EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT HAVING A THIRD TRIMESTER TO DO LIST
Having a third trimester to do list is so important.
As you enter your third trimester of pregnancy the anticipation of meeting your newborn becomes so great.
Sometimes you can easily lose sight of the practical things that need to be done before the big day.
This is one of the reasons that having a pregnancy checklist is a wonderful thing.
Just having the checklist alone is already half the battle, especially when you have “baby brain” and are easily forgetful.
HERE ARE SOME GREAT THINGS TO PUT ON YOUR THIRD TRIMESTER TO DO LIST:
1. GET SOME SERIOUS SLEEP TIME CLOCKED UP!
I know this may not sound like something to even think about but you really should.
In a few short months, you will be living off-nominal amounts of sleep and will wish you had taken full advantage before your baby arrives.
I remember when I had baby number 3, it was the middle of the night and I was up doing a night time feed just watching everyone else sleep and wishing that I could be sleeping as well.
By the time the morning came, I was so exhausted having had little to no sleep at all. I went on to facebook and wrote this exact post:
“We used to have such a good relationship, be so close. You made me feel so refreshed and vibrant but these days things are just different.
We have been apart for so long now I’m beginning to wonder if things will ever be the same again. Without you, I am a mere mess.
Sorry to make this so public but I’m doing it in the hope that somehow someone will help bring us back together…sleep I really love you and hope to meet you again sometime in the future.
Your friend, Dela”
I’m not really sure who that post was meant for but just writing it was somewhat therapeutic for me.
Looking back now, it still makes me chuckle. The me with and without sleep are 2 very different people.
The postpartum phase is not an easy one, the lack of sleep is really tough on the body.
I highly recommend you utilize this third trimester to sleep as much as you can especially if this is your first baby.
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2. WASH ALL YOUR BABY’S CLOTHES
I always wash all of my newborn baby clothes even if they were purchased new.
Sometimes these items may have chemicals on them that your baby could be sensitive to.
Rather than wait to see if my baby is going to have a reaction I just wash them to be on the safe side.
Using a laundry detergent that is chemical-free is safest for your baby.
Washing the baby clothes also gives me the opportunity to sort through them and get to grips with what I have and what I am potentially missing.
3. ASSEMBLE YOUR BABY EQUIPMENT
I find this part of my journey so much fun because I’m weird like that. There is something really fun about getting to make up all the nursery equipment for my baby.
For some reason when I am at this stage I don’t want any help from anyone.
I’m not sure but I think it is perhaps that I feel that I am sharing a moment with my baby so I don’t want to be disturbed.
Being able to tick this off your third-trimester to-do list is really great as it makes things seem much more real.
It’s really going to happen, you are really going to have a new baby!
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4. GET YOUR HAIR DONE
This for me is one of those no-compromise items as the days get closer to giving birth.
Getting your hair done, not only gives you a great hairdo but it also gives you the opportunity to have some much-needed self-care before baby arrives.
I can tell you right now that once your baby is here your life will completely change.
This neatly brings me on to my next point:
5. GET SOME ALONE TIME AND DO WHAT YOU LOVE
Once you are in the postpartum phase so many things will be happening to your body that you probably won’t be able to immediately do the things that you love again straight away.
If you enjoy going for walks, do that even if it’s just a 5-minute waddle to the corner shop.
If you like watching films, buy some new DVDs or head to the cinema.
Whatever takes your fancy do it now whilst you have the time and the mental space to enjoy it.
6. PLAN YOUR BABY SHOWER
We all know that sometimes it can feel as though you are in the third trimester for about 6 months.
It seems like it’s taking forever for you to get to meet your little one.
Well, this is the perfect time for you to arrange your baby shower.
It will keep you busy enough yet still able to get excited about meeting your new baby at the same time.
7. PREPARE YOUR BIRTH PLAN
It’s great if you can set aside some time to sit down with your partner and discuss your birth plan.
Think about the things that you want to happen once you go into labor or the things that you don’t want to happen.
Do you want a natural birth or would you prefer a “hit me with all the pain relief you got” type of birth?
Whichever it is write it down so your husband, midwife and everyone else knows exactly what to expect on the big day.
This is a great one to be able to cross off your third trimester to-do list.
Want to remember this Third trimester checklist? Pin it to your favorite Pinterest board!
8. HAVE A CHECKLIST FOR YOUR HOSPITAL BAG
Make sure you spend some time going over this as you don’t want to leave anything out.
When I prepare to pack my hospital bag I use a simple technique to begin with.
I spit my bag into 2 piles, one for my things and the other for baby’s items.
When I pack my things I think about all the things that I use to get ready in the mornings.
For example, toothbrush, bath sponge, dressing gown etc etc.
I then do the same thing for my baby.
I think about how I will get him/her dressed and all the things that I could possibly need. Diapers, wipes, bodysuit, towel, etc.
HERE ARE SOME ITEMS YOU SHOULD CONSIDER PACKING INTO YOUR HOSPITAL BAG:
- Birth plan & Hospital notes
- Dressing gown
- Slippers
- Nightdress
- Lip balm (you’ll thank me later)
- Favorite music
- Hair brush/ comb
- Your phone & phone charger
- Going home clothes
- Toothbrush
- Bath sponge
- Towel
- Don’t forget to take the car seat!
9. STOCK UP ON FREEZER MEALS
I know you are probably tired right now and the last thing you most probably want to think about is extra cooking but I can assure you, you will regret it if you don’t.
Once your baby arrives your free time will literally be slashed into half.
Once you are postpartum you won’t have the time or the energy to cook.
So its best to get the hard work out of the way now.
If you are anything like me, sometimes the hardest part is actually the thought of cooking rather than the actual cooking itself.
You might find that once you are in the kitchen and you start to cook you might actually enjoy it.
Having your meals frozen means that once baby arrives you can just pull out a meal from the freezer rather than having to think about cooking on top of looking after a newborn baby.
10. TAKE PHOTOS, LOTS OF PHOTOS
This is where I fail miserably each time I am pregnant. My pregnancies are never easy.
I get so extremely tired that it’s hard to get myself to a place of decency to be able to warrant taking an actual photograph.
Don’t be like me!
Once I give birth, my immediate regret is ALWAYS, why didn’t I take lots of pregnancy pictures.
You may not feel like taking any photos now but believe me, once you have given birth you will begin to miss your pregnant belly and wish you had more pictures to look at.
11. STOCK UP ON HOUSEHOLD AND PERSONAL ITEMS
In the days leading up to your delivery, make sure your fridge and cupboards are fully stocked with whatever you may need.
Washing powder, eggs, butter, milk, anything like that.
The last thing you want to do on the way home from the hospital is to think about having to go shopping.
I’m sure you’d rather head straight home to be a family.
12. LEARN HOW TO FIX YOUR NEWBORNS CAR SEAT
I’m saying this because it happened to me with my firstborn. I really don’t know why I didn’t think of it sooner.
Once we left the hospital, neither myself or my husband knew how to fit the car seat. Doh!
Literally in the hospital parking lot, there we were trying to read the manual.
Don’t let this be your story.
Learn how to fit your car seat so you don’t need to be embarrassed like me!
Final thoughts on your third trimester to do list
These are just some of the important items you should have on your third trimester to do list.
I’m sure there are a few extra ones that you may want to add to this.
Feel free to do that and get on your way to meeting that beautiful baby of yours.
All this baby talk is making me feel broody again. I just love a newborn baby, don’t you?
ACCESS MY FREE HOSPITAL BAG CHECKLIST HERE
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- What’s inside your hospital bag?
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