1. Supported cat-cow for low back ache
On hands and knees, wrists under shoulders and knees hip-width, with a cushion under the knees. Breathe in and let the belly soften while lifting the tailbone slightly; breathe out and gently round the spine, drawing the navel up. Move slowly through ten rounds. This is the single most reliable relief for third-trimester low back ache because it decompresses the lumbar spine and takes the bump's weight off the pelvis. It also encourages a good fetal position.
2. Supported child's pose for pelvic pressure
From hands and knees, take the knees wide and sit the hips back towards the heels, resting your forehead and chest on a stack of two or three cushions or a bolster. The bump hangs between the thighs rather than being compressed. Stay for five to ten slow breaths. Use this at the end of the day for pelvic heaviness and a feeling of downward pressure. Skip it if you have significant pelvic girdle pain with knee-widening.
3. Standing side bend for rib tightness
Stand with feet hip-width, one hand on a wall or chair. Reach the other arm overhead and lean gently to the supported side, opening the ribs on the raised side. Breathe into the stretched side for four breaths, then change sides. The uterus pushes the ribs outward and upward in the third trimester, which is why breathing feels restricted and the ribs ache — this creates space directly.
4. Seated figure-four for hip and glute pain
Sit tall on a firm chair, feet flat. Cross the right ankle over the left knee, letting the right knee fall open, and hinge forward from the hips with a straight back until you feel a stretch in the right buttock. Hold for 20 to 30 seconds and change sides. This targets the piriformis, the usual source of the deep buttock pain that radiates down the leg in late pregnancy.
5. Standing calf stretch for cramps
Face a wall, hands at shoulder height, step one foot back, keep that heel down and the back leg straight, and lean in. Hold for 30 seconds each side, twice a day, and again before bed. Nocturnal calf cramps are very common in the third trimester, and regular calf stretching plus adequate hydration, magnesium-rich food and a slow walk in the evening reduces them substantially.
How to stretch safely now
- Warm up first — five minutes of walking. Never stretch cold.
- Mild sensation only. Relaxin has loosened your ligaments; the end of your range is no longer a safe place to be.
- Breathe normally throughout. If you are holding your breath, ease off.
- Do not stretch flat on your back after 16 weeks, or into a twist that turns the abdomen.
- Support every standing position with a wall or chair — your balance is not what it was.
Stop and speak to your doctor if a stretch triggers sharp pelvic pain, pain that persists afterwards, tightening at regular intervals, or any bleeding or fluid leakage.