The Ultimate Checklist For Your Third Trimester

There’s nothing more exciting for many women than becoming a mum, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t so much to do.

Your third trimester is when you should be putting the final touches on your pre-birth preparation, but it can be overwhelming with the excitement and the hormones, to know you’ve got everything done.

This list is intended to help you out with your third trimester, kind of like a checklist of everything that you should probably have done by the time b-day (a.k.a. labour day) rolls around. Some of these list items seem obvious, others are often forgotten despite being important in easing the transition into motherhood.

Now, if you don’t get all these done, it’s not going to be the end of the world. But, it’s certainly good to know you have some organisation behind you!

1. Write Your Birth Plan

Birth is a very personal thing, and most women find that a birth plan ensures things go the way you want them to during labour and delivery as much as possible. Of course, there is a risk of an emergency that could derail the plan, but making your preferences known to your birthing partner and to medical personnel is smart

. So think about how you want to deal with pain, how soon the cord should be cut, what happens straight after birth (skin-to-skin), who is in the room, your plans for breastfeeding, what you want to do with the placenta, and so on.

2. Take A Class

The third trimester is the time that most women choose to take classes on labour and delivery. These classes are highly recommended, particularly for first-time mums. Not only are they a great way to get information, they’re also a good way to meet other mums. When you start to look, you’ll realise there are a wide variety of classes available, from Lamaze to hypnobirthing and everything in between. Do your reading so you can find a class that suits your birthing style and just you in general. Also consider taking a class or workshop on newborn care and breastfeeding, which can also be highly useful and improves confidence for new mums.

3. Familiarise Yourself With Labour

There are two things you need to know about labour: the pain and the stages. Seeing as you can’t ever know for sure how painful labour will be if you haven’t experienced it before, the main thing to think about is how you’re planning on coping with labour pain. This means thinking about pain medication options, or looking at breathing methods to work through it. Mums in their third trimester should also read up on the stages of labour. Labour is divided into three stages, and you should be familiar with what happens in each.

Next Page: More Things You Need To Get Done For Your Third Trimester