Third Trimester Overview: Preparing for Birth and the Final Stretch

Pregnancy Podcast

Vanessa Merten

Newborn, Parent, Homebirth, Vbac, Kids & Family, Doula, Firsttimemom, Midwife, Pregnancy, Doctor, Parenting, Pregnant, Vanessamerten, Physician, Csection, Prenatalcare, Breastfeeding, Naturalbirth, Nursing, Birthcenter, Family, Baby, Hospitalbirth, Health, Obgyn, Research, Trimester, Expecting, Labor, Mom, Diet, Dad, Birth

4.5 • 948 Ratings

🗓️ 18 May 2025

⏱️ 57 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Week 28 until your baby’s birth, around 40 weeks, is the final stretch before you meet your baby. In this episode, learn everything you need to know to navigate the last months of pregnancy confidently. Your baby is undergoing critical developmental changes to prepare for life outside the womb. Meanwhile, your growing belly and added weight can bring new symptoms and physical challenges. You may feel a mix of excitement and impatience as you get closer to your due date. We will cover what to expect at your third-trimester prenatal appointments, the key to-do items to focus on, and how your partner can support you as you prepare for labor, birth, and parenthood.

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Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode.

Join Pregnancy Podcast Premium to access the entire back catalog, listen to all episodes ad-free, get a copy of the Your Birth Plan Book, and more.

Check out the 40 Weeks podcast to learn how your baby grows each week and what is happening in your body. Plus, get a heads up on what to expect at your prenatal appointments and a tip for dads and partners.

For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

Transcript

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0:00.0	You are listening to the pregnancy podcast with Vanessa Merton.
0:10.6	Hello, thank you for tuning into the pregnancy podcast. Today's episode is your overview of the
0:18.5	third trimester. We're going to talk about everything that you need to know
0:23.0	to prepare for birth and the final stretch. Week 28 until your baby's birth, which is around 40 weeks,
0:31.6	is the last stretch before you meet your baby. In this episode, learn everything you need to know to navigate the last
0:39.5	months of pregnancy confidently. Your baby is undergoing critical developmental changes to prepare
0:46.6	for life outside the womb. We'll cover those. Plus, you have a growing belly and added weight,
0:53.7	which can bring new symptoms and physical challenges.
0:57.7	You may feel a mix of excitement, maybe some impatience as you're getting closer to your due date.
1:04.4	We'll also cover what to expect at your third trimester prenatal appointments,
1:10.1	the key to do items you should focus on this trimester prenatal appointments, the key to-do items you should focus on this
1:13.2	trimester, and how your partner can support you. You can find the complete article and all of the
1:21.4	resources for this episode at Pregnancypodcast.com slash third trimester.
1:29.8	If you would like to dive deeper into any of the topics that we cover today,
1:34.8	there are plenty of in-depth episodes and helpful links in the article for this episode.
1:41.5	The third trimester is all about preparation, whether you are creating your birth plan,
1:47.5	packing your hospital bag, or thinking about how you will care for your newborn. You're currently
1:53.4	on the public feed of the podcast, which means you have access to the last year of episodes
1:59.3	and you will hear advertisements.
2:02.8	Pregnancy podcast premium members get the full library of episodes with no ads, including deep dives
2:11.0	into everything, labor interventions, birth prep, breastfeeding, postpartum recovery, and more. Check out pregnancy podcast
2:20.7	premium at pregnancy podcast.com slash premium to unlock the private ad-free podcast feed, exclusive
	...

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