Third Trimester Pregnancy Advice For Partners – Week by Week

Week 27

Welcome to the third and final trimester of pregnancy. You may notice that your partner may complain more of constipation and bloating during this week. The main reason is that their stomach is cramped with the growing uterus. They may also start getting sleepless nights. Don’t worry, this too shall pass.

How Can Partners Help?

Be gentle and kind to yourself and your partner both.  Brace yourself as new symptoms and challenges will arrive with the last trimester of your pregnancy. Some things you can do for your wife are-

• Encourage your wife to drink lots of water this week. 
• Cook for them once in a while. There is nothing more endearing and romantic to her than you cooking a meal for her 
• Both of you adopt a healthy lifestyle
• Do something together. Be it a hobby, watching a movie, or just listening to songs. This will help you connect and get closer. Make the most of this time before the baby comes, to strengthen your bond and get romantic.

Week 28

During the 28th week of pregnancy, the primary cause of concern would be ingestion and heartburn. You may also notice that your partner or wife may have severe joint pains. The growing uterus puts pressure on the body, and these symptoms are nothing to worry about.

How Can Partners Help?

Your wife or partner might have cravings for junk and spicy food. It is widespread during pregnancy to feel cravings, even at odd times. But, it would be best if you made sure that whatever they eat does not aggravate their existing symptoms. Here’s what you can do-

• Encourage them to eat healthily
• Cook for them
• Give them regular massages in the joints
• Giving them ample time to rest

Week 29

During week 29 of pregnancy, you might notice that your partner is sometimes becoming emotionally unstable. Anger, sadness, and happiness could come and go now and then. Well, it is all because of the pregnancy hormones. 

How Can Partners Help?

You might notice that your wife or partner may shift from anger to happiness within a few minutes. You can understand and be of great support to them during this emotional transition. Giving emotional support can reduce their stress levels to the maximum.

• It also promotes a healthy pregnancy.
• Listen to their concerns
• Do not try to hurt them
• Understand and respect their emotions

Week 30

During the 30th week, your wife or partner may have trouble sleeping. Their baby bump would hinder their sleep. The little one inside may be awake when the mom sleeps, and keep her up with their kicks and movements inside the tummy.

How Can Partners Help?

This may be the right time to purchase a maternity pillow that allows your wife or partner to sleep much more comfortably.

• Give them more comfortable space to rest
• Give them regular massages to ease the pain
• Give them more attention, especially during the night

Week 31

You still have ten weeks to hold your little one in your hands. During this week, all the pregnancy symptoms continue to aggravate. You may notice that the baby bump is still growing, leaving room for the final fattening before the little one steps into the world.

How Can Partners Help?

Just the thought of the last ten weeks could make your wife or partner more panicky and stressed out. Your support is all they need to relax and keep away the anxiety.

• Take them for a regular walk
• Talk to them about their day
• Please encourage them to keep moving rather than staying in the same place

Week 32

You are stepping into the most important part of the pregnancy phase. Your partner or wife is quickly gaining extra pounds. Not just the mother but the baby as well will be gaining weight at a higher rate. The fat in the last few weeks will help the baby maintain body temperature.

How Can Partners Help?

You may notice that your partner has difficulty walking with the extra pounds and the growing uterus. They may be tired and might tend to sleep and stay in a place for a longer time.

• Ensure they get a restful sleep during the day, if they are waking up frequently at night
• Maintain a peaceful environment at home
• Give them healthy food to eat
• Give them massages and compressions to ease the ligament pain

Week 33

This week can be tiring for your partner. You might notice them waking up tired. Braxton Hicks’s contractions may pop up any time during the week. These are false pain or contractions that feel similar to labor but stay only for a few seconds.

How Can Partners Help?

It is time to list the things which will go into the hospital bag. Make a complete list, purchase individually, and do not wait until the last minute. Your partner or wife might panic during the false pains, but support them and keep them calm and relaxed. If something goes out of hand, contact your doctor immediately.

• Make a list of hospital bag items and begin your shopping
• Ensure emotional support to put your partner at ease 
• Give them confidence during false pain
• Keep the doctor’s number handy just in case

[Read : Newborn Baby Hospital Bag Checklist]

Week 34

During this week, you might feel all pregnancy symptoms have vanished suddenly. This process is called “engagement”, where the baby moves well into the pelvis. This downward movement will give more space in the abdomen and ease out breathlessness. 

How Can Partners Help?

