How to Make the Most of Your Third Trimester to Get Prepared for Baby

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This may be your first baby or your fourth baby. Some lists may better apply depending on which birth this is for you. Take the ones that matter to you and leave the rest. The third trimester though is time to start getting your ducks in a row. Baby will be here before you know it!

These lists are designed to help all those pregnant mommas remember what they are quite possibly forgetting. You may also not have the brainpower at this point in your pregnancy to remember anything.

Let the lists help you out!

Momma’s Body and Mind

During your third trimester, it is time to focus on getting your body and mind ready for labor and birth. You may plan for pain medications, a natural birth, or maybe even a scheduled c-section. Everyone comes from a unique situation.

Again take what fits your unique situation and leave the rest.

I recommend you start focusing on your physical health. Start taking daily walks. Remember you are pregnant and now is not the time to start a crazy workout regimen. As long as you don’t have any major health concerns or forced bed-rest taking daily walks shouldn’t be too much for you to handle.

These walks will help you feel in better shape going into delivery. Delivery is taxing on your body. It is best to go into it in the best shape possible.

Other light activities you could do include stretching and squats to open up your pelvis. Consider bouncing on a medicine ball to get your body ready for birth.

Along with exercise comes nutrition. Start making an effort to eat a bit healthier. If you still craving ice cream that’s cool. But make your meals a bit cleaner. You want food to boost your energy, not make you more sluggish.

Drink plenty of water. We all can improve in this area. It can be easy to avoid water due to frequent trips to the bathroom. If this is a problem for you late in pregnancy consider making most of your water intake happen in the morning and afternoon. In the evening slow it down so you aren’t up all night.

Rest is another huge part of your general health. Get as much rest as possible during this time. Labor is exhausting and you go straight from labor into caring for a newborn. Rest when you can!

Prepare yourself mentally for the arrival of a baby. If this is your first baby think about your time before becoming a mother. Once that baby comes out of you the title mom is yours to keep forever. Cherish those final days of just being you.

No matter how you give birth there will be pain, or at the minimum discomfort. Our pain could be experienced primarily during labor or it could be felt more so during recovery. Mentally prepare yourself for both options.

If you plan to give birth naturally you need to go into labor with a plan and strategy for coping with the pains of labor. Read up on positive natural births. Make notes of coping strategies that you think will work for you. Read books that inspire you and bring you comfort during this time.

You all around need to be in a good mental and physical state going into delivery. Your third trimester is the time to get yourself ready.

If you want more information on preparing for labor check out my article Be Prepared for Labor: My Top 10 Must-Have Lists.

Schedule Appointments

If you didn’t schedule appointments in your second trimester now is the time.

Think about anything that would be helpful to get done before your baby arrives. Now of course there are some things you may not be able to do while pregnant.

For instance, I recommend scheduling a haircut before your baby’s arrival. However, if it is unsafe you shouldn’t get your hair colored. IDK I don’t get my hair colored…yet.

You may go to the dentist for a cleaning, but if they find anything major they may need to wait until your baby is born to address any issues.

So when I say schedule appointments your pregnancy may impact what you are able to get done though.

Other things I recommend include getting any car maintenance done such as tire rotation and oil change. If you have a policy on your wedding ring or any jewelry that requires annual cleanings get them done.

If getting your nails done is something you find enjoyable do that near the end of your pregnancy before giving birth.

If you have older children get any appointments you possibly can done. Do they need haircuts, trips to the doctor or dentist?

Look through your calendar at all the appointments you typically have or your family members have. Can any of them be moved forward a bit?

Get Your Home Ready

Getting your home ready can include things like cleaning, decluttering, preparing the baby’s space, and meal prepping. In this category, I would also include your vehicle.

Let’s start with cleaning. Some mommas go crazy while others don’t have the energy. My recommendation is to do as much as you desire. The more the better of course, but if the house gets a little behind during postpartum it is not the end of the world.

