The Tribune

By Bianca Carter

WHEW, you made it to the third and final leg of your pregnancy. Can’t say that it’s easy, but I promise, it’s worth it.

I would agree, the first trimester is not so fun with the morning sickness and fatigue, second trimester is probably the best, lots of energy and you feel like you can do it, right?

Third trimester, well, that’s when you start counting down the days until you see your baby. You’re probably not that comfortable at this point.

All the swelling, back aches, fatigue, swollen feet, heavy bladder, sore ribs, and you may find it difficult to sleep because no matter which angle, nothing’s really comfortable, is it?

If this sounds like you, you deserve a giant hug right now. Unfortunately, there’s not really a way around all the swelling and discomfort (ugh!), but there are a few things you can try to get some relief.

If you’re a working mama, you may realise that your feet have seen better days. If you’re lucky enough to still be wearing heels at this point, you’re not the norm. Most women have to resort to flats so that they can find some relief for all of the swelling. Elevation is going to be your best friend when it comes to reducing the swelling. Try taking a warm bath after work to relax you and then make sure you prop your feet up on pillows in the evening.

You may be feeling tired and fatigued, but somehow sleep doesn’t really help because you can’t get comfortable in any position. And if you are still struggling with heartburn, lying down is going to make it worse. If you don’t have a full body pillow, you’re going to need to use a few extra pillows to help support you.

Prop your head up a little higher if you are suffering from heartburn. This is challenging given that you are supposed to be sleeping on your left side, not your back. Try putting a pillow between your legs to ease the pressure off of your hips and back and to support your belly. You should place a pillow under your stomach, it will alleviate the pressure from the heavy weight. You may also want to try putting a hot water bottle on your lower back for a few minutes; this will help with the pain.

In the end, the hardest part of any race is always the final lap; you just have to keep going. It will be over soon and your reward will be holding your beautiful new baby.

Love & hugs!

• Bianca Carter is a certified lactation counsellor (CLC), founder of Bun in the Oven, and weekend radio personality on Y98 radio. For more information, email her at info@babybunintheoven.com, or bcarter@tribunemedia.net. Follow BITO on Facebook at babybunintheoven, and check out the BITO blog every Monday and Thursday at www.babybunintheoven.com.