Hellobee

Oh, the third trimester of pregnancy. It is a time full of excitement, anticipation and change. Your body is growing at rapid speed, and you spend most of your time daydreaming about what life will be like once your new addition arrives and rocks your world. As I’ve inched closer to my due date, I have noticed that the third trimester is full of a lot of good…and bad. I’m sure other pregnant ladies out there agree. So without further ado, here are two top ten lists for you: the best and worst parts of the third trimester.

1)  The countdown to meeting the little buddy squirming inside you is ticking. Months ago, the idea of meeting the baby that was the size of a blueberry seemed light years away, but now, you are mere months (or weeks!) from seeing your bambino face to face.

2)  There is no more mystery left when you see strangers eyeing your stomach wondering if perhaps you’ve let yourself go. It’s getting obvious that there is a baby in there, not just excessive amounts of baked goods and fast food.

3)  You can share those kicks with your partner, literally. Our little guy is so active that he has made our bed shake when he is feeling extra feisty at night. And whacked my hubby square in the back when I’m being the big spoon. Caring is sharing, Mr. C.

4)  People are far more likely to hold the door for you, give you their seat on the train or bus, offer to help you carry your groceries or chase your toddler when he’s moving faster than you can waddle.

5)  By this point, you’ve likely stopped shedding, and your hair is looking thicker and fuller. Your nails are growing like weeds. Your lack of energy to shower is interpreted as a “pregnancy glow” instead of the profound laziness it really is.

6)  You get to check in more regularly with your OB or midwife, so all your weird “is this normal?” questions don’t have to sit lingering in your head for a month between visits. And yes, most of the time it’s normal, even if it’s uncomfortable, weird or gross.

8)  You have a free pass to be a little selfish. As you get bigger and visibly slow down a bit, you aren’t judged too harshly for bowing out of commitments, scaling back on obligations and practicing more self-care. Oh, and if this isn’t your first rodeo, anything goes when it comes to screen time for your older child(ren). Whether you are going to bed earlier, staying in bed later, working from home or skipping social events, anything goes in the third tri.

9)  Third trimester is usually the time when new moms-to-be get spoiled by friends and family, with baby showers, sprinkles, and the like. With all the looming change and the expenses that are barreling your way, it’s so exciting to have loved ones showering you with support.

10)  Did I mention that you’re almost done being pregnant?

1)   You. Are. Still. Pregnant. And have been for a while.

2)  Now that everyone and their mother can visibly see that you’re pregnant, you will get the same three questions every time you encounter another human being: When are you due? What are you having? How are you feeling? By the zillionth time you have heard these questions, you’ll want to open every conversation by saying, “Hi. I’m due end of January with a boy, and don’t ask how I’m feeling unless you want to hear the truth. And it’s not pretty. How are you?”

3)  Sleep. It seems like a distant memory. And even though you know (or at least you’ve heard) that it will only become more elusive in your baby’s first few months, you are wondering if it’s humanly possible to sleep so poorly for so many nights in a row.

4)  Managing the ins and outs (literally) of the digestive process. In the third trimester, it is so hard to figure out what to ingest and when, so as not to disturb the monsters known as heartburn and constipation. Some mothers-to-be are blessed enough to dodge these bullets, or only be hit with one and not the other. Do you avoid dairy or drink milk? Stick with tums or experiment with other over-the-counter heartburn remedies? Eat like you are accustomed or have a bunch of small meals throughout the day? And how much fiber is too much? Can this be managed with diet alone or should I take something to get things…moving? Isn’t pregnancy glamorous?!

5)  You sneeze. You pee. Sometimes simultaneously, and then, never on purpose. Your pelvic floor is no longer your friend.

6)  Oh, the peanut gallery. “You must be due any day!” Oh, no, actually not for 2.5 more months. “Are you having twins?” No, but thanks for making me feel bad about myself. “Wow – you are still pregnant!” Really, I hadn’t noticed.

7)  Getting from point A to point B becomes quite a process. You’re moving at a slower pace, getting in and out of bed is a challenge (not to mention rolling over – that’s like an Olympic sport), and if you have to sit down on the ground, it might be impossible to get back up without a personal assistant.

8)  Somehow all that relaxin flowing through your body makes everything hurt. Round ligament pains. Sciatica. Carpel tunnel. Swollen feet. Ambiguous aches and pains. The list goes on.

9)  Was that a weird feeling? Am I in labor? Are these contractions real or are they Braxton Hicks? Did I pee my pants or was that my water breaking?  At 30 weeks, I may or may not have convinced myself that my water broke and spent an embarrassing amount of time googling the signs so that I could avoid an even more embarrassing trip to L&D. Of course, if you really think that something is up, there is no shame in calling the doc or getting checked out at the hospital. But the third trimester is filled with so many awkward twinges, pains and discharges that it’s tough not to have a false alarm of some sort.

10)  You are still pregnant.  Enough said.