Of course, good nutrition and proper weight gain are also essential during your third trimester. Too little or too much weight gain can become a more significant problem in this home stretch. Calcium intake is also crucial because the baby's bones are developing rapidly during the last trimester.

Weight: Walking a Thin Line

During these last three months, you can go either way when it comes to weight. The weight of your baby is increasing rapidly. For some women, this might mean that at meals, you feel fuller faster, making it difficult to get the essential calories that are still needed. If that's the case, it is best to try to eat smaller meals more often throughout the day. Snacks in between meals can help boost calorie intake. Choose a variety of snacks that will supply the nutrients that you need. If you have not gained enough weight throughout your entire pregnancy, you may not be able to make up for it all in the last trimester, but you can begin to ensure you are getting all of the calories that you need for a normal weight baby.

The flip side of the coin is gaining too much weight. You should be gaining about 1 pound per week during the third trimester. But by the ninth month, it is really the baby who is plumping up and not you. This is a good thing because the baby needs to be at a healthy weight by delivery. Low birth-weight babies have a harder time thriving and are much more susceptible to health and developmental problems. If by this time you are concerned that you have gained too much weight, discuss it with your doctor. If you feel you are gaining too much weight, do not restrict your caloric intake in hopes of losing a few pounds before the birth of your baby. In your ninth month, it is still important to eat a healthy diet and to pack a nutritional punch at each and every meal and snack. It is never too late to switch to a healthier diet for the proper nourishment of your baby and for a healthier weight gain. Eating a healthier diet can also help provide you with the important energy you will need for the delivery process.

Crucial Calcium

Although calcium is an essential nutrient before, during, and after pregnancy, it is especially crucial in the last three months of pregnancy. This is the time that your baby's bones and teeth are rapidly developing. If the baby can't get enough calcium from your dietary intake, he will take what he needs from your own stores. If your baby is relying on your stores of calcium for his needs, this can be detrimental to your health in the long run — for instance, by increasing your risk of osteoporosis. For this reason, it is vital that you get plenty of calcium through food and supplements in this critical third trimester. Chapters 1 and 4 can provide you with additional information on calcium.

Keep in mind that you can always overdo too much of a good thing, so watch that you don't abuse calcium supplements. You should not get more than 2,500 mg of calcium per day.