the toxic fumes of a car every time can cause carbon monoxide poisoning.
Inhaling fuel fumes, toxic chemicals in paints, insecticide sprays, bug sprays, fertilizers, etc., is harmful on a regular day, and for a pregnant woman, the risks increase.
It affects the flow of oxygen from the mother to the fetus. Some toxins can cross the placental barrier and get directly to the fetus. If inhaled, it could cause congenital problems and preterm labor.
It may seem safer to use a mask or shield if you have to paint (maybe your baby’s nursery) or you have a job that exposes you to fuel fumes or fumes from other chemicals.
However, it is wiser to avoid all these fumes.
Conclusion
These are the things you should do your best to avoid in the third trimester of pregnancy to have a smooth delivery process and avoid birth complications.
If you can adhere to these, you are sure to have a lesser-risk pregnancy and a healthy baby and mother. I hope you found these tips helpful.
Don’t forget to share to expectant moms!
