«Second trimester of pregnancy
From the twenty-eighth week onwards we finally enter the last trimester of pregnancy. The period that prepares and leads to birth. In this phase the fetus grows (eventually reaching more than 50 cm in length) and develops above all from the point of view of physical dimensions (a little at a time will no longer weigh grams but kilograms) and of course functional capabilities. His movements, as well as his kicks and punches will be well perceived by the mother. Until, under normal conditions, it assumes - in the last few weeks, when the same available space will be considerably reduced - the ideal presentation for the birth. That is the cephalic one.
The woman will undergo the last and decisive transformations. These include the appearance of the contractions of Braxton-Hicks (the "uterus a little at a time prepares for the moment of delivery) and of colostrum, precursor of breast milk. Obviously the weight will increase further, as will the size of the baby bump. The pregnant woman will therefore not be able to be as agile as she was before pregnancy. Climbing the stairs you will miss your breath. Not always, at night, will be able to turn over in bed and rest as usual.
You will be able to find relief in water. In the tub at home as well as in the swimming pool. Perhaps assisted and supported by competent operators such as the midwife. A quiet, protective and intimate environment, able to promote contact between mother and baby. An environment capable of stimulating the release of endorphins, therefore a greater feeling of well-being. An environment that - eliminating the force of gravity - will undoubtedly lend itself to "adequate physical activity because it is not too stressful.
Especially in the last few weeks some back pain problems may arise. This is why it will be important for the pregnant woman to participate in childbirth preparation courses in which, in addition to the theoretical part, there is a space for gymnastics and physical preparation. Respecting a correct posture, despite changes in the body, is in fact the fundamental condition for effectively protecting one's spine and more generally all one's health. It will also be important to prepare your perineum with targeted massages and exercises - to reduce the risk of lacerations during childbirth - and to train yourself to breathe correctly for labor.
From a psychological and emotional point of view, different, sometimes even conflicting thoughts and concerns will emerge in the woman. Anxiety and intolerance, sometimes fear, almost always alert. On the one hand, he will feel the inevitable fatigue of nine months of gestation and will prepare for the imminent birth. The so-called "nesting instinct" will make its way, that is the need to prepare everything perfectly, down to the smallest detail. To arrange everything, material and not, so that the birth can only take place when everything is "in place". On the other hand, however, the pregnant woman will also have to deal with a certain separation anxiety. With the awareness, that is, that that magical symbiotic relationship with one's fetus, which lasted nine months, is about to end or at least is about to take on a new form. The shape of a real child and no longer just imagined, dreamed, however idealized. A child who could also turn out to be different from the one "planned" up to that point. In short, the child acquires his own, autonomous identity.
All this long journey - which will naturally end with the birth - will probably also be characterized by medical examinations, check-ups, ultrasounds and monitoring. Advances in medicine today allow the majority of couples to experience technically almost perfect pregnancies. But this will be discussed elsewhere. In this context, we would rather emphasize that at the moment no scientific progress can claim to exhaust the miracle of birth, reducing it to a mere technical event. Too deep is the mystery that surrounds that belly and the dynamics that take place within it between the mother and her child. Only they are its creators and protagonists. Only they keep the secret. They alone have the task of continuing life.
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