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$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.