Third Trimester Pregnancy Must Haves {Mommy's Must Haves List}

Welcome back to my Mommy's Must Haves series, a guide to the essentials for pregnancy and baby...written by a mom of three. My lists are compiled in an effort to be budget friendly, and today's is no different. Today, I'm sharing a brief list of my must-haves for the third trimester of your pregnancy.

If you haven't read the must have lists for the first trimester or second trimester, be sure to check those out and Pin them to read later. Many/most of those items will continue on into your third trimester.

1. Comfortable Daytime Shoes
As each of my pregnancies progressed, my feet always swelled pretty badly towards the end. No complications or pain...just a lot of water retention. It helped to have some comfortable, but stylish flats to throw on when I needed to go somewhere.

2. Flip Flops
See #1 above. If you're pregnant in the summer, chances are you may want to just live in your flip flops. Summer heat, humidity, and water weight can make flip flops the only bearable option for some.

3. Tennis Shoes
This trimester is all about the shoes, isn't it? Hopefully, you've had a chance to fit some exercise in all along. With my first pregnancy, I worked in an office all day, and didn't often have the chance to be up and about. When I hit my third trimester, I made a big effort to slip on my tennis shoes, leash the dog, and take a walk around the neighborhood. I found this made a big difference in my recovery from an unexpected c-section. Getting up and walking is crucial!

4. Comfy Socks
So you're tired from having your shoes pinching your feet all day. Grab some confy socks or slippers and put your feet up! If this is your first pregnancy, please, for the love of all that is holy, rest while you can. You're gonna be really, super tired soon.

5. Supportive Bra
This was actually part of the maternity wardrobe I mentioned in the second trimester must have list, but it bears repeating. I'll discuss nursing and pumping bras in another list.

6. Thank You Notes
Hopefully a friend or sweet co-worker has thrown or will throw a little baby celebration to celebrate your little one. You can find cute thank you notes at Target or WalMart! Call me old-fashioned, but I think it's important to take the time to properly thank friends and family who

7. Waterproof Mattress Pad
With one failed induction and three c-sections, I never had to worry about my water breaking, but chances are that you will. It would be a shame to ruin a mattress when a simple waterproof mattress pad would do the trick. My husband works in the industry, so a waterproof mattress pad was on our list during the first pregnancy, before we knew that our daughter's giant head would make future c-sections a necessity for me. Already have a mattress pad? Now you'll have a spare. If you already have kids, you know spare bed linens are a must!

8. Casserole Dishes
Download, buy, or borrow some freezer cooking recipe books and make a few now! Grabbing a freezer meal on those nights that you are just tired, or those nights after baby is here and you are just exhausted, will make your life a bit easier.

9. Hospital Tour Sign Up
Contact your hospital or their website and look to see if they offer tours of the maternity ward. Our hospital also offers a fun, free sibling class for big brothers and sisters. They conclude the class with a tour. I remember feeling slightly less overwhelmed when I arrived for my induction with baby #1 because I'd seen the nursery beforehand.

10. Nursery Plan
I'll write an entirely separate post detailing must-haves for a nursery, baby gear, etc. But if you haven't started thinking about where your little one will sleep and grow, start planning now. Even if you think you want baby to sleep in your room for the first few weeks, you may too tired and busy after he/she arrives to decorate a baby's special space. Being armed with a plan will make you feel prepared.

11. Hospital Bag
I usually don't pack a hospital bag until a week or two before I know I'll be heading in, but if you've been experiencing complications or if your doc thinks an early delivery is a possibility, you may want to think about having a bag stashed, just in case. As with item #10 on this list, I'll share a separate post for Hospital Bag essentials, to keep this post from being overwhelming.

I can't think of too much more that you might need in your third trimester that is a "must have."

I know a lot of first timers plan "babymoons" with their first pregnancy. If you are on a budget and worried about saving to pay for baby's necessities and hospital bills, please don't spend more money or go into debt to go on vacation. You don't need to leave town to enjoy some quiet time with your husband before baby arrives. Go out to a nice local restaurant, take a walk, finish up shopping for the nursery, or plan a candlelight dinner at home followed by a movie. You'll be glad you saved that money for unexpected expenses down the road...there are always one or two!

Experienced moms, what are some of your must-haves for the third trimester of pregnancy? New moms, what are some things you know now that you wish you'd known then?

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