What to do in the Last Stage of Pregnancy

The last stage of pregnancy can be a stressful and emotional time. If it's your first, you're likely anxious about the childbirth experience. You might be wondering, what does a contraction feel like? Can I handle the pain? Will I pull the trigger on the epidural?

At the same time, you're excited to meet your little one. You have a taste for what the baby is like with the kicks and movement. You want to see your bundle of joy. Cradle him or her in your arms. Experience all the fun milestones and moments.

Even though all these thoughts are going through your head, you know you want to make the most out of your last few months or weeks of pregnancy. Once the baby comes, it'll be a whirlwind of sleepless nights and unexpected challenges ahead.

What should you do in the last stage of pregnancy? Here are my top tips.

1. Make sure you've gotten all the baby essentials and postpartum essentials you need.

I've mentioned both baby and postpartum things because it's easy to forget about postpartum things until you're postpartum and you're googling how to relieve this postpartum pain or deal with this postpartum issue. Ensure you've gotten your postpartum items like postpartum underwear and sitz bath products while you're pregnant. You don't want to be scrambling buying things at the grocery store when your body is still recovering.

2. Get some self-care.

I know it's difficult to sleep and relax with the third trimester pregnancy pains from the growing belly. You definitely want to take this time to get as much sleep as you can. Take a bath. Grab a meal at a restaurant. Read a book. You'll likely not be able to do many self-care activities when the baby is born.

3. Go on a date.

It will not be the same between you and your partner for a while. Take this time to go on a romantic date. If you have other kids, hire a babysitter. You definitely want to make time for this. Nurturing your relationship is an important aspect that many often neglect when kids come into the picture.

4. Prepare freezer meals.

Get as many meals as you can prepped in the freezer. Stack it all the way to the top. You'll want several weeks of meals planned and ready. Get batches of snacks ready too. Once the baby comes, you're going to have very little time to do anything other than care for the baby.

5. Get your hospital bag ready.

In case you have left this to the last minute, this is the time to just get it out of the way. Pack your hospital bag for the baby, yourself and your partner a few weeks before your due date. Place it in your car or at the door. Tell your partner where it is.

There you have it - 5 things you need to do in your last trimester to be as prepared as you can be. All the best!