Third Trimester Pregnancy is the final stage of pregnancy, when baby gains more weight, movement usually feels stronger, and your body starts preparing for labor and delivery.
Third Trimester Pregnancy Guide: Symptoms, Baby Development, and What to Expect
This third trimester pregnancy guide explains weeks 28 to 40, baby development, common symptoms, baby movement, Braxton Hicks, prenatal appointments, labor signs, warning signs, and how to prepare for birth.
What Is Third Trimester Pregnancy?
Third trimester pregnancy is the last major stage of pregnancy. ACOG defines the third trimester as 28 weeks and 0 days through 40 weeks and 6 days. ACOG
Cleveland Clinic says the third trimester begins at 28 weeks and ends at 40 weeks or when you give birth. This stage is when provider visits may become more frequent so your healthcare team can monitor you and baby more closely. Cleveland Clinic
During third trimester pregnancy, baby continues growing, organs continue maturing, and your body may feel heavier, tighter, and more uncomfortable as delivery gets closer.
This page is for general education. It does not replace medical care. Always call your own doctor, midwife, hospital, or healthcare provider with symptoms that worry you.
Third Trimester Pregnancy Weeks
Third trimester pregnancy usually includes weeks 28 through 40. These are the final weeks before birth, and each week can bring stronger movement, more body changes, and more preparation for labor and delivery.
Some pregnancies continue past the due date. Your provider will guide you on appointments, monitoring, induction discussions, and when to call if pregnancy continues beyond 40 weeks.
- 28 Weeks Pregnant: the third trimester begins.
- 29 Weeks Pregnant: baby kicks and stretches may feel stronger.
- 30 Weeks Pregnant: baby grows and sleep may become harder.
- 31 Weeks Pregnant: fast weight gain begins for baby.
- 32 Weeks Pregnant: baby keeps growing and gaining strength.
- 33 Weeks Pregnant: movement may feel like rolls, pushes, and stretches.
- 34 Weeks Pregnant: birth prep may feel more real.
- 35 Weeks Pregnant: pressure, swelling, and tiredness may increase.
- 36 Weeks Pregnant: your provider may check baby position.
- 37 Weeks Pregnant: labor signs may become more important to watch.
- 38 Weeks Pregnant: baby may be very close to delivery.
- 39 Weeks Pregnant: many babies are considered full term.
- 40 Weeks Pregnant: your due date is here or close.
Third Trimester Pregnancy Symptoms
Third trimester pregnancy symptoms can feel stronger because baby is bigger and your body is preparing for birth.
Cleveland Clinic lists notable third trimester symptoms such as shortness of breath, false contractions, and needing to pee more often. Cleveland Clinic
Mayo Clinic says third trimester symptoms may include backaches, heartburn, constipation, Braxton Hicks contractions, shortness of breath, spider veins, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, frequent urination, and stretch marks. Mayo Clinic
- Backache, hip pain, pelvic pressure, or sore ribs.
- Heartburn, indigestion, bloating, or constipation.
- Shortness of breath or feeling winded more easily.
- Frequent urination from pressure on the bladder.
- Braxton Hicks contractions or belly tightening.
- Swelling in the feet, ankles, hands, or fingers.
- Leg cramps, trouble sleeping, or feeling hot.
- Hemorrhoids, varicose veins, or skin stretching.
- More vaginal discharge or mucus-like discharge.
- Stronger baby movement, rolls, stretches, or pressure.
Third Trimester Pregnancy Baby Development
During third trimester pregnancy, baby gains weight, organs mature, and the body gets ready for life after birth.
ACOG says the third trimester is the time when the fetus’s weight increases and the organs mature so they will be ready to function after birth. ACOG
Mayo Clinic explains that during the third trimester, baby’s eyes open, baby kicks and stretches, hair may grow, red blood cells form in the bone marrow, fast weight gain begins, and baby continues preparing for birth. Mayo Clinic
By the later third trimester, baby may settle lower in the pelvis, turn head-down, respond to sound and light, practice breathing movements, swallow amniotic fluid, sleep and wake, and move in patterns that are normal for your baby.
Third Trimester Pregnancy Baby Movement
Third trimester pregnancy movement may feel stronger, bigger, and more noticeable. Baby may kick, roll, stretch, press, wiggle, or push against your ribs, hips, bladder, or belly.
Mayo Clinic says baby’s movements likely become easier to feel as pregnancy progresses. These movements can happen along with more discomfort as baby grows. Mayo Clinic
Movement may feel different near the end because space is tighter, but baby should still move in a pattern that is normal for your baby. Do not ignore movement that is clearly reduced, weaker, stopped, or very different.
