Photos by Penelope Sloane Photography
Our baby is almost here, which means it’s time for my final trimester update (read my second trimester update here).
I’ll be honest: This 3rd trimester has been the hardest. I’m always hot (hot flashes at work are the norm for me), and I need ice pack socks to help my swollen feet. I have to go to the bathroom all the time during the day and at night, which is annoying. Something I didn’t expect to miss was being able to bend over and put on my own socks and shoes! I’ve finally had to move up to larger clothes, which was a financial investment I wasn’t too excited about.
Speaking of financial investments, all the baby things are so expensive! Thankfully my sister-in-law is very generous. She gave us most of the supplies we need, like a bassinet, bottles, car seat, burp clothes, swinger, bathtub, rocking chair, etc. Our friends and family were kind enough to get us some other essentials, even though we didn’t do a baby shower.
I’ve shopped on Facebook Marketplace, at thrift stores, and at consignment sales for gently used baby items. Even though we saved a ton of money, we didn’t purchase everything second-hand. I got all of my nursing supplies and baby care products on Amazon or at Target. My biggest piece of advice? Save up your credit card points and use them as gift cards for Amazon!
My doctor visits are more frequent now with ones every other week to every week for the final month. I’ve also chosen a recommended pediatrician located super close to us, and have taken all of the baby classes like infant CPR, breastfeeding, and low-intervention labor, which are provided for free virtually from our hospital. I have an in-home newborn prep class with a doula soon. I am very much considering using her after the baby is here, too.
We also finally found a daycare close to us that has availability in the fall. My second biggest piece of advice is to find a child care immediately because they book up so fast! No one told me this! Now the one that is closest to home is booked out for the next 2 years. We just assumed that they would always be accepting new babies but that’s not the case.
I’m making my health a top priority as we’re getting closer to labor. I use Home Holistic, which provides doula, prenatal yoga classes, postpartum physical therapy, reiki, and other wellness services. I also do pelvic floor training and am continuing my monthly visits with my chiropractor and maternity massages. Nutrition is so important to me, too. I’m working with my prenatal dietician from Total Nutrition Technology and will continue to work with them postpartum. I want to make sure I stay nourished for myself and the baby while breastfeeding and eventually get back into shape after recovery!
After the baby comes, I plan to work at my full-time job (managing the race team and my parent’s other business) until 2 weeks before my due date, so that gives me plenty of time to organize and buy anything else we need before the baby arrives. Plus I would like to use the time to focus on my mental and physical health to prepare for labor and postpartum.
I do have a feeling that the baby will be here sooner than that since he/she is always measuring ahead of schedule at our ultrasounds and we’re not 100% certain of the day of conception—it’s somewhere between our wedding and honeymoon!
I will take some time off from my business in the beginning but because of client projects and launching the Fueled and Funded program in September, I will return to working just a few hours a day as soon as I can.
We’re so excited for our little one to arrive earth-side! Stay tuned for the birth post in just a few weeks now!
