How to Survive 3rd Trimester Pregancy

     Approaching the big 30 weeks, the end of the life-bearing journey feels unbearable. A big belly with a weighty load, sleep, mobility and even emotions suffer as the body, mind and heart prepare to release the baby in labor. In this natural and temporary state of exsistence, the pregnant women may feel so vulnerable, weak and limited. Thus on my fourth pregnancy in the third trimester, I offer three cliches to cling to:

1."Honor your season": any act that bears life, from creating a masterpiece to dying on the cross for humanity's sins requires great personal sacrifice. So much grace in accepting one's own weakness and limitations- the need to carry less and expect less as your  body does more.

2."Find your people": "It takes a village" to raise a child even in utero. Allowing others to help with child tasks, and/or throw you a shower for needed supplies (if on  third or fourth baby, I suggest a nesting party for friends to clean your home), demands humility to put down that "I-can do-all-through-me" 'mentality and embraces the "lean-on-me" attitude.

3.Live out the Serenity  Prayer: plan for what you can, create a birth plan, take birthing classes, and/or ask local lovely people to aid in childcare school pick and/or watching littles at home when labor spontaneously happens. Then let go of the uncontroable factors such as how birth goes, the fickleness of energy levels and varying emotional stability.

So live, laugh and love such clinches to honor where you are, lean on your village and control what you can. This makes the cross of late-term pregnancy bearable as the mother embraces the beautiful chaos of welcoming another life.