Week 27: Pregnancy Week by Week

Week 27: Third Trimester Diagnostic Tests

The human animal needs a privacy seldom mentioned, freedom from intrusion. He needs a little privacy as much as he wants understanding or vitamins or exercise or praise.

-Phyllis McGinley

What's Happening in Your Body?

Gum swelling and bleeding is not uncommon during pregnancy because of increased blood flow. It is important to visit your dentist for a checkup during your pregnancy at least once - be sure to inform them that you are pregnant, as dental X-rays are not safe for pregnant women.

What's Happening with Your Baby?

Your baby is growing more and more hair. She has eyelashes and the hair on her head is getting longer. Her skin is covered with a waxy substance known as vernix that will protect it while she continues to grow in a liquid environment.

Diagnostic Tests of the Third Trimester

The subject of testing in pregnancy is one that often causes women anxiety, sometimes in ways they are not even consciously aware of. This information on third trimester testing is provided because many health practitioners emphasize testing in pregnancy, and therefore it is helpful for women to know the facts about these tests. As always, though, it is best to keep reminding yourself that the conditions these tests screen for are rare, and even when the conditions are present, they are treatable. Maintaining your own serenity is a vital cornerstone of health that you can give yourself and your baby.

Nourish Yourself

Use the Power Foods Concept to help you make wise food choices. Rather than stress out too much about what you eat, try to incorporate a few of the ten power foods into your diet over the course of several days. You will feel the difference in your energy levels and can rest assured you are feeding yourself, and your baby, very well.

Body Wise

The pelvic rock is a great exercise for relieving backache and gas, and for readjusting the baby's position later in pregnancy. It also improves posture and strengthens the abdominal muscles. There are several different ways to do it.

Natural Soothers

Raspberry leaf tea is the most popular herb used during pregnancy, and is particularly useful during the third trimester. Its astringent and stimulating properties strengthen and tone the uterine and pelvic muscles, while its soothing properties relax the uterus. Raspberry leaf tea also tones the mucous membranes, soothes the kidneys, allays diarrhea, stops hemorrhage, quells nausea, sedates, and relaxes. Find out how to brew an excellent cup of raspberry leaf tea.

Higher Ground

Doing an exploration of your values during pregnancy can help guide you to make parenting decisions and decide what you want your soon-to-be-expanded family to look like. An easy way to clearly see what is most important to you is to think of a peak experience from your past. Choose something that really stands out in your mind. Remember the feelings that you had, observations that you remember, and the overall quality of the experience.

Then ask yourself these questions:

• What was it about this experience that made it special?
• What values were being honored?
• Of these, what is the one value you'd most like to pass on to your children as a key to a fulfilling life?

Now, keeping this experience in mind, make a list of the top seven values you hold. Prioritize them in order of their importance.

Image by Durga Yael Bernhard

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