LIL Baby: Third Trimester Favorites

Good morning!

Today I wanted to back things up a bit and share some of my favorite items that got me through the third trimester of my pregnancy. If pregnancy and baby-related topics aren’t for you, please know that there will be more food and fitness content coming back to LIL soon!

Until I’m cleared to work out again, however, I wanted to take advantage of my time at home by catching up with you all on the pregnancy and baby front, because that is literally what is ruling my days right now. (But so worth it!)

Now that Skyler is almost a month old (!!!), I want to pass on some of the products I thought were helpful during the final weeks of pregnancy and follow it up with a Fourth Trimester Favorites post (things I absolutely needed during my postpartum recovery) soon after. Looking back, I was clueless on so much when it came to what to expect for labor and delivery and what the heck a postpartum recovery would be like. So that’s what’s in the works.

Rewinding back to the final weeks before we met our little miracle, the items you see listed below were go-tos to help me function my best between Weeks 27-38 of pregnancy. I never made it to Week 40 since our baby boy decided to surprise us all by coming two weeks early.

I would love to read your advice and discuss more pregnancy must-haves in the comments section below. Please feel free to share!

 

• sleep maternity/nursing bras

I purchased a set of nursing bras in the second trimester, but the further along I got, the more comfortable I wanted to be … in everything. I never thought I would ever be uncomfortable in my (newly purchased for pregnancy) sized-up sports bras, but the day came, and all I kept turning to during the last few weeks of pregnancy was this lamaze maternity spandex sleep bra in every color.

(Pictured to the left & right with  I have my eye on in the middle)

I work full-time at a fitness studio, so sports bras are obviously welcomed attire. But, towards the end, I sported these babies with everything from under dresses and baggy sweaters to tighter t-shirts. The further along I got, the more my ribcage expanded, and the last thing I wanted to wear all day was a regular bra with wiring. There were days I got “dressed up” and wore one, but most days I didn’t. I’ve found that maternity bras that can double as nursing bras later on are the best investments and total lifesavers!

 

• antacid tablets

An old wives tale suggests that if your baby has a full head of hair, you will probably experience heart burn during your pregnancy. Our baby has a pretty stellar Friar Tuck/mullet hair style going on with hardly any hair up top and a full head of hear on the bottom (ha), and I’m starting to think that the theory might actually be true.

Heartburn was real for me in the last twelve weeks. It woke me up a lot of the night, sometimes all night. I ended up getting pretty intense acid reflux that caused me to get sick on occasion, too. Oh the joys of the last trimester, right?

I started laying off of the orange juice (a serious craving I had throughout pregnancy!), and took  before bed at night to help me sleep better. It eventually went away and became much more manageable, but between heartburn, frequent trips to the bathroom, and leg cramps (more on that below), I think our baby was training us for newborn life early on.

(Please check with your doctor before taking any type of medication throughout your pregnancy! My doctor cleared Tums in moderation as well as tylenol for headaches, aches, and pains when needed.)

 

• supportive socks

I had horrible leg cramps during the last trimester. The shooting pain seemed to come out of nowhere and was so bad that it always woke me up, sometimes multiple times a night, every night. I had read that exercising regularly (with stretching) helps with circulation to combat leg cramps, and you can try resting with your legs elevated to get the blood flowing. It’s also helpful to stretch your calves before bedtime and wear supportive stockings. I never wore compression socks, but they were recommended to me.

Instead, I turned to my go-to tall athletic socks of choice: calf  length or knee-high Bombas. (I’ve mentioned Bombas several times on the blog before. This section is not sponsored, I just love them that much!) They’re super supportive and equally as comfortable.

 

• comfy slippers

Speaking of comfortable, I needed a good pair of slippers to wear around the apartment before the baby arrived. I knew I was going to be home with him 24/7 for at least the first few weeks of newborn life, so I figured I might as well get a pair I loved to enjoy during the end of pregnancy, too.

