baby files: third trimester essentials

Hendrik is a month old already (!), but for memory's sake, I wanted to write down thoughts for the third trimester like I did for the first and second... First, five things that I found essential in getting me through it:

1. to do lists: there was a lot to think about finishing before baby's arrival in terms of work, household preparation, baby gear gathering, etc. so I was making constant use of to do lists to keep myself organized and to keep from getting overly stressed out about it. And there's only so much you can do! With his early arrival, there were several things that just didn't get done, and at that point, I really wasn't bothered... too busy with my sweet babe.

2. body pillow: back in the 2nd trimester I grabbed a pillow similar to this one on clearance at Target, thinking it might come in handy, and it definitely became a must for supporting the weight of that huge belly as I slept on my side.

3. thank you notes: our family and friends were so generous with baby showers and sending gifts before/after Hendrik's arrival, so we had many thanks to give out. I ordered cards from Tiny Prints using a favorite image from our 20-week photo shoot for a fun personalized touch.

4. leggings: before pregnancy I'm not sure I'd count leggings as real pants, but by the end of the third trimester when my pumpkin-shaped belly pretty much repelled even maternity pants, I ended up in leggings a lot - these cheap ones from Old Navy worked just fine (maternity-specific ones not necessary).

5. books for preparation and positive thinking: as the trimester progressed we got much more eager to meet our little boy, but of course I also got much more anxious about labor & delivery and about caring for a newborn. To prepare I tried to do reading that would fill me in realistically without scaring me, and that would make me feel strong and ready. The birth stories in Ina May's Guide to Childbirth and her practical approach, and the great writing about her experience by Anne Lamott both helped.

And a little recap of the trimester: At the end of (almost) 40 weeks of pregnancy, good gracious it seemed like forever ago that it all started, yet overall it also felt like it went pretty fast, especially those last few weeks when we started thinking could be any day now! and it suddenly felt like time was flying with all that I wanted to wrap up before the big event. Time really does just fly though... I've got a one-month old baby now, for goodness' sake!

Due date? October 21.

Lifestyle changes? The change I kept expecting - having to stop spinning classes - actually never arrived (I did one 2 days before giving birth!). It got more uncomfortable, but I still had energy for it, and it actually felt better than walking after I started carrying much lower. Sleeping of course became much more difficult; I'd wake up from baby kicks and sore hips from being able to sleep in pretty much only one position.

Symptoms? Braxton hicks contractions, especially when doing brisk walks. Several bathroom breaks every night. Still tons of kicks and baby movement, and in the last few weeks, a noticeable downward shift in his positioning (leading to a bit of pelvic pain - and a bit of a waddle).

Cravings? I was of course still eating plenty of ice cream, and the other thing that sounded really great any time I thought of it was Eli's BBQ. Luckily I had 2 events in the last month of pregnancy for which that was the food provided! And I started getting eager for wine...

Aversions? Still none.

Maternity clothes? Even those were starting to not fit so well - I was constantly walking around tugging down my shirts that didn't quite cover the wide elastic waistbands of the maternity pants that I had to keep hiking up. Dresses like this one were definitely my friend. I had a few fall maternity items that were great (like the ruched shirt version of my favorite versatile dresses) but really never got much wear because it was such a warm early fall.

Best thing so far? One of my favorite things in this trimester was when Peter pulled out his stethoscope and we listened to the baby's heartbeat just sitting on our couch. Of course I heard it plenty of times at the doctor's office, but this felt so special as we talked about how excited we were to meet our little boy. And overall, having a smooth, healthy pregnancy and being able to keep up a pretty good energy level and (most of) the activities I enjoy was such a blessing.

Looking forward to? We were so excited about finally being a family of three. And I was thinking a lot about how great sleeping on my stomach again was going to be.