Congrats, mama! You made it to the last trimester! The trimester where things get very, very real! Such an exciting time but also a time where it’s essential to take care of yourself, in ultimate preparation for labor and those blissful, but sleepless, nights with a newborn! Here are my recommendations for what you need during your third trimester:

BELLY BALM: Your belly really will start to grow now, mama! Invest in a belly balm and aim to apply daily, and at least, after you shower! It will help prevent and/or alleviate stretch marks. This is the one I used during the third trimester with my second!

MATERNITY CLOTHES: – Think a lot of comfy things this trimester, like leggings and shirts! My fave are Target’s maternity clothes!  You may also want to invest in some nursing bras! This, by far, is my favorite nursing bra! I have it in 3 colors!

PRENATAL YOGA: Yoga stretches are some of the very best ways to alleviate aches and pains! I love Sara Beth Yoga on YouTube – she has an entire prenatal series. Some of the workouts are 15 minutes while others are longer – all depending on what you’re looking for, which makes her channel perfect!

BAKING SODA/TUMS: A teaspoon of baking soda (a base substance) neutralizes stomach acid so that even if it comes up, you won’t feel that burning sensation. Mix 1 teaspoon of baking soda with 8 ounces of water and drink all of it. Repeat as needed, but don’t exceed seven doses in one day. Avoid using this remedy for more than a week, due to its high salt content and other side effects like swelling or nausea.

BIRTH BALL: A birth ball/exercise ball will be your best friend in last trimester! Sitting on it helps relieve back pain and bouncing on it will help you make progress in terms of dilation/effacement.

HUGE WATER BOTTLE: This is my go-to water bottle (32 oz.)! It’s cute and it’s massive but ideal for pregnancy!

BODY PILLOW: I love this pillow from Amazon! It’s a game-changer for sleep and gives you the added back support you need when your belly is getting quite large 🙂

COMFY SHOES: There’s no need to make your feet hurt anymore! Definitely an excuse to buy a new pair of cute tennis shoes!

A TO-DO LIST: If you want them done, schedule Maternity pics and/or Newborn pics now! In terms of newborn pictures, you won’t have the time (or brain power) to schedule them after you give birth but will be so happy you had them done! Also, create a hospital bag packing list!

PEDICURE & MANICURE: If you haven’t been indulging in these already, NOW is the time to do so! YOU deserve to be pampered mama because once the babe is here, you won’t have time to sneak away for awhile from my personal experience. Also, if you’re getting newborn/family photos done soon after the birth, it will be nice to have one less thing to have to worry about in terms of getting yourself ready to be photographed. Be sure to get a gel pedi so it lasts forever!

PRENATAL MASSAGE: You won’t regret this!!! Take care of yourself mama, you’re in the home stretch!

You may also want to check out my post on 2nd Trimester Pregnancy Essentials!