Third Trimester Faves
Hi friends! Here we are at the end of the third trimester, and I feel like I’m waiting for a giant pot of water to boil. Every night when I get Braxton Hicks, I’m like, “IS THIS IT?!” and alas, it is not. Such a tease. No idea when the party will be starting, but we are so excited to be meeting little miss here in the next couple of weeks. Also, the realization that labor is very much on the way is equally terrifying and exhilarating.
Since the third trimester is almost over, I thought I’d share some of the things that have been helpful for the past 12 weeks:
Comfy sports bras and long workout tanks
Lately, I feel like bras have been suffocating me. Luckily I picked up a few pairs in larger sizes at Target, and they’re far more comfortable around the ol’ ribcage. (Even though I might need to go bigger since I woke up in the middle of the night last night to take it off.) I’ve also been loving extra long workout tanks from Target and Fabletics. To sleep, I’ve been “borrowing” Tom’s T-shirts. 😉
Mama Mio Tummy Butter and Amber’s Coconut Scrub
A friend told me that stretch marks are best prevented through exfoliating AND moisturizing, so I’ve been an exfoliating machine this entire pregnancy. I am obsessed with this coconut scrub because it’s made with coconut oils, essential oils and sugar (that’s it!!), and leaves skin feeling luxuriously soft. I’ve still been using the Tummy Butter once or twice a day, and love that it’s thick and has a pleasant fragrance.
Push Pack
I joked that for baby #2 I could see us grabbing toothbrushes, stuff for Liv, and running out the door to the hospital, but we got our ish together and packed hospital bags + Liv’s big sister backpack. The Push Pack
is in there, which contains the perfect amount of postpartum necessities in a travel size. It significantly cut down the packing list, and I’m excited to have it in my bag, ready to go.
Lightweight Dresses
These are pretty much the only thing that feels comfortable these days since my belly is officially massive. A dress is an entire outfit in itself, and feels extremely comfortable yet put-together. A current fave: this one from Motherhood. (<— on sale for $14.97!)
Acupuncture
I’ve been seeing an acupuncturist for most of this pregnancy, and he is truly magical. (A post with some of the possible benefits of acupuncture during pregnancy is here.) I feel so relaxed during and after the sessions, and am grateful to have found someone here who is affordable and specializes in pregnant women. I did acupuncture while I was pregnant with Liv, and found that it helped with sleep quality, in addition to relieving some pregnancy aches and pains.
An idea of your birth plan
Even though Plan B -and often C- exists for a reason, it’s comforting to have an idea of how you’d like your birth to go. (I also like to spend time visualizing the birth, and little miss arriving safely.) This way, any advocates in the room for you (like a husband or doula) can speak up on your behalf, because you are IN THE ZONE come Labor Day. I prefer not to type out my birth plan and hand out copies -it feels like it’s jinxing it!- but instead, trust the people on our birth team (especially Tom and our amazing doula) to speak up for the things that are important to us. (For example, we skip the eye gel post-birth, and in the case of a C-section, I’d like the baby to be placed on mine or Tom’s chest immediately after she’s here, if she doesn’t need any extra checking/monitoring right away.)
Naps
I think that naps fall under the “always a fave” category. During the end of pregnancy, I’ve felt totally zonked (especially after chasing around with Livi all day) and have been grateful for any of the naps that have come my way. Tom knows that it’s my current Love Language. 😉
Fellow mama friends: what’s something that you found helpful in the third trimester? Anything that brought you relief during the potentially uncomfortable last couple of weeks?
Friends sans kiddos: what’s your favorite relaxation strategy? For me, meditation has worked wonders.
xoxo
Gina
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I recently had my first ever face massage (face massage!) and it was amazing. It was only face/head/neck and you have NO IDEA how much stress and tension you hold in those areas until someone spends an hour massaging them away and releasing all those tight muscles. It was totally different from any other massage or facial I’ve had before and I wish I could get one once a week. If you ever find someone who does face massages sign up for that shiz, it is totally worth every penny.
Oh I’m with you. Pedicures and massages work wonders to make me feel relaxed and calm again.
love them both so much <3
i love getting my face massaged! when i get a full body, i always ask them to do my face and head. it feels sooooo good, and you’re right- you’d never notice how much tension you carry in those areas
You look amazing! My son was born in December but it still feels like yesterday dragging through that last month or so, I hope it goes by fast for you! Just curious, why are you planning on skipping the eye gel? Is there a benefit or risk to it?
thank you so much <3 there's no risk to the eye gel, but it can blur baby's vision during a critical bonding time. it's only really necessary if the mom has certain STDs
Gina, please reconsider your stance on the gel. The idea that the gel is only necessary if the mom has STDs is outdated, and there are a number of other bacteria in the vaginal/rectal area that could get into your baby’s eyes and cause conjunctivitis that have nothing to do with STDs. E. coli is a good example. No matter how thorough we are, that one is always a risk to a newborn passing through the vaginal canal. Also, gardnerella which is NOT just an STD bacterium but one we all have already in low numbers.
If you are concerned about your baby’s vision while bonding initially, simply ask the doctors to apply the ointment a few hours after she is born. They should have no problem accommodating this request and it gives you time to latch and bond immediately. Please (and to set an example for all your other fans!!) consider using the gel, but at a time that fits better with your birth plan.
I’ve had my 4 babies in both Australia & Singapore (where I live now) & they don’t use antibiotic eye gel after birth – only if the mother has an std which is checked before hand.
No kiddos here but give me allllll the naps! =)
amen to that. i’ve always been a nap fan… you know, when i wasn’t forced to take them as a child 😉 if only we could get back that lost napping time!
Omg if only!!!
I’m so excited for little miss to be here soon!!
thank you! we can’t wait 🙂
In the third trimester actually the first and second as well I was a napping machine. I have been doing chanting yoga which sounds a bit out there but I love it and is so good at calming my mind!
A nap sounds glorious!!
that dress is so cute! I might go order one right now just in case ha!
My fave third tri must have was a yoga ball! All day for the last week or two. My water actually broke on it!
My baby was born at the end of August in the hottest weather! My third trimester, the only way I could fall asleep was with peppermint lotion and a wet towel on my feet. During the day, soaking them in a bowl of ice water while reading a good book was so relaxing.
Prenatal yoga has saved my physical sanity – it’s so gentle and more like a full body massage for me vs a workout. Feels so good to stretch out my tired back, legs, neck, everything! Plus, the larger I get, the better I feel about still being able to move around in class. I can’t believe you are almost at the end! So exciting mama! You got this.
I am currently 36 weeks with our first baby (a little boy)– just a little behind you! I have enjoyed reading your posts about pregnancy the second time around (and your first!). I would say my go-to right now is a foot massage– gosh that relieves all the stress from the day. I have also felt good on the airdyne bike at the crossfit gym– that and some modified kbswings. So I guess steady workouts have been another go to to keep my feeling happy 🙂 Good luck!
thank you! best of luck to you too!
You have such a beautiful glow!
And I LOVE acupuncture…I had some done on my back and on my wrists and have seen amazing results! Also…the time that you spend in that bed forcing yourself to relax really teaches us to slow down! xo
thank you so much <3
and so true. i've been super antsy lately and it's helped me slow down a bit 🙂
Hi! Where did youfind a local acupunctionist you trusted?! Thanks!
are you in san diego???