Once you enter the third and final trimester of pregnancy, and your baby is quickly increasing in size, fetal movement is hard to miss! Do you remember those first, butterfly-like flutters in your abdomen, and wondering whether that could be your baby kicking? Now, your baby does not just flutter; he or she kicks, boxes, twists around and even has hiccups in there! Heavy fetal movement and hiccups are the privilege of the last trimester.
Your baby is fast approaching his or her birthday! You basically have a fully-functional human being in your tummy, and in the third trimester, your baby’s “job” is just to grow and put on as much weight as possible. He or she is no longer tucked in to your abdominal cavity. When it comes to fetal movement, that means that you can often see your baby move around in your uterus from the outside! This is great for the father to be, and for friends and relatives, because they can feel and see your baby move too.
Sometimes, your baby’s kicks and punches are so vigorous that you feel sore, and are bruised. And prepare for the possibility that you will feel your baby have hiccups too, because fetal hiccups are pretty common. During this time, you might get to know your baby’s personality and their waking and sleeping patterns a bit better. Their level of activity in the womb may well reflect what your baby will be like once they are born. The third trimester is a great opportunity to bond with your baby.
When your baby is moving, try interacting by lightly prodding your tummy, or moving your hands up and down. Many baby’s reciprocate, and prod back!