Master Discomforts of Pregnancy - Third Trimester with Picmonic for Nursing RN

Frequent rest periods can help aid in the feeling of shortness of breath. In addition, the pregnant woman should sleep with her head propped up with pillows to decrease shortness of breath while sleeping.

Towards the end of the third trimester, the pregnant woman may start to experience urgency and frequency of urination. This occurs because the uterus has expanded and applies more pressure onto the bladder.

To avoid urinary frequency and urgency, the pregnant woman should be advised to empty the bladder regularly.

During the third trimester, the pregnant woman may experience compression of nerves due to the enlarging uterus. This results in feeling frequent leg cramps.

To decrease leg cramps, the pregnant woman can engage in moderate stretching exercises and utilize warm packs and calcium supplements to promote circulation and bone health.

Ankle edema may be aggravated greatly by poor posture, lack of exercise, prolonged sitting, or constrictive clothing. These actions prevent fluids from moving efficiently throughout the body causing ankle edema.

In order to prevent ankle edema, the pregnant woman should elevate her legs frequently throughout the day, engage in moderate exercise, avoid sitting for a prolonged period of time, use supportive stockings, and maintain adequate fluid intake.