pregnancy! third trimester reflections, favorites & preparing for motherhood
I cannot believe I am in my last month of pregnancy! Only a few more weeks to go and we’re getting close to the “any day now” stage. As I reflect on the last 36 weeks, I am overcome with emotion. I feel so distant from the woman I was before and yet more connected than ever to my true self. My heart has expanded in ways I never thought was possible. Gratitude flows continuously, priorities are clearer and I fall more in love with my husband and our growing family every day. At the same time, there is fear of the unknown and being disconnected from a body that is no longer mine- all while feeling bittersweet about this chapter coming to an end. Despite the difficulties and uncomfortableness that pregnancy brings, we soon won’t be one and I already feel sensitive about having to share my little boy with the world.
“There is not a piece of you that was not once part of me”
In these final days, I remind myself how wonderful it is to change and grow. The journey to motherhood has transformed me in every way and while I may have lost parts of who I was, I have gained a strength, purpose and love beyond my wildest dreams. I have a newfound desire and motivator to be the best version of myself. I have healed deep wounds with grace and gentleness. I have a reason to learn and grow differently. On the other side of this journey is the greatest love and life I have ever known.
routine, health & wellness
Before getting pregnant I was in the best shape of my life after our wedding. I knew what worked for my body and how to fuel it. After finding out we were expecting, I wanted to maintain a certain level of intentionality when it came to my health. I am very sensitive to what my body and mind needs to feel good and knew this experience would be more positive for me if I kept my routine as best as possible. I’ve remained very active throughout my entire pregnancy, keeping up with teaching pilates and yoga through the end of the third trimester. Even during the first trimester sickness, I took advantage of the pockets of the day that I could squeeze something in. I’ve had to scale back and modify workouts over time, but daily movement has been tremendous for my mental health (and prepping for labor!). In terms of diet, my aversions and cravings have been minimal- I pretty much eat exactly how I did before! I would say I indulge even less actually, especially as baby has grown and space has gotten limited. I crave nutrient-dense, protein-focused, whole food meals and have enjoyed cooking and exploring new recipes. Despite the weight gain and body challenges (which are inevitable and hard to control), I am extremely proud of how I’ve cared for my pregnant body.
In terms of movement, I aim to walk minimum 30 minutes per day. I instruct/take 3 mat sculpt classes/week, 1 yoga class/week, and 1 classical reformer pilates class/week. My daily vitamins include Seed Synbiotic, Ritual Prenatal and a Pregnancy-Safe Iron Supplement (blood tests show I’m anemic).
pregnancy favorites & products
Rapid fire list of all the things I have loved and favorite products I have purchased for pregnancy!
All the body butters, lotions and oils for the belly. Personal favorites are Hatch Mama, Cyklar, Hanni Splash Salve & Moisture Stick and Oak & Sage Everywhere Cream.
Watermelon, berries, cherries… gimme all the fresh fruit, acai bowls and smoothies!
Pregnancy pillow. Ordered in the second trimester and by the third it was a must have for sleep.
Bump support band. I purchased two from Belly Bandit - wore them a ton under my clothes when I was working and standing on my feet all day. For some reason I have less back pain now at 36 weeks but these were super helpful throughout the second trimester and periods of round ligament pain and sciatica.
Pregnancy journal. My husband purchased this for me and we’ve enjoyed filling it out. Since I’m not an avid journaler, it’s a great way to easily document how I’m feeling each week and I like adding photos/ultrasound pictures to it so I can have as a keepsake.
Skincare- at home and facials. Pregnancy feels very limiting at times and there are lots of days I don’t feel my cutest. Skincare has been the one self care routine that I can really pour into. I shared my entire pregnancy routine here. In addition, the occasional facial is such a treat! I go to Sana Skin Studio in Fort Lauderdale.
Film camera. I’d recommend for bump update photos! I’ll be taking mine to the hospital to document as well.
Yoga ball. Life saver and absolute must! I bounce/stretch with this at least twice a day and have ever since the start of the third trimester. It’s a great labor tool but also just feels good.
Compression socks. It sounds silly, but compression socks have been a lifesaver. I didn’t realize the amount of pressure and discomfort I would feel- your feet and legs really do swell and feel so heavy. I love to put them on at night after a long day on my feet/being active to help recirculate the blood flow. Also great for travel.
Frequent foot massage. Again with the foot relief! There’s a hole-in-the-wall spot near me that charges $35/30 minutes and it is my favorite weekly ritual.
Exercise rompers and onesies. As someone who is super active, stretchy rompers and onesies have been my preferred choice of activewear during pregnancy. I did purchase a few from Amazon once I got to my third trimester, but my pre-pregnancy faves from Beyond Yoga and Strut-This still work.
LMNT electrolytes. Staying hydrated is key and I cannot seem to drink enough water! I love adding LMNT for added hydration and lately have been mixing it in with my raspberry leaf tea.
Baths! I never used to take baths and I’ve really enjoyed them during my pregnancy. It’s such an easy way to unwind and relax at the end of the day. I add in epsom salt for muscle relief too.
prepping for labor & motherhood
This is what we’re working toward; labor, delivery and most importantly, motherhood. Truthfully, I don’t think there is a way to fully prepare for any of those things (especially the first time around), but I am certain that any and all prep will be beneficial. Here are the ways I’ve been preparing my body and mind:
Maintaining my health & wellness routine. Movement has always been essential for my mental health and has helped me feel good during pregnancy, reducing aches & pains. Plus, I’m training for labor! Specific movement I’m focusing on for labor prep is walking, yoga/stretching/pelvic floor mobility and mat strength training. I also love fueling my body with nutritious foods, ensuring I’m getting enough vitamins and nutrients to keep baby healthy and growing.
Educational classes. Our local family and birthing center offers free classes for city residents- I would definitely recommend taking advantage of something like this! I have attended many virtual courses on newborn care, breastfeeding and postpartum. My husband has also joined me for in-person classes on childbirth prep and infant safety training. It was a great way to bond with other new parents and feel more prepared about next steps.
Reading holistic and educational pregnancy & childbirth guides. While I know I have everything within myself to be a good parent, I knew there were things I wanted to learn in terms of nurturing a conscious relationship with my baby and my path as a mother. The books ‘Growing Together’, ‘The Mama Natural’ and ‘Hypnobirthing: Practical Ways to Make Your Birth Better,’ have been exceptional resources offering holistic guidance. They are all easy reads (Hypnobirthing I listened to on audible) and offer week-by-week companionship, affirmations, meditations, activities, tools, research contributions from professionals and spiritual/emotional elements to help you feel more grounded and aligned in your innate ability to birth and be a mother.
Watching and listening to positive birth stories. There is SO much negative noise out there around pregnancy and birth. I try to tune out the negativity and focus on enlightening, motivational birth content. Some creators I love are Sarah’s Day, Stephanie Miller, Lauren Crane and Hannah Burch.
Take the maternity photos! It may seem silly (and at the time I was not feeling confident about doing it), but I am so happy I ended up taking them to honor this season of life. I know I will cherish the photos for years to come when I look back on this time. At the end of the day, I really am so proud of what my body has done for me and I’ll forever have these photos to remind me of that.
And of course… dates, raspberry leaf tea, pineapple juice, perineal massage, yoga ball stretches, collecting colostrum, curb walking, sex, etc!!! At this point I will be trying any and all remedies to promote a safe & healthy labor!
