You are on the home straight, you are waiting for your baby to arrive, but you also have a head full of things you think you need to know, things you think you need to buy, advice you've been given, solicited and unsolicited of course ...

So let's keep this brief.

3 things you REALLY need to do in your THIRD TRIMESTER

Based on the hundreds of clients I've helped through their Fourth Trimester - that's the bit when you've got a newborn in your arms, all your "bits" hurt and you can't believe that babies don't come with an instructional manual (pssst that's what Postpartum Doula's are for) these are the 3 THINGS I think that you really need to do in your Third Trimester.

First, think about how you are going to feed yourself

Options that really don't work, in my humble opinion, are:

Instead you need to think about either meal prepping in advance, but I know this isn't everyone's skill set or preference, so instead you can think about a meal delivery service.

This could be with a Confinement Meal specialist, we are loving the extra care an attention that Maternity Angels puts into all of the Confinement Meals and products.

There are also the main stream options like Nutrition Kitchen, use our exclusive code EMPOWA10 to get 10% off your first order, please note Terms & Conditions may apply (speak with Nutrition Kitchen for more info).

and then there is something special, something thought about by a mum, something designed by a mum and something cooked by a mum, fresh everyday and delivered to your door. The food from Fit Mum Kitchen is like no other meal delivery service I've tried, and that's why I was so excited when they offered us an exclusive discount. Just use FMKEMPOWA15 at the checkout to get your discount. T&C's may apply so check with Fit Mum Kitchen if needed.

Second, you need to start thinking about how you are going to feed your baby

I highly recommend having an appointment with a Lactation Specialist or Consultant before you give birth. Even if you don't plan on breastfeeding it's worth discussing how lactation works, the natural hormonal process your breasts and your brain will experience and what you need to do in the early days to support your body's natural processes. If you'd like more information on recommended Lactation Specialists please click the link here and we'd love to send you more information.

But other than the knowledge of how to breastfeed your baby, its also good to have a little back up from some nifty gadgets and gizmos that are designed to make the breastfeeding journey easier. Luckily for you, Pramfox, the Baby Gear Boutique, have gathered all of the most useful items together into a Breastfeeding Tool Kit and they give Empowa customers and readers an extra special 10% discount. Simply use discount code EMPOWA at the checkout page and you'll get an EXTRA 10% off. Check with them in any T&Cs apply.

Last but absolutely not least you MUST think about your postpartum recovery!

Head over to the only store I've managed to find that is exclusively dedicated to making sure you have everything you need to recover from birth. Whether you give birth vaginally or by caesarean section Allemom.sg has everything you could think of, in a not so overwhelming way, that will help. As a Postpartum Doula I have been sourcing products from around the world to ensure my clients have what they need to aid and speed up their physical bounce back post birth, but Allemom.sg literally has all of the products that I struggled to find for so long; and the best bit ...

They give Empowa readers an exclusive 10% discount. Just use "empowa22" at checkout and get your 10% discount.

Whilst you're here, my top recommendations for things to purchase from Allemom before you give birth:

Peri Bottle

Perineal Cold Packs

C- Section Recovery Pants

Silverettes

Nursing Cami

My advice is based on being a mother, giving birth to a 3.7kg baby, being a Certified Postpartum Doula and Infant Care Specialist and supporting 100's of new parents through their Fourth Trimester (check out the reviews here). So I hope this information is useful and if you like these tips please don't forget to pass this article on to other pregnant and new mums so that they can also benefit from these fantastic exclusive discounts.

Get in touch for support

If you're intrigued about what your village could look like or what dedicated POSTpartum and POSTnatal support could mean for you, having a trained, impartial and rational person to support you through those first few days and weeks of becoming a parent then please don't hesitate to arrange a FREE chat now.

Most people book POSTpartum Doula support in their Second Trimester and the most popular package looks a little like this (I say a little like this because I bespoke most of my packages based on peoples individuals needs and circumstances):

1 x FREE Introductory Virtual Consult

1 x FREE Prenatal Consult

12 x home visits, normally for 4 hours

up to 2 years of FREE Virtual Support via the Empowa app

Prices for POSTpartum Support start from just $175, with packages from $665, so that you can Guarantee your Postpartum and Postnatal Care immediately after birth.

Book your FREE Discovery Call now.