Third Trimester Essentials

Even though I am nearly three months postpartum and pregnancy seems like a distant memory, my OCD won't let me skip the final installment of my mini-series: Trimester Essentials.  You can find my first trimester essentials here, and my second trimester essentials here.  Due to my lack of time these days, I am going to keep this short and sweet and just list a few things that helped me through the final trimester of pregnancy.

Birth Ball

Recommended by our Bradley class instructor, I purchased an inexpensive yoga ball online (I found a deal on Amazon for less than $5 shipped) and swapped out my computer desk chair for the large inflatable ball, somewhere around the start of the third trimester.  This gave me a little time each day in a squatting position, opening my hips and helping baby move down.  Plus it was pretty comfortable to sit on and allowed for good posture.  In fact, three months postpartum and I still use it as my desk chair, on the rare chance I get to have some computer time.  Side note:  putting Arlo in the moby or agility wrap and gently bouncing on the ball allows me to hold him hands-free, keeping him happy and allowing me to get these blog posts written!  ;)

My husband's t-shirts and winter coat

Erik doesn't actually own this shirt, but wouldn't have been sweet if one of us had showed up to the birth wearing it?

A few weeks before the birth, I started to raid Erik's closet for oversized t-shirts to sleep and lounge in since my maternity shirts were all pretty fitted and getting even tighter by the day.  Plus, my winter coat was just barely able to zip up over the bump, so when I was aiming to be more comfortable on the daily walks I was talking with Lucy, I borrowed Erik's coat!

Childbirth Books

Since we were taking a Bradley Class series, it would make sense that we focused on Bradley method books.  This one by Susan McCutcheon was highly recommended by our instructor and the one that we read the most.  Admittedly, I had purchased eight or ten other books related to childbirth, and didn't find time to read very many of them before the birth.  The best preparation was taking the class, and reading this book on the side.

 Evening Primrose Oil

The birthing center recommended that I start taking Evening Primrose Oil at 37 or 38 weeks of pregnancy.  I ended up taking it for just a few days, and then started having some signs that labor was not far away, so the midwife recommended that I hold off on continuing to take it.  I don't think the Primrose caused Arlo to arrive eight days ahead of schedule, but had I continued to take it perhaps he would have come even earlier.  However, Primrose Oil is supposed to be good for preventing post-term labor so for future pregnancies I would surely take it again.


That's all I can think of for now...  Next up, my list of post-partum and newborn essentials!