Clean your house how you desire. I am not here to tell you how to clean today. Make a list though of what you want to accomplish during the third trimester.

Go ahead and get everything ready for the baby’s arrival. This means washing any new clothing or hand-me-downs. Make space for them in the kitchen. You are going to need an area either now for bottles or plates, bowls, and sippy cups in the future. Start carving out space for them now.

Do not live the next year with bottles and formula being stored on the countertop! Give them a proper place in the kitchen.

Once again freezer meals are completely up to you. Some people do pans to be baked in the oven; others do baggies that get dumped into a crockpot or slow cooker.

I enjoy taking time to cook up a bunch of meat. I typically do ground beef, ground sausage, chicken breasts that I then shred, and a pork butt which is also shredded. I freeze these different baggies of meat and then later they help in making a meal.

It is not full meal prep, but rather a partial time saver.

My final food recommendation is to have healthy or semi-healthy snacks on hand. This could be muffins, fruit, or trail mix. The idea here is while you are home during the day with a newborn easy snacks are helpful.

You do you.

Make a list of what foods you would like to prepare before your baby’s arrival.

My final thought on preparing your home is going out to the car. Get your car seat or car seat base installed. If it is a hand-me-down check the expiration dates. Also, clean out your car! This could be professional detailing, a trip to the car wash, or do it yourself at home. A clean car will help you feel prepared.

Older Children and Pets

If this is not your first baby then you need to have some sort of plan for your older child or children. Is someone going to stay at your house with them? Will they be going to stay with an aunt or family member?

If they are leaving your home get them packed up or at least start writing out their packing list for you to use closer to delivery.

Write out schedules and lists for the caretaker. They need to know the bedtime routine especially.

Make it easier on the caregiver by providing them with information that answers any questions they have.

If your older child is in school and participates in sports you need that information ready to go. What do they need for school? Do you pack or purchase their lunch? Where are their evening activities and what equipment is required?

These are the things you need to start thinking about now and getting prepared.

Is there anything specific to your child?

Our child for example has allergies. This means when birth approaches all food that is safe for her will be labeled. I take this very seriously. I do not want to put a caregiver in the position of giving my daughter something she shouldn’t have.

I will be busy enough delivering a baby. I do not need to be worried about my older child.

If you have pets you can think through a lot of the things I already mentioned, but simplified. They need care too!

Create multiple lists regarding care, emergency contact numbers, schedules/routines, and anything else specific to your family.

Pack Your Hospital Bag

I wouldn’t pack your bag the day you enter your third trimester. I would recommend that you start making a packing list though.

Break it up into baby, partner, mom during labor, mom postpartum.

I used packing cubes to help divide up all these categories. I specifically picked the packing cubes I have linked because they came in different colors and two different sizes. Mom got the two small cubes. Dad and baby each got a large cube. The colors made it easy to know which cube belonged to which person.

Walk through the different areas and think about what you will need.

At some point start making your pile of stuff. Once you are at a place you are ready to pack the bag take everything out and mark the list as you pack it. Finally, leave a note on top of the bag stating any last minutes items that need to be packed such as your phone and wallet.

If you want you can check out my article that has a full, yet minimal list of What to Pack for a Hospital Birth.

Prepare for Postpartum Needs

During your third trimester create your postpartum kit and breastfeeding basket if you plan to go that route.

For postpartum have a place in the bathroom where you have everything you need.

Items for postpartum include a Peri bottle, Tucks pads, large pads, cheap or disposable underwear, and numbing spray.

For your breastfeeding basket get nipple cream, nipple pads, a burp cloth or two, the Haakaa, and maybe your breast pump parts. It is up to you if you think they belong there. If you are interested in learning more about the Haakaa check out my article The Haakaa: a Simple, Affordable, and Effective tool for Breastfeeding Moms.

With my first birth, I purchased a variety of pads and pantie liners in various shapes and sizes. I had no idea what I would need. I recommend not opening all of the packages. You can figure out what you need and return the unopened packages later.