Shortness of breath in the third trimester

Feeling winded by simple tasks in your third trimester is very common and usually not cause for alarm. As your uterus grows upward, it presses against your diaphragm, reducing lung capacity by up to 20%. Your body also needs to move significantly more oxygen through your bloodstream to support your baby, putting additional demand on your respiratory system.

Sitting up straight, sleeping propped on your left side, and taking things slower all help. Around weeks 36–38, when your baby drops into the pelvis (called 'lightening'), many women find breathing becomes noticeably easier.