Our Baby JourneyThird trimester of pregnancy
The third trimester runs from week 28 until birth, usually around week 40. Your baby gains most of their weight, their lungs mature, and your body prepares for labor.
Your baby in the third trimester
Your baby puts on fat, their brain grows rapidly and their lungs mature. Most babies turn head-down by about week 36. A baby born from week 37 is considered term, and most babies are born between weeks 37 and 42.
Common symptoms
- Shortness of breath as your uterus presses up on your diaphragm
- Braxton Hicks (practice) contractions
- Swelling of the feet and ankles
- Trouble sleeping and getting comfortable
- Pelvic pressure and pain
- Needing to urinate more often again
- Heartburn and back ache
Checkups and things to do
- Appointments become more frequent, often every two weeks and then weekly from week 36.
- Get to know your baby's pattern of movements and contact your maternity unit straight away if movements slow down or change.
- Pack your hospital bag and make a plan for getting to the hospital or birth center.
- Learn the signs of labor and when to call your midwife or doctor.
- Some countries test for group B strep around weeks 36 to 37.
- Talk to your healthcare provider about your birth preferences and pain relief options.
Timing of scans, tests and vaccines differs between countries, so follow the schedule your healthcare provider gives you.
When to call your doctor or midwife
Contact your healthcare provider or maternity unit straight away, or get emergency care, if you have:
- Vaginal bleeding
- Severe or persistent abdominal pain or cramping
- A severe headache, blurred vision, or sudden swelling of your face, hands or feet
- A fever of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher
- Fluid leaking from your vagina
- Severe vomiting where you cannot keep fluids down
- Your baby moving less than usual or a change in their pattern of movements (later in pregnancy)
- Regular contractions before 37 weeks
- Pain or burning when you urinate
- Feeling very low, anxious, or having thoughts of harming yourself
Week by week
- 🍆 Week 28
- 🎃 Week 29
- 🥒 Week 30
- 🥥 Week 31
- 🎃 Week 32
- 🍍 Week 33
- 🍈 Week 34
- 🍈 Week 35
- 🥬 Week 36
- 🥬 Week 37
- 🥬 Week 38
- 🍉 Week 39
- 🎃 Week 40
General educational information only, not a substitute for advice from your doctor or midwife. 2026-11-07. See our medical disclaimer.