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I recently shared that my favorite slippers to purchase over the last few years have been Minnetonka moccasins, but anything that you look forward to coming home to and is easy to slip on and off will do!

 

• belly butter

I noted a winning combination ofandfor stretch mark protection in my Second Trimester Favorites post. I used that for the majority of my pregnancy, and I replaced it with Glow Organics belly butter when I ran out of the lotion. It was passed down to me from my friend Ashley, and the pasty shea and cocoa butter has a thick texture which feels like even more protection than the lotion provided with a smaller belly.

If you’re not into purchasing all three products, I highly recommend the belly oil and belly butter!

 

• under the bump maternity underwear

A few friends of mine told me to get a set of maternity underwear early on. I didn’t give in until the beginning of the third trimester, and I have to admit that I was really late to the party on this one. Not only are they extremely comfortable and are made to be worn with a growing belly, they have been my go-to unders that I’ve turned to while recovering postpartum.

There are plenty of fancy brands out there, but I have been loving these pregnancy underwear sets that I found on Amazon at a steal! The low in front, full back cut is where it’s at y’all.

 

• lacrosse ball for massages

I got pretty intense upper and lower back pain in the third trimester, and while I would have loved to book prenatal massages on the regular, it just wasn’t in the budget. Something I found to be a huge help is a simple lacrosse ball to use up against the wall to roll out knots and areas with pressure that built up over long work days and sleepless nights.

2-pack lacrosse balls

You can find lacrosse balls with a cheap price tag at sporting goods stores or online. I got fancy and ordered this lacrosse balls massage set from Amazon. I was spoiled with back rubs from Scott, but when he wasn’t around, a massage ball really helped out. I actually ordered a few to have at work and got my entire staff hooked on them. Go on and give ’em a try!

 

• oversized sweatpants

There came a point in the third trimester when I traded in my sweats and sweatshirts for my husband’s. I always thought that I would do my best to stay “cute” throughout my pregnant months, and I put in a solid effort for a while, but the day came where I truly didn’t care and just wanted to do something to feel somewhat comfortable as much often as possible.

( to my favorite pair)

As soon as I came home for the night, I changed out of my clothes and into oversized sweats. I don’t really have a good suggestion on where to get these besides the men’s section, or, better yet, a boyfriend’s/husband’s/significant other’s dresser drawers.

 

• baby prep reading material

We picked out a handful of books on our baby registry to help get us ready for parenthood, and while I am still reading them, I liked that I started reading them during the end of my pregnancy. Scott even picked out a few for him, too.

On my night stand:

• What To Expect The First Year by Heidi Murkoff and Sharon Mazel
• Diaper Dude: The Ultimate Guide To Surviving The First Two Years by Chris Pegula
• On Becoming Baby Wise by Robert Buckman M.D.
• Baby Laughs: The Naked Truth About the First Year of Mommyhood by Jenny McCarthy

I required an impressive stack of parenting magazines throughout my pregnancy, too. I took anything I read with a grain assault, as I know every family and baby is different.

 

Third Trimester Suggestions From Friends

I’d like to close this round-up with a recap of highlights from first & second trimester favorites and suggestions from friends that might be helpful during the second trimester. You just never know what might help you!

• pre-natal vitamins (a must! I’ve turned to these during my entire pregnancy.)
• My very favorite maternity line that I’ve found so far is Jessica Simpson, available at ,or even on Amazon at great price points.
• a belly belt for extra support during workouts and the third trimester (I’ve heard good things about this brand)
• pregnancy apps: I’ve been loving Ovia and What To Expect for daily insights and weekly updates
• for extra support, smoothness, and comfort like these and these.
• roll-on essential oils to help ease nausea while commuting/traveling

 

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Thanks for checking in and reading about our lil baby journey. I’d love to hear from you and read about some of your favorite items from your pregnancies and third trimesters, too.

Happy Friday!

 

Disclaimer: While this post is not sponsored, affiliate links are included. I truly appreciate your support on the growth of this blog (and baby)!