Making it to the third trimester: 10 more tips
By the time you’ve gone 7-8 months without soft cheese, a glass of wine, a late night out, or a whole host of other things you used to love to do pre-pregnancy, the idea of having your body back to yourself is attractive.
Hitting the third trimester throws everything into a different light. Up to this point, I was worried about miscarriage in the first trimester, and living life pretty normally in the second. Now the countdown is on to actually having my baby outside my body which is a wild thought all on its own. Here are some things that pop up in the third trimester that you should start thinking about dealing with now:
10 tips for the third trimester
Diet matters: I think the biggest change for me being pregnant was diet. I went from living off chips and candy to literally following the “apple a day keeps the doctor away” rule. By the third trimester, you can start getting tired of the healthy lifestyle. Honestly a plate of gooey poutine and a pint sounds like heaven. But the end is in sight. Stick to your vitamins and keep that diet balanced. Things like red meat, whole grains, leafy greens, and fruit should be staples by this point.
Maybe don’t schedule that night out at a club: You definitely start to feel more unwieldy in your third trimester. For me, my size really started to change around 28-30 weeks. I didn’t experience the balance issues some women report, but let’s just say I wasn’t up for running a marathon. Your bones actually shift during later stages of pregnancy so you get this weird feeling like your pelvis isn’t as glued together as it has been up to this point in your life. If you like to exercise, you still can, but maybe consider safer options like swimming or stationary cycling. You don’t want to do anything that would risk a fall at this stage.
Set up the nursery: I don’t know if the feeling of nesting is real or if you just hit a point where you realize your ticking clock is winding down and you need to get yourself in gear. Either way, this trimester is a good time to set up your nursery. Pregnancy safe paints exist if you need to do some painting yourself. Or rope a friend or family member into helping you! Get your furniture orders in early to avoid supply chain issues, and start that Facebook Marketplace shopping to find bundles of clothes, books, toys and more.
Have a baby shower: Some women opt to do this in the second trimester, but personally I wanted to wait till the third just in case anything were to go wrong. A baby shower is a great way to get a little help preparing everything you’ll need for your newborn and it’s also just lovely to see all your friends and family that you might not see again for a few months once the baby is born. Have a last hurrah and throw your party!
Start educating yourself about birth: Talk to your midwife about what your birth plan will be (and get comfortable with the idea of throwing it out the window if you need to!). Where will you give birth, who will be there, do you want drugs, do you want a managed afterbirth, etc. Make your decisions while you’re sound of mind. Reading books or watching YouTube videos is a great idea too. There are tons of free prenatal classes online these days to help you learn what the birth and labour process will be like and how to care for a newborn when they’re here.
Fatigue is back: I felt like sleeping 12 hours a day in the first trimester and was pretty normal during the second. In the third, it was a mix between the two. You’ll find it harder and harder to get uninterrupted sleep as things progress. For one, you’ll be running to the bathroom a few times a night. Joy. And for another, you now have a watermelon on your stomach making it hard to get comfortable. Plus it’s one that kicks you periodically. The nerve. When you’re moving, the baby is more likely to be lulled to sleep. Ironically, when you stop because you need sleep, that’s when they wake up and want to party. Plan accordingly.
Deciding when to stop work: There’s no hard and fast run about when to stop working. I asked my midwife and she said on average women stop around the 38th week. I opted to start working from home when I hit 36 weeks. I was commuting 3 hours a day and it was taking a toil. Beyond that, however, I didn’t have a hard end date since I had everything mostly prepared and not a lot else to occupy my days. Talk with your team, boss, and care provider to find the schedule that works best for you.
Learn infant CPR: My worst nightmare is for something to go seriously wrong when I’m the only one on duty and not know how to fix it. Pay for a CPR class either in person or online. There are a ton these days. If that’s out of your budget, watch videos online. You are your child’s protector. Make sure you know how to do the job to the best of your ability.
Start a nighttime routine: When you get into the later stages of your pregnancy, there are some things you might want to do. Keep up your kegels to strengthen your pelvic floor. It’s about to be tested like never before. If you’re moisturizing your belly, keep going. Even if it can’t stop stretch marks (which may be popping up now) it will make your skin feel better as it stretches to accommodate your baby’s growth. Around 34 weeks, you’ll likely also want to start adding in your perineal massage that should help with preventing tearing. Around 36 weeks you can also start on things that will soften the cervix like eating dates, drinking red raspberry leaf or nettle tea, or using evening primrose oil. Remember to always talk to your care provider before starting something new in the later stages of pregnancy.
Get yourself into the right head space: The sound of that ticking clock is going to stop soon. Time’s up. On to being a parent. Yikes. Honestly, it feels like a battle just to get this far. From the fertility treatments, to protecting a pregnancy, to actually getting through the last 8 months there’s been a lot going on. Take some time to fully understand what’s about to happen and enjoy your last few weeks of childfree freedom while you can. Do your last remaining errands. Pick-up anything you’re going to need in the next few months. See your friends while you can. And most important of all, know what to do when you feel signs of labour starting.
You can do this
Soon all that hard work to become a single mom by choice is going to pay off. At 36 weeks, I’m feeling prepared and calm. This is something I’ve wanted and fought for since summer 2020. And now the time is almost here. To anyone going through this alone, it is absolutely possible to do this by yourself. It’s not easy, for sure. But if this is the path you want to commit to, you can make anything possible.