The Final Trimester: Make Use Of The Waiting Time!

You’ve crested 35 weeks. You are, as they say, down to the short rows of your pregnancy. If everything has checked out well with you and your baby so far, you are very fortunate–and possibly just a little bored. Nesting may be kicking in, and that’s a good thing. You may have as much as five weeks to complete some of those final tasks around the house. You may also have as little as a day.

Without focusing too much on the medical side of things, about 15% of women will go into labor by 38 1/2 weeks of gestation. So if you’re hovering around that stage, know that one of every six women has already hit the door by this point.

If that thought creates some nervous energy, here are some ways to direct it constructively through some late-term preparations. Taking these steps will reduce your stress, keep you active, and make it easier for you to enjoy the last weeks of your pregnancy.

final trimester

Reallocate Your Space

Maybe you already have plenty of open space in your Rancho Penasquitos hacienda, or perhaps you’re a little more cozy in Miramar. Wherever you are, your new resident will create an entirely different view of how your space is allocated. Changing tables, extra seating for visitors, and just plain space for a baby to crawl around will mean that you may choose to clear some rec room space.

You can find a unit in order to store your toys indoors so that you can make room for all the new things that will come with your new arrival. And these tips apply both indoors and outdoors, since a SoCal patio is a wonderful place to snuggle a baby.

Put Final Touches On The Nursery

You’ve probably made around 800 trips through your bundle’s future quarters to ensure that everything is perfect, but you can probably still find little things that need doing. If young cousins, siblings, or friends may frequent the nursery after the little one’s arrival, go ahead and install safety items like drawer latches and outlet covers. It will be months before your baby needs them, but little visitors may be exploring there soon.

Take a quick look at room layout details like the location of air conditioner vents. If they are in the ceiling, make sure they won’t blow directly in your baby’s face and cause dry sinuses. Get a few extra bulbs on hand for all the lights in the room so that midnight care won’t take place in darkness.

Prepare To Make The Hospital Run(s)

Fortunately, the San Diego area is essentially snow-free, so even with a wintertime due date, you should have passable roads for your mad dash to the delivery facility. But plenty of other things can interfere. January is prime time for wildfires, and 2014 holds unpleasant promise in this area. If natural disasters take place that create a need for evacuation routes, highway blockages, and other detours, can you find your way to your destination? Will you be landlocked in Coronado, unable to cross the bay to A Better Birth in Bonita?

Reconsider your packing as well. While many of your postpartum medical needs will be provided by the delivery facility, your creature comforts are up to you. We all dream of the ideal delivery–no traffic, a quick epidural, and a fast delivery–but in reality it may be hours and hours of waiting for you.

Bring a Sudoku book, have someone fetch you a daily Union-Tribune, or whatever will occupy your mind. And be sure to bring chargers for all your electronic devices…and the devices themselves!

Prepare To Come Home

First things first, after your discharge: Make sure you’ve already acquired and installed a baby seat for the ride home. Don’t be superstitious; taking care of those steps will not jinx your delivery. Visit a CHP or SDPD facility to get the seat installed correctly by certified personnel. It is not as easy as the directions would suggest! It must be done right to work effectively.

And what about long-term help at the house? Many grandparents spend time with the newborn as a help to mom, who may be recovering from a C-section or other more arduous events. Is there a guest space ready? Have you planned for their special needs like dietary requirements or accessibility?

These waning weeks of waddling are the perfect time to cover these and other bases. Be prepared ahead of time so that you can enjoy this amazing experience.

Photo Credit By: huffingtonpost.com

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