the final leg.

The final installment of my experiences as a mum-to-be.

Mother's Choice Bassinet + Toucan print // Onesies from Best & Less + Pumpkin Patch dress

Now at the nearing end of the "fourth" trimester I'm finally finding the time to write about my final trimester as a mum-to-be: more about my labour and experiences as a new mum in the next installment of my journey, which I promise will be sooner rather than later!
Photos for the baby book printed via Pocket Prints // Romper from Pumpkin Patch + Taffy Pink bows
The third trimester definitely felt the longest even as I hit single digit weeks leading up to my due date. I have officially dubbed the final trimester as the "can you come out now?" period where you've been pregnant for long enough and the anticipation build up is like no other. For me the worst part was not knowing exactly when my little one was to grace us with her presence. For some their little ones arrive before their due date, and for others it could be up to two weeks after the due date that they get to meet their special mini me. Luckily for me I was one of the very few who got to meet theirs basically on their due date (I was only one day early).
My hospital bag, packed at 35weeks featuring Mimco Lucid bag, Hot Tresses travel hair care, Snowfox face wash, Cotton On Body moisturiser, polka dot pjs from Target // Skip Hop backpack nappy bag + Silver Cross Pioneer pram
During our final trimester we learnt some realities of pregnancy and the impending labour. I'll be honest, what I knew of labour was only what I had seen depicted by Hollywood (much like what I knew of pregnancy cue dramatic morning sickness and baby-like ultrasound at the first scan: first scan ultrasound babies generally look more like jellybabies than baby-babies) but the truth couldn't be more different. Most of us know the sign of impending labour is the dramatic water breaking in public followed by intense contractions before rushing to the hospital. Though this may happen to some (a meager 10%) most of the time labour involves 24-72hrs of prelabour contractions (similar to period pains, gradually getting more intense) topped off with the last leg of 8-12hrs of active labour which is when you're meant to head to hospital. One thing that I can confirm that Hollywood got right was the amount of pain labour contractions can be like. Can't say I had enough breath to swear and cuss as the pain rolled through, but the pain-stricken faces and huffing was definitely something I could relate to.
Baby shower gifts from bub's godmother Bright Green Laces // Lace crown made by Royal Rugrats Boutique
On the more fun side of the third trimester would be the baby shower and doing up the nursery. We had a non-traditional, but growingly popular, baby shower bbq where boys and girls mingled and chilled. Naturally I took charge of the food with my pride and joy being the dessert table. The nursery was done up early on in my third trimester which was nice as I got to get hands-on involved but meant I had this cute little room done up which served as a constant reminder we had to wait patiently for her arrival before it was properly utilized. 
The dessert table at the baby shower // The baby shower cake: cookies & cream with pink vanilla frosting Baby shower style: bumpdate #33weeks // The nursery featuring Cocoon Flair convertible cot, Troll change table, K-Mart bookshelf
The third trimester is also the exciting time where you finally look pregnant and people aren't afraid to ask. I moved into my third trimester shortly after the Christmas holidays so it still took a little while for people I knew who I hadn't told to brave up and ask as most thought it could've been the feared Christmas kilos haha I didn't buy much in the way of maternity clothes during my pregnancy. I found that I could get away with what I had in my wardrobe easily for the first few trimesters. By the third I did invest in a belly band ($12 from Target) which extended the life my clothes which began to ride up my belly, and I bought a pack of 2 pregnancy leggings from Asos (pregnancy gives you a free pass to wear leggings as pants).
Rocking Pop! Maternity activewear (gifted) at 27 weeks // Bumpdate at 31 weeks
It's incredible what the human body can go through to accommodate for a mini human. Your waist disappears and belly grows rapidly in the last trimester, so much so that I was frequently miscalculating the space I needed to open doors or walk through spaces. Not to mention the third trimester is when you begin to wedge a pillow under your belly because the weight of it all lying down is bizarrely foreign. Though hilariously it is also the time where you can begin to use your belly as a table - which I most definitely am guilty of doing on a few occasions.
K-mart basket used for baby dirty laundry, Jelly cat bunny on top of Boori toybox // Asos unicorn coin jar
In retrospect it's clear that every pregnancy is different. You can get as much advice and read everything Google has to offer but still end up with something completely different. For me I didn't experience a majority of the pregnancy symptoms, which is an envy to some who got hit with the motherload of pregnancy symptoms. And the same goes for labour and how your baby will be, but more on that up soon.
Mammojo lactivewear (gifted) + Baby Converses // Milk Mama lactation chai & cookies (gifted)
- margaret