During the first few weeks of your pregnancy, it’s hard to imagine your due date approaching. It seems so far away and all of those pregnancy calendar apps seem to move at a snail’s pace. But just as you’re wondering when the third trimester of pregnancy starts, boom. There it is. According to the American Pregnancy Association, the third trimester begins on week 27 of your pregnancy (and last until your little bundle of joy arrives.) If you’re in those early weeks still, this will seem like a lifetime away. If you’re closing in on your second trimester, you may be panicking a bit. But don’t worry. Week 27 is still a long way from week 40, and there’s still a lot of things that happen during the third trimester.
If you’re closing in on your third trimester and think this pregnancy thing is old hat by now, you’re in for a surprise. Although some of your symptoms may stay the same, like fatigue and frequent urination, the third trimester really amps them up and can make them feel totally different. This is also the time in your pregnancy where you start to feel like maybe you’re done with this whole pregnancy thing. You’re ready to meet your baby and you’re tired of being pregnant, but you’re also absolutely terrified. It’s a total mind bender this third trimester and there are 11 things to expect on top of it. You may already be suffering from some of these, but you’ll have no idea just how much a back ache can change in a few short weeks.