Your wife or partner might get a bit lazy and relaxed since their body is calmer during this week. Always remember, their body is still preparing for labor. Lesser or absence of symptoms does not mean they can eliminate walking and healthy eating. 

• Keep giving them the push to eat healthily
• Make sure they are wearing comfortable clothes and shoes
• They may sweat more than usual, ensure they are keeping themselves hydrated and are in cool environs always

Week 35

During week 35, your wife or partner might feel yellowish discharge from their nipples. There is nothing to panic about. This is the first milk produced in their body called colostrum. 

How Can Partners Help?

There are only a few more weeks to go, and your wife or partner might be feeling more tired. While this is common during the last weeks of pregnancy, your support is all they need during this time.

• Ensure they are getting ample rest
• Don’t let them overexert themselves
• Don’t let them do any heavy lifting etc.
• Prepare yourselves together for baby’s arrival by reading, discussing, taking classes etc

Week 36

From this week, you can expect labor at any time. You may notice that your wife or partner is constantly tired and is finding ot difficult to walk. It is important to keep walking and doing effortless exercise to keep the body pumping well.

How Can Partners Help?

Welcome to the most unexpected weeks to follow! Your little one might come out anytime, and doctors might give you much more frequent appointments to check the position of the baby. You may-

• Ensure that you accompany your wife or partner to every visit without skipping
• Take the regular scans 
• Ensure that your partner is taking the medicines regularly
• Give them more strength and patience to face the labor

Week 37

Your little one inside is officially a full-term baby now. You can expect the labor to kick in at any time. Your doctor might arrange for a planned C-section if any complications are noted. You must keep calm, continue the regular rituals, and wait a few more weeks.

How Can Partners Help?

Staying around your wife or partner is essential, especially during the last few weeks. Keep doing whatever you have been doing so far. 

• Pack the hospital bags and keep them ready in case you need to rush down to the hospital
• Do a final check of the hospital bag list
• Encourage your partner to keep moving and eat healthy

[Read : 10 Simple Ways Husbands Can Help In Labor]

Week 38

Your wife or partner can deliver the baby anytime now. If it’s a planned C-section, the doctor might wait a week for the little one’s lungs to grow. 

How Can Partners Help?

The expectant mothers would be tensed and anxious about labor. Though it might not show up in their face, they will have it within them. The last few weeks might be tense and stressful for the mothers. The stress might increase blood pressure.

• Ensure you talk to your partner and keep them relaxed and stress-free 
• Keep talking to them and ensure their mental health is good
• Keep giving them compressions and massages

Week 39

During this week, your wife or partner needs to understand more about the discharge that they may experience. The discharge should be thin and not too thick. If you notice a thick discharge, it is known as “Spot”, which is very common during this week. This is the first sign that your little one is on the way. 

How Can Partners Help?

The symptoms and pain that your wife or partner were experiencing might increase during this week. They may feel acute back pain.

• Keep giving them gentle massages
• Talk to them and give them more hope to undergo this together

Week 40

Your wait has finally come to an end! The last week of pregnancy can be overwhelming. While your little one will be in your hands, looking back at the beautiful phase, you will realize that you have found a new version of yourself.

How Can Partners Help?

All the support that you have been giving your partner or wife has been fabulous. Now the time has come to welcome your little one to the world.

• Accompany your wife to the labor room, in case of normal delivery
• In case of C-section, be their pillar of support and keep on encouraging them 
• Allay their fears and talk positively about the birth of the baby

Well, congratulations on making it to the final fourteen weeks of pregnancy. You can expect to hold your little one anytime during the third trimester. Keep supporting the mothers and keep them emotionally strong. Talk to them and lend your ears to all their concerns and complaints. Just listening to them can bring down their stress so much. Happy pregnancy, and congratulations on the arrival of the new one to your family.

FAQ’s

1. What Are The Symptoms One Should Not Ignore During The Third Trimester?

Third trimester is a very important phase of pregnancy. Extra care should be taken during this time to avoid any complications. Make sure you do not ignore any of the following symptoms-

• Severe abdominal pain
• Regular contractions post 36 weeks
• Fever
• Vaginal Bleeding
• Increase in vaginal discharge

2. How Can I Help my Partner During The Third Trimester?

There are a lot of things you can do to help your partner in the third trimester. Some third trimester advice for partners is- help your wife with household chores, keep a full time help if required, encourage them to eat healthy and move around, ensure they get proper rest, spend time with them to bond and know what’s going on in their minds, etc. These are some of the things one can do to help their partner.

Read Also: Stupid Things That Husbands Do While In The Labor Room!