Well I have almost made it, baby could arrive any day now so I thought I would share with you all the things I have learned through my first experience of the third trimester and things I have made sure I have done.
Firstly, it is exhausting and uncomfortable!
Even my maternity clothes seem tight around my bump around month 8 and it is so hard finding comfortable positions to sleep. Big pillows and lots of them are still a must and keeping one leg elevated on your side really helps with sore hips at night!
Also, exercise has been great at helping with joint pain although I suspect it mainly helps as it makes me so tired I can sleep through anything!
The importance of keeping hydrated.
If you have been in the UK over the last few weeks you won’t have missed our heat wave. Somewhat uncharacteristic of UK weather, especially where I live in Wales we have had no rain and long hot, dry days. These have been, shall we say, interesting while heavily pregnant! I have had to constantly have a pint of cold water on hand not only to cool me down but stop water retention which can result in swelling and be surprisingly painful. Drinking throughout the day really seems to help though. Plus, I went to Ikea and stocked up on frozen lolly holders so I can have various frozen juices throughout the day too. My favourite is apple and raspberry!
It’s okay to be grumpy and or sad all day.
Hormones are rushing through your body like never before and there will be some days you just don’t want to talk to anyone. That’s okay, go easy on yourself and Netflix and chill! Obviously, I am not a healthcare professional so if you feel really down or for a long period of time get yourself to your GP, they really are there to help.
Never be afraid to call your midwife if you are worried!
I am very lucky and have had a relatively straight forward pregnancy but a few weeks ago we did have a bit of a scare when baby hadn’t moved for about 12 hours which was very unlike him. We called up the hospital and they told us to go straight in. Fortunately, we live very close so we got there very quickly and within five minutes my blood pressure had been deemed normal despite how anxious I was and I was all hooked up to the monitors and I could see a very healthy heartbeat. Of course, then the little munchkin decided to wake up and kick plenty. The midwives were amazing though! They made us feel so calm and kept on saying that we had done exactly the right thing. What I thought was especially good was that they told us very firmly that if we were at all worried again we should just go straight back in and not worry that we would be wasting anyone’s time. So, mums and dads to be, don’t stress at home just go in and get checked if you are concerned!
Getting organised.
I never did have that burst of energy to clean my house which I was promised. But I did finally get around to packing mine and baby’s hospital bags. This took a surprisingly long time as I really wasn’t sure what to put in them. I will do a thorough blog on this later.
You don’t want to leave it too late though. There are hundreds of helpful guides online to give you an idea of what to take. I would suggest you pack it with your other half though so he or she knows what is inside and can easily grab things for you when needed.
The Birth Plan.
I now finally know what this is for. I thought the birth plan was your itinerary for giving birth. My contractions will start at 8am after a good night’s sleep etc! This is not the case.
My midwife suggested the birth plan consist of things I would like if possible throughout labour. Suggestions on how I like to be treated. For example, I don’t like a lot of fuss made over me or to be constantly questioned on how I am feeling so I have written this in my birth plan. Even little things like I like to be called by my whole name and not a nickname is a useful thing to have written down as often midwives will swap shifts midway through your labour and you may have one you have not met before, for them to know these little things without having to ask you will be helpful for them and you.
Asking for Help
This is difficult as I like to be quite independent and not ask for help but people genuinely mean it when you are pregnant so let them help! If they want to come and visit after the baby is born then say ‘that would be brilliant, could you pick up some bread and milk on your way over!’ Honestly, they won’t mind and they will be glad you asked.
I have a dog walking rota so my pooch won’t feel like he is missing out too much and plus my friends know when they pick him up they will get a newborn baby cuddle too so it’s all worth it!
Have a few treats.
If this is your first like mine you are very aware that life will never be the same again so make sure you get a few treats in. Go out for lunch with friends and drop hints to your other half that you would really really like a facial. Admittedly with my hubby, my hints got less and less subtle but it finally worked!
I know I have complained about feeling uncomfortable but it is an amazing experience that doesn’t last too long so make the most of your last few weeks of having your tiny one inside you and try and enjoy it!