Important: Call your provider, hospital, or maternity unit right away if baby movement seems clearly reduced, weaker, stopped, or different from your baby’s normal pattern. Do not wait until the next day.
Third Trimester Pregnancy Appointments
During third trimester pregnancy, prenatal visits may become more frequent. Your provider may check your blood pressure, urine, weight, swelling, baby’s heartbeat, baby’s position, growth, and symptoms.
Cleveland Clinic says healthcare providers recommend more frequent prenatal checkups in the third trimester to monitor you and the fetus. Cleveland Clinic
ACOG says prenatal care visits can include blood pressure, weight, fundal height, fetal heart tones, urine testing, ultrasounds, blood tests, and other checks depending on the patient and pregnancy. ACOG
Your provider may also discuss glucose testing results, Group B strep testing, vaccines, baby position, kick counts, birth preferences, hospital timing, pain relief, induction, cesarean birth, and postpartum recovery.
Third Trimester Pregnancy Braxton Hicks
Braxton Hicks contractions can happen during third trimester pregnancy. They may feel like your belly tightens, gets firm, and then relaxes.
Braxton Hicks are often irregular and may ease with rest, fluids, or changing position. Labor contractions usually become stronger, longer, closer together, and harder to talk through.
Call your provider if contractions are regular, painful, getting closer together, paired with bleeding, leaking fluid, pelvic pressure, back pain, or if you are not sure whether labor has started.
Third Trimester Pregnancy Labor Signs
During third trimester pregnancy, it helps to know possible labor signs. Labor may begin with contractions, waters breaking, a bloody show, backache, cramps, pelvic pressure, or an urge to go to the bathroom.
If your waters break, fluid may come as a gush, trickle, or ongoing leaking. Call your provider for instructions, especially if fluid is green, brown, bloody, smelly, or if baby movement is reduced.
As you get closer to your due date, your provider can tell you when to go to the hospital or birth center, how to time contractions, and what symptoms mean you should call right away.
Third Trimester Pregnancy Sleep and Comfort
Sleep can get harder during third trimester pregnancy. A bigger belly, hip pain, bathroom trips, heartburn, leg cramps, baby movement, and anxiety about birth can all make rest more difficult.
Side sleeping, pillows between your knees, smaller meals at night, fluids earlier in the day, gentle stretching, and asking your provider about heartburn or leg cramps may help.
If you feel dizzy, faint, short of breath, or unwell lying flat, change positions and tell your provider.
Third Trimester Pregnancy Prep
Third trimester pregnancy is a good time to prepare for birth, baby care, and postpartum recovery. You do not need everything perfect, but having the basics ready can lower stress.
- Pack your hospital bag.
- Install or check the car seat.
- Write down provider and hospital phone numbers.
- Ask when to call or go in for contractions.
- Review labor signs and waters breaking.
- Ask about pain relief options.
- Set up a safe sleep space for baby.
- Plan postpartum help, meals, laundry, and visitors.
- Read the Labor and Delivery Guide.
Third Trimester Pregnancy Warning Signs
Most third trimester pregnancy symptoms are uncomfortable but not dangerous. Still, some symptoms need urgent care.
CDC lists urgent maternal warning signs such as headache that will not go away or gets worse, dizziness or fainting, vision changes, fever, extreme swelling of hands or face, trouble breathing, chest pain, severe nausea and vomiting, and severe belly pain that does not go away. CDC
Call your doctor, hospital, birth center, or emergency services right away for heavy bleeding, leaking fluid, green or brown fluid, baby moving less, regular painful contractions before 37 weeks, severe headache, vision changes, sudden swelling, chest pain, severe shortness of breath, fever, fainting, severe belly pain, severe vomiting, severe itching, or anything that feels seriously wrong. This page is for general education and does not replace medical care.
Third Trimester Pregnancy Summary
Third trimester pregnancy is the final stage of pregnancy, usually covering weeks 28 through 40. During this stage, baby gains weight, organs mature, movement becomes more noticeable, and your body prepares for labor and delivery.
Common third trimester pregnancy symptoms may include backache, pelvic pressure, heartburn, constipation, shortness of breath, swelling, frequent urination, Braxton Hicks, trouble sleeping, leg cramps, and stronger baby movement.
The most important third trimester pregnancy steps are to keep prenatal appointments, monitor baby movement, prepare for birth, learn labor signs, and call your provider right away for bleeding, leaking fluid, severe pain, reduced movement, severe headache, vision changes, sudden swelling, chest pain, shortness of breath, fever, or symptoms that worry you.