$Unique_ID{PAR00433} $Pretitle{} $Title{Pregnancy: The Third Trimester: For You and Your Baby} $Subtitle{} $Author{ Editors of Consumer Guide Ellis, Jeffrey W Ellis, Maria} $Subject{Third Trimester Comfort Rest Relaxing break breaks relax comfortable Posture Standing stand Sitting sit Body Mechanics Reach Reaching Down Lift Lifting Climbing Stairs Bed Floor Chair Getting up Positions Resting Side-Lying sleeping Semireclining Knee-Chest Position backache cramps Leg Elevation breathing Tighten muscles tension strain Massage Touch Relaxation Neuromuscular Control Exercise Exercises} $Log{ Standing Posture*0043301.tif Sitting Posture*0043302.tif Getting Up from a Chair*0043303.tif Tailor Sitting*0043304.tif} Miracle of Birth The Third Trimester: For You and Your Baby Comfort, Rest, and Relaxation During pregnancy, you need adequate rest because of the added physical and emotional demands that pregnancy puts on your body and your mind. That doesn't necessarily mean that you need to sleep extra hours, but you do need to take short rest breaks throughout each day. During these rest periods, you need to know how to relieve the strain that your changing shape places on your muscles. The ability to relax is also important, since it allows you to conserve energy, work more productively, and increase your sense of well-being. Being able to consciously relax will also help you during labor, when tension can cause added discomfort. Before you can get the rest and relaxation you need, however, you need to know how to get comfortable. That's not always an easy task during pregnancy. Fortunately, there are a variety of techniques you can use to increase your comfort throughout pregnancy. Posture If you maintain good posture throughout your pregnancy, you will feel more comfortable and you will have more energy. Remember that during pregnancy your posture changes in response to the weight of your enlarging uterus and baby. Many of the minor aches and pains of pregnancy--which can sap your energy and make it difficult to rest--can be reduced if you learn to stand and sit properly. Through correct alignment of your body, you can relieve the strain on muscles, joints, and ligaments that may prevent you from getting adequate rest and relaxation. Standing When you are standing, be aware that you will have a tendency to relax your abdominal muscles and arch your back to compensate for the weight of your uterus. The following techniques will help you to prevent this arching and help you to stand with good body alignment. - Tuck in your chin slightly to align your head with your body. - Tilt your pelvis back by tucking in your abdomen and tightening your buttocks. - Keep your knees slightly bent and your feet pointed forward, so that the majority of your weight rests on the outer parts of your feet. - Keep your arms slightly bent. If you have to stand for a long period of time, place one foot up on a low stool or a step to help prevent your pelvis from tipping forward. If you have to stand with both feet on the floor, shift your weight from one foot to the other or rock back and forth from your heels to your toes to exercise your leg muscles. This will help to force blood back up your legs and help reduce swelling. Sitting You also need to use proper alignment when you sit, especially if you will be seated for an extended period of time. - Sit straight up in the chair. Tilt your pelvis back by tucking in your abdomen. Then slide your buttocks slightly forward from the back of the chair so that your lower back comes into contact with the chair back. - If you need to lean forward--for example, to type or to write at a desk--push your buttocks against the back of the chair and lean your body forward while keeping your back straight. It may also be helpful while sitting to raise your feet on a low stool. Also, be sure to get up and stretch or walk whenever possible. Body Mechanics It is also important during pregnancy to use your body properly and distribute stress evenly to prevent overstretching any one group of muscles or ligaments. By practicing proper body mechanics, you can use your body more efficiently and prevent added strain. Reaching Down If you need to reach something that is situated on or near the floor, squat down instead of bending over. This way, your leg muscles will do the work of pushing you back into a standing position and you will avoid straining your back muscles. If you need to work over a low table, bend your knees instead of stooping. Lifting If you need to lift a heavy object, always bring it as close to your body as possible to avoid straining your back. If the object is on the floor, squat down, bring the object close to you, then let your legs push you up. When possible, avoid heavy lifting altogether. Climbing Stairs Keep your body in good alignment by tipping your pelvis back and keeping your spine straight. This will keep you in proper balance and force your leg muscles to do the work. Getting up from Bed Roll over on your side. Swing your legs over the side of the bed and use your arms to push yourself into a sitting position. Then rise from the bed using your arms and legs to push yourself up. Getting up from the Floor Roll yourself onto your side. Using your arms, push yourself to a side-sitting position and then to a kneeling position. Raise one knee and place the foot flat on the floor. Bend over your raised knee, place your hands on the thigh of the raised leg, and push yourself up to a standing position using your arm and leg muscles. Getting up from a Chair After sliding to the edge of the seat, place one foot slightly in front of the other on the floor. Lean forward and then push yourself up off the chair using your arm and leg muscles. Comfortable Positions for Resting Certain positions will make you more comfortable and enhance your ability to rest and