Hi, I’m assuming you are here because you are pregnant, or someone you want to support is. Over the course of three weeks, I’ll be presenting a series of product recommendations for all three trimesters, so you can be equipped with all that you need to make this new experience more comfortable.
If you are looking for the first trimester recommendations, you can find them here, and then head over here for some second trimester tips.
OMG, it’s the final countdown. You’ve been pregnant for almost a year now and you cannot wait to meet your little bundle of joy. Right? But first, you need to deal with everything that’s happening to your body. I’ve been there. I know about how your baby basically kicks on your ribs all day, and how sitting and getting up is basically and Olympic sport at this point, how shoes don’t fit comfortably anymore, and how eating is just just plain painful. You’re almost there! So here are some products that made my life easier when I was mega super duper pregnant (as pictured).
Yoga Ball
Alright before you look at me funny, let me tell you that sitting on an office chair all day is not the best when you have a giant belly. So after some research, I found that sitting on a yoga ball actually helps your hips. And if you’re unlucky like me and have a breech baby, it can also help them to turn. This one has another use, because once you go into labor, you can plop it off its stand and bend over it to alleviate contraction pains.
Panty Liners
I’m gonna get graphic for a second, so if you’re squeamish, skip on past this one. I cannot tell you the amount of times that I ran to the bathroom thinking my water had broken to only be surprised at finding... VAGINAL DISCHARGE! Yeah, I told you the third trimester was lovely. So I ended up buying panty liners and using them on the reg because it was getting kinda gross. I like these, because they’re organic which is better for your already-sensitive and vulnerable vagina. You can thank me later.
Foot Pillow
In the off chance that you haven’t gotten a full body pillow like the one I recommended on the first trimester post, I highly recommend that you at least get a foot pillow. Those puppies are going to be tired and swollen and in need of some love. Putting your feet up helps with circulation, and also generally feels great when you’re basically a giant moving blob. This one can be taken from the couch to the bed to the floor to wherever you end up resting. 10/10 would recommend.
Bath Salts
I always enjoy soaking in a tub and relaxing. But when I was super pregnant, I mega enjoyed it, because I felt lighter in the water, and therefore more comfortable. I’d mix in these bath salts to help with aches and exhaustion and generally make myself feel better all around.
The only thing to note with baths is that the water should not be super hot, and if you’ve lost your mucus plug or your water has broken, don’t get in the water without talking to your care providers first.
Dates
So, my midwives and doula told me that eating dates can make labor shorter and easier on the body, so you can imagine how fast I got on the date train, right? They say to eat a max of six per day - because they are super sugary - which I did religiously. Here’s the thing, I thought I was going to HATE eating these every day, but it became a nice routine in the morning. Plus it helped me to get some energy to get out the door and off to work.
Third Trimester Tea
This is it. You need to start preparing for delivering a baby! Similar to the red raspberry leaf tea that I recommended in the second trimester post, this tea includes those leaves, but also blend of other herbs that help prepare your body for labor. This one is better for the third trimester because it also claims to help with leg cramps, which let me tell you 1) suck 2) will almost surely afflict you at inopportune times during your last trimester.
You made it! Now get ready for the wildest adventure of your life.