The mantra for the eighth month is to relax and practice breathing deeply. During this month, your tummy will continue to grow, and you might have difficulty in breathing and suffer from mood swings. You may sometimes feel difficulty in adapting to the fast growth of your tummy. There will be changes in your bowel and bladder movements. Your nipples may leak often, and false contractions will be felt more frequently as your body prepares for the upcoming event.
During this month, you cannot escape comments like “you look so big” and so on. However, on the better side, it is time to go shopping and make plans for the coming baby, so if needed make changes at home.
What happens during the eighth month?
Now your baby is almost one and a half kg. Most of your uterus is filled with the baby, though there is still leg space for few somersaults. The fat layer in the baby continues to form. The baby also continues to practice opening and closing its eyes and breathing. By the end of the eighth month, the baby will move less often due to a lack of space. In most cases, the baby will be in a head down position, though it is still not a final position. The organs are quite mature at this stage. If a baby is born at this time, it is still called early preterm. Fortunately, due to advances in medicine, most babies born in the eighth month survive and grow up as healthy individuals.
Measures to take
At this stage, doctors may repeat several of the tests already done earlier. It is a time to do regular breathing exercises and Kegel exercises to strengthen the pelvic floor. At this stage, you need to stay away from any stressful situations.
Stretch marks
As your tummy grows in size, stretch marks are perhaps the most worrisome problem for any women. They appear as the skin of the tummy is stretched to adjust for a growing belly. A few steps can be taken to reduce the stretch marks.
- Eat food that is good for your skin, a diet that is rich in antioxidants, vitamin E and A. Thus, eat lots of fresh fruits, vegetables, avocados, nuts, carrots, and bell peppers. You may also choose supplements that are rich in them. Foods rich in omega fatty acids are also good for the skin: eggs, nuts, and oily fishes are an excellent source of it.
- Keep hydrated, and drink plenty of water.
- Do low impact exercise, including Kegel exercises.
- Keep your body weight in check, and avoid indulging in overeating.
- Use dry brushing to remove dead cells from your tummy, and take a bath afterward.
- Apply sunscreen and natural oils.
Understanding preeclampsia and eclampsia
It is now time to understand these two severe complications of pregnancy that may be dangerous if not taken care of. Preeclampsia is a condition that happens either before, during, or after the birth of a child. It is characterized by high blood pressure and protein in the urine. If untreated, it may lead to the failure of various organs, while eclampsia is a fit of seizures caused by preeclampsia. Both of these conditions are serious and could be life-threatening, hence they require treatment under strict medical supervision.
About the author:
Dr. Preet Bhinder (M.D.)
Dr. Preet is a family physician. He has been practicing medicine for the last 15 years and has a particular interest in maternal and child health. He understands the importance of a healthy pregnancy and its long-term effects on a child’s health. He is also a passionate writer.