My Third Trimester Practice:
(Skip below to go right into the Yoga Class Series)
Here is the one thing I wish I had done differently:
Have everything done before the Third Trimester.
Silly me thought I had all the way up to my due date. This was my first pregnancy so I even thought that there was a good chance he was going to be late. This little party animal insisted on showing up for Cinco de Mayo (2 weeks early) and that made the first week or two of postpartum a little chaotic. So if you can try to be prep-free by the third trimester.
Here is some stuff we did leave until the Third Trimester that I think worked out for us:
Point #1. I Insisted that my partner have a list of 5 therapists. I emphasized that I might not be in the best place to support him postpartum, so he needed to have someone who could. Why 5? Because you don’t always click with your therapist and it can be stressful trying to connect with a therapist when you’re already drowning. I had him do his research while he didn’t need one, so he’d be prepared if he did.
Point #2. A prenatal massage. This gave me something to look forward to. I booked this believing that my third trimester would be my worst… turns out nothing came close to my first. If you’re relatively local to NJ, I highly recommend The Nesting Place. They were awesome!
Point #3. Pain management practice: My doula introduced me to this practice and it really worked to build up my pain tolerance: Fill a bowl with ice cubes. Take a handful and squeeze your hands tight around the ice cubes for 1 minute at a time about 10- 15 times for each session. During each minute interval try different coping mechanisms (closing your eyes, looking at your empty hand, breathing, singing, moving around, talking to your partner, having your partner rub your shoulders or feet). This helped me to build my pain tolerance by mimicking contractions (the pain increases as your hand grows colder) and it helped me to learn what made the pain bearable/distracted me vs. what made the pain worse/irritated me.
Here are the only things I really needed at the Hospital:
*A water bottle with a straw (honestly this is the only thing I think I really used/needed)
*A change of clothes for leaving…maybe even just the clothes you wore there (yes you’ll most likely still need the same size).
*Shower stuff (if I was only there for a day or 2, I wouldn’t have bothered but we had a bit of a long stay)
*A book to read (I’m a librarian remember…). I actually also had an audiobook on Libby that I listened to quite a bit that first night.
*Our Birth Plan … which was less of a plan and more bullet points that we had made decisions about. We used Emily Oster’s plan (from the book mentioned in the First Trimester) and edited it/ added to it to fit us. This was actually a genuine asset when things went off the rails. We had discussed how we wanted to handle all types of situations, so even though our exact experience wasn’t in the plan, we knew what was expected of each other. For example: we had decided that no matter what happened, my partner was supposed to stay with the baby at all times. When I was having complications post birth, my partner came over to check on me. I said, “Eyes on the baby.” He knew where I wanted him and what would give me the most comfort because it had already been discussed.
Book Recommendations from my favorite pregnancy ladies:
The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother by Heng Ou
DELIVERY SACHET
I made this one as our due date drew nearer and simply kept it in my hospital bag.
Sprinkle of Lemon Balm (I like to use dry leaves but 1 drop lemon essential oil works too)
Sprinkle of Thyme (go ahead and use what’s in your spice cabinet)
1 drop Lavender essential oil (or dry lavender flowers if you got them)
1 drop Jasmine essential oil (I used the leaves of a jasmine tea I have)
Place all ingredients in a baby blue sachet (for good health) and hold the sachet in both hands. Speak any words that feel good, empowering, and heartfelt. Seal the feelings into the sachet. Carry this little bit of magic with you throughout your journey. Burn, Bury, or Flush when you bring baby home.
The words I spoke over my sachet:
Protect me and my baby.
Bring us peace and confidence through labour.
Bless this labour with luck and happiness.
Bless this new beginning.
Being healing. Bring health. Bring joy.
(I also wrote these words on a piece of dark blue paper and placed it inside the sachet before tying it up.)
Third Trimester Affirmations
I am capable. I am strong. I am ready for this.
My body and my baby’s body are working in sync.
I already know how to do this.
My baby is perfect and will be born at the perfect time on the perfect day in the perfect way.
We are both safe, happy, and healthy.
PLAY YOUR OWN PLAYLIST OR LISTEN TO THE WOMEN’S WISDOM PLAYLIST ON SPOTIFY!
These classes are not meant to be taken in order. Take whichever class feels good, whenever it feels good.
Repeat the same one over and over, if that’s what you need.
As your pregnancy progresses into the third trimester, it's even more important to listen to the signals your body is sending you. Allow for every day (or maybe even every hour) to feel different. Give yourself grace and permission to just let it be what it is.
Prop Options:
Keep a chair close by or set yourself up next to a wall. You may also want to have yoga blocks, a pillow, or a blanket close by.
As my body continued to shift to allow space for the little human to make the most of his final weeks of growing before birth, my hips took the biggest beating. You might be noticing it in your lower back, knees, or even your ankles as the lower half of your body does its best to keep you centered and grounded. This class is all about finding your balance once again (and again and again) in the final weeks.
I am always here for a good shoulder stretch. Even before I was pregnant I loved a good shoulder and neck release but carrying that extra weight (and extra hormones) sometimes felt like the weight of the world was resting on my shoulders. If you’re feeling it too, I see you. If you just love a good shoulder and back stretch, I see you too!
Prop Options:
Raise your hand if your experiencing knee sensitivity (ME!) - Grab a blanket and keep it close by to place under your knees just in case OR flip your mat over for a bit of extra padding.
Take some time to create the perfect space for yourself before your practice. During my pregnancy, I really struggled with connecting to a body that no longer felt like my own. Being intentional with setting the mood in my environment really helped me to be more present, more grounded.