Eighth Month Of Pregnancy: Gynaecologist Shares Baby's Development, Diet and Exercise For Expecting Women

Congratulations on entering the eighth month of pregnancy. It is a crucial time for you to take utmost care of yourself. From diet to exercise, we bring you recommendations by expert Dr Chetna Jain, Director, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Cloudnine Group of Hospitals, Gurugram.

Eighth Month Of Pregnancy: What To Expect

The second last month of pregnancy extends from 29 to 32 weeks. She suggested that by now, expecting women have usually gained 6-7 kg, and the abdomen looks prominent and heavy. At this stage, the weight continues to grow at the rate of half a kilogram every week. Here is what else to expect in the eighth month of pregnancy

• Many women experience breathlessness as the uterus starts growing upwards in the diaphragm, towards the lungs. It can lead to shallow or slow breathing. You might witness inconvenience while deep breathing. 
• Braxton and Hicks contractions also increase at this stage of pregnancy. These are irregular and soft contractions. This is the body’s way to prepare for the vaginal delivery. 
• You can also expect frequent urination because the growing foetus is putting pressure on the bladder. You might be using the washroom 7-8 times a day and at least twice at night. 
• At this stage, your ankles and feet will start to swell. The expert suggested wearing compression stockings to help you feel better. 
• You will experience back pain due to your growing baby bump. 
• The chances of stretch marks increase at this stage, therefore, you need to keep your skin moisturised well now. 
• You will feel more tired now due to a drop in the haemoglobin levels. 

Eighth Month Of Pregnancy: Baby’s Growth

At this stage, your baby is about a kilogram and good foetal movements indicate healthy growth and development. With every passing day, you will experience movement increasing. By the end of 34 weeks, the movements become infrequent due to the restriction of space. 

At this stage, the baby’s brain matures and develops at a faster rate. They can now hear and smell. Your unborn child is about 12-15 inches long and has a size similar to a bigger pumpkin. 

Eighth Month Of Pregnancy: Diet For Pregnant Women

At this stage, the diet of an expecting woman is crucial. The meals should include,

• Eggs
• Lentils
• 750 ml of cream diaries like cottage cheese, milk, curd
• 2 large portions of salad
• Green vegetables
• 2-3 chapatis
• 2 small bowls of rice
• If you are a non-vegetarian, you should include mutton, fish, chicken, and seafood in small quantities after consulting with your gynaecologist
• Handful of nuts and seeds like walnuts, pumpkin seeds, etc. to nourish the body 
• Cook food in mustard oil, butter, or ghee

You should consume a protein, iron, and calcium-rich diet. You should eat frequent meals and avoid poached eggs, uncooked food, raw vegetables and meat, and pasteurised cheese and milk products.

The expert suggested reducing the intake of tea or coffee and ready-made and processed food like biscuits, bread, chips, chocolates, soft drinks, and noodles. If you are consuming sweet dishes, you should prepare them at home using honey.

You should also make a few modifications to your diet, including lowering the content of sugar, salt, and protein.

Eighth Month Of Pregnancy: Exercise Routine For Expecting Women

Exercise at this stage can help to keep you fit. The expert recommended:

• Cat and cow pose for backache
• Prenatal yoga for beginners
• Walking to keep you active
• Swimming for strengthening
• Water aerobics for joint pain
• Pelvic floor exercises to improve elasticity of muscles
• Abdominal muscle exercises to improve the strength of the core

You should not go overboard with exercising at this stage. You must avoid jerky movements and activities like skiing, horse riding, etc. Jogging and warming-up sessions should also be avoided.

The doctor suggested consulting your expert about your exercises. Only if the doctor says yes, you should go ahead with a light routine.

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Eighth Month Of Pregnancy Tests

At this stage, the doctor repeats tests that were done in the first trimester. You will have to take another round of complete blood count tests to see if haemoglobin and platelets are within the normal range. 

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Your glucose levels will be checked and a urine culture will help to avoid chances of infections. The doctor also had a few general suggestions:

• Listen to your body
• Talk to your baby and try to connect with the baby
• Remain positive
• Visualise an easy vaginal delivery
• Do not gain excessive weight
• Remain active
• Follow the advice given by your treating doctor
• Stick to prenatal appointments 

We wish you all the best for this phase. You should enjoy it as much as you can and wait for the arrival of your baby.