You are now nearly there!  It will be only a few months until you hold your baby in your arms. This trimester will be a busy one as compared to the first and second trimester. By this time, you will be eating well, staying active, pampering yourself and getting lots of sleep. In the third trimester along with all these things you will have some additional priorities too. It’s time to plan about the birth and do some shopping!

Here is what you need to do in the third trimester of your pregnancy:

Talk to your partner:

Start talking with your partner about child raising ideas and share things about how you will bring up the baby.  Talk about co-sleeping and breastfeeding your baby. Stepping into motherhood might feel stressful but when discussed with spouse, you can get all the support you can with mutual understanding. 

Think about the support you need after birth:

In the initial weeks you will be on bed nursing or sleeping with your little one. In this time period, you will have a lot of time to bond with your baby and comfort him. You can have the baby’s grandma to soothe the crying baby because you do not require having a nurse at home. If you have any outdoor chores or have your appointment with the doctor, you should have someone in the family to nurture and feed the baby while you are away.

Moreover, you do not want your house to be invaded with guests. They can always visit after a month once the baby is settled and so are you. Click here to find out how you can keep your baby protected from germs. Before getting engaged with the guests, you want to get used to the breastfeeding process and be more expert in comforting your child as you do not want the postpartum hormones to take over your mood. Talk to your spouse about how you both will foresee the initial weeks of the new life. 

Pack hospital bag:

You might want to pack two bags, one for during the labor time and the other one for after the birth. 

After the baby is born, you will have to have diapers, baby clothes, head wear to keep the baby warm and your personal things such as nursing gown, napkins and breast pads. Moreover, you should also keep some miscellaneous items with you such as camera, hospital paperwork and snacks.

Watch: Must Haves For Your Baby Diaper Bag

Baby shopping:

There are many things in the market that are available for the newborn baby but the truth is that you do not need all of those things. Here is a list of some items which are essential for your comfort and your little one:

• Baby bassinet or hammock to help infants sleep peacefully
• Baby rocker
• Nursing pillow
• Diapers- Approximately 10 diapers per day required
• Baby wipes
• Diaper bag
• Breast pump to express milk
• Baby feeding bottles
• Nipple cream to prevent cracked nipples while breastfeeding
• Nursing clothes
• Bouncy seat so you can keep a watch on your baby while you clean and cook

Breastfeeding Plan:

Everyone is aware of the fact that babies who are breastfed are healthier and smarter as compared to those who are formula fed since the beginning. Nursing experience brings hormonal changes and also influences the infant. Experts feel that mothers who nurse their babies tend to have a stronger and better relationship with their babies. Initially, if you feel that it is getting difficult to breastfeed the infant then you will be missing out on many wonderful opportunities that can give infinite benefits to your baby. 

• Educate yourself. Get professional advice or avail the resources available online regarding the issue or talk with your mother or a friend.
• Buy the nursing pillow
• Get a breast pump to avoid swollen and sore breasts and easy milk expression
• Learn about lactation and food intake which are important for nursing.

The above plannings are very important to follow during the third trimester so make sure that you are all set to go before you hit the hospital!

Read about first trimester and second trimester pregnancy by clicking this link.