relax. These positions will relieve the pressure that your uterus places on various parts of your body and will reduce the strain on muscles, joints, and ligaments. Side-Lying This is a good position for sleeping and resting; it is also a comfortable position for labor. Lie on your side with your knees slightly bent. Place pillows between your knees and under your head, shoulders, chest, and abdomen. Move your arms into a comfortable position. It is always best to lie on your left side, since this moves the weight of the uterus off of the blood vessels in your abdomen and allows excess fluid to drain from your legs. Semireclining This is a comfortable position for sleeping, resting, watching television, and reading. Lie in bed or on an armchair. Place pillows under your head, shoulders, and arms to prop yourself up to about a 30 to 40 degree angle. Tailor Sitting This position will help to shift the weight of the baby and uterus from the back of your pelvis to the front. This is also a very comfortable position during labor. Sit on a carpet or padded mat with your knees bent and pointing outward. You can let one ankle rest gently on the other, but do not allow one leg to put enough pressure on the other to restrict circulation. Place soft pillows under your knees for added comfort and let your hands rest gently on your legs. Knee-Chest Position This is a good position for relieving backache and cramps in the groin and legs. Get on your hands and knees on a mat, bed, or carpet. Lean forward so that your forearms rest on the ground, and place pillows under your head and chest. Don't stay in this position for more than about two or three minutes. Leg Elevation This position is useful for decreasing swelling and cramping in the legs. Prop up your shoulders and back so that you are at about a 30 to 40 degree angle. Raise your legs so that your feet are above the level of your heart. Stay in this position for about three to four minutes. Relaxation Learning to relax will not only help you to cope with certain discomforts of pregnancy, it will also enable you to conserve strength during labor. Once you have assumed a comfortable position, you can use any one of a number of methods to relax. Some of these--such as listening to soft music, thinking of a pleasant time and place, or meditating--may already be familiar to you. To help you consciously relax, pay attention to your breathing and imagine the air passing in and out of your lungs. Tighten the muscles in your body and feel the tension and strain. Then take a deep breath and release the tension. Rest quietly for several minutes and feel the weight and tension leave your body as you relax. Practice relaxation several times a day so that you can become aware of what tension feels like and can learn how to release it. There are other methods of relaxation that you may find helpful, especially when you are in labor. Massage Both you and your partner can benefit from massage. Though massage may at times be uncomfortable during labor, it will help you to relieve tension during the latter weeks of pregnancy. Have your partner use a firm but gentle touch on various muscle groups throughout the body. Practice relaxing your muscles to his touch. Touch Relaxation To practice touch relaxation, lie down comfortably on pillows and have your partner kneel at your side. Have him gently touch the side of your face. Learn to respond to your partner's touch and to his verbal instruction to "relax" by releasing the tension from your facial muscles. Then, move on to other muscles, such as those in the neck, shoulders, and arms. Next, have your partner move his hands to either side of your pelvis, low on your hips. Relax your pelvic muscles to his touch. Then, have him move on to your legs and feet. Practice this exercise every day. Pay attention to the difference between contraction and relaxation of a muscle. Always try to relieve the muscle tension in the direction of your partner's touch. Neuromuscular Control Exercises During labor contractions, you will need to consciously relax all of your muscles so that your uterus can work freely and efficiently. In order to achieve this, you need to be able to identify which of your muscles are contracting and which are relaxing. To practice this, lie on your back in a comfortable position with all of your joints (knees, elbows, neck, etc.) supported by pillows to ease any strain. Then begin the exercises by contracting your muscles in sequence. Work up from your feet to your neck and face. Next, slowly and consciously relax the same muscles in the same sequence. Pay attention to how the muscles feel as they contract and relax. Next, try to learn how to contract certain muscles while relaxing all of the others. Begin by contracting the muscles of your right arm while consciously relaxing your left arm and your legs. Then relax your right arm and feel the difference between a muscle that is contracting and one that is relaxing. Then try contracting your left arm and relaxing your right arm and legs. Do the same with each of your legs. Once you have contracted and relaxed your arms and legs individually, try contracting your right arm and right leg while relaxing the left side, and vice versa. Each time, concentrate on how the muscles feel when they are contracted and when they are relaxed. During each exercise, your partner should check the muscles to see which ones are relaxed and which are contracted (the contracted muscles will feel harder). If there is any tension in a muscle that is supposed to be relaxed, spend additional time learning how to relax that muscle group. Once you have completed this sequence of exercises, remain still and be aware of how your body feels in a state of relaxation. During labor, you should strive for this level of relaxation so that you can let your uterus do all of the work.