Congratulations! You’ve made it to your third trimester and are all set to meet your little bundle of joy. This is also the time when your bump will expand rapidly, you will experience aches and pains and an overwhelming set of mixed emotions. Oh, and how can we forget the urge to pee every two minutes! You can as well say that the list of third-trimester pregnancy discomforts is quite long.
The good news is that you can prepare yourself way ahead of time by ensuring you have all the essential items required to make the last leg of your pregnancy journey comfortable.
10 Must-have Items For Third Trimester
Between dealing with the growing discomforts of your expanding belly, constant back pain, and the thought of labour pain and delivery, there’s a lot that a mum has to go through during the third trimester. Although you may have probably already stocked up on many essentials during your first and second trimesters, a few smart purchases during this time can help you stay comfy and prepare for your munchkin’s arrival.
Maternity Underwears And Bras
Are you using your pre-pregnancy lingerie in your third trimester? If your answer is ‘Yes!’ it’s time you change the course. By the third trimester, your breasts become heavier and your uterus expands to accommodate your little one’s needs. This means that your pre-pregnancy undergarments aren’t enough to provide support to your body and can make you uncomfortable.
Therefore, it’s best you invest in good quality maternity bras and underwear that provide ultimate comfort to your breasts and are super stretchable.
While you are at it, you should also consider purchasing nursing bras. These bras are soft, supportive, and stretchy, that allows easy access, and won’t irritate your sensitive breasts postpartum.
A Pregnancy Pillow
Sleep will feel like a long-distant dream during your third trimester, but don’t worry, as there’s a solution to tackle this concern too. You can consider purchasing pregnancy pillows. These pillows are bigger and much softer than the usual ones and are designed to provide support to your back, belly, and hips.
More specifically, you should get a U-shaped pregnancy pillow for yourself to balance your back, hips, belly, and feet. Plus, it will enable you to sleep sideways comfortably, and improve your blood circulation. It comes in handy post-childbirth and doubles up as a nursing pillow while you breastfeed your baby.
Maternity Clothing
Your body will start stretching from the second trimester and will continue to expand until the third. Therefore, it’s a good idea to invest in comfortable maternity clothes during this time. Choose clothes that have loose-fitting, breathable, and designed with comfortable fabrics such as cotton.
It’s also a good time to invest in clothes that are nursing-friendly, as they will allow you to breastfeed your little bub more conveniently.
Birthing Ball
A birthing ball is another must-have item to add to your third-trimester essential checklist. It’s a great way to exercise, support your posture, and prepare your body for labour and childbirth. In fact, birthing balls are so comfortable that you can swap your hard chairs with it and sit comfortably on it while working or relaxing. Bouncing on it a little will also give you a mild workout and strengthen your back and abdominal muscles.
Natural Skincare And Body Moisturisers
As you may already know, there are a lot of skincare concerns that arise during pregnancy. Some of the pregnancy skin woes include acne, pigmentation, dark spots, and dryness. Unfortunately, these issues tend to worsen during the third trimester.
To tackle these skin concerns you will need an effective skincare routine packed with pregnancy-safe and natural products. There are three skincare steps that you cannot skip: washing your face, using a daily toner, and nourishing your skin with a hydrating face cream. Opt for a natural cleanse-tone-moisturise daily essentials skincare box to deliver all the TLC to your skin.
Panty Liners
In the third trimester, you will notice an increase in discharge from your vagina. Don’t worry, it’s a common side effect of the fluctuating hormones. To keep your vagina fresh, you can consider investing in some panty liners that are designed with natural ingredients. Also, make sure to choose unscented ones to protect your skin from bacterial infections.
Pain Relief Oil
By this time, your muscles will feel extra sore and you will experience more pain in your back and legs. The best way to provide relief is by investing in a natural pain relief oil. Use an oil that’s enriched with ingredients like mahua oil, turmeric oil, and mustard oil to reduce soreness, muscle inflammation, and back pain. Just take a little bit of oil in your palms and gently massage the affected areas to soothe the pain.
Comfortable Shoes And Compression Socks
As your belly expands in the third trimester, bending down might seem like an impossible task. Also, as swelling in the feet increases, wearing sandals or platform shoes might not seem that comfortable. Therefore, opt for comfortable slip-on shoes that provide support to your feet and are breathable.
You can also consider buying compression socks to alleviate swelling in your feet. These socks help improve blood circulation in the sore areas and are super-comfy.
Natural Stretch Oil
Stretch marks are common during pregnancy and most women experience it. They usually develop due to the stretching of the skin in the belly area and can sometimes be itchy. To soothe irritation and reduce the appearance of these marks, you need to keep your belly skin hydrated and well-moisturised. Invest in a stretch marks bundle, complete with a natural body butter and stretch oil. Regularly using these products will nourish your skin, lock in moisture, and diminish the marks gradually.
Thermal Water Bottle
Image caption: Make sure to drink sufficient water to keep yourself and your growing baby healthy.
Water not only replenishes you but also supports your baby’s blood circulation. So make sure to invest in a large water bottle, ideally a thermal one, to keep you hydrated throughout the day. If you forget to drink water, you can always set reminders on your phone.
Apart from adding all these items to your third trimester pregnancy checklist, make sure to keep a calm and happy mind, and relax as much as possible. Because once your little one arrives, you aren’t getting any rest time mama.