Written by Kira Gresoski, Doula
As a doula, I see firsthand how easy it is for expecting mothers to get overwhelmed by everything they are “supposed” to do before their baby arrives. There are birth classes to take, baby gear to buy, hospital bags to pack, freezer meals to make, and approximately one million opinions about how to have the perfect birth.
But when a mother asks me, “What should I actually be doing in my third trimester to prepare for birth?” I like to bring it back to three simple things: make space for baby, make time for nourishment, and make space for yourself.
Birth preparation doesn’t have to be complicated. In fact, some of the most meaningful ways to prepare your body and mind for labor are simple practices you can weave into your everyday life.
1. MAKE SPACE FOR BABY
In the third trimester, I encourage mothers to think about preparing their bodies for the physical process of birth. Rather than trying to force your baby into a particular position, the goal is to create as much balance, mobility, and spaciousness in the pelvis as possible.
One of my favorite tools for this is Side-Lying Release, a technique developed by midwife Gail Tully of Spinning Babies. This positioning technique is intended to help create space and balance through the pelvis. A trained birth professional or doula can show you how to do it safely and comfortably.
I also recommend considering an appointment with a pelvic floor physical therapist during pregnancy. A pelvic floor therapist can help you understand how to relax and coordinate your pelvic floor rather than simply focusing on strengthening it. Learning how your breath connects with your pelvic floor can be especially valuable for birth.
And beginning around 34–35 weeks, consider adding perineal massage during pregnancy to your routine. Research suggests that antenatal perineal massage can reduce the likelihood of perineal trauma requiring stitches, particularly for people who have not previously had a vaginal birth.
Think of all of these practices as ways of listening to your body and preparing it—not as guarantees of a particular birth outcome.
2. MAKE TIME FOR NOURISHMENT
The third trimester is a beautiful time to become especially intentional about hydration and nourishment.
Pregnancy increases your body's need for fluids, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends approximately 8-12 cups of water each day during pregnancy.
Pay attention to iron-rich foods, too. Your body needs extra iron during pregnancy to make the additional blood needed for you and your growing baby. Good sources include beans and lentils, leafy greens, fortified grains, meat, poultry, and seafood. Pairing plant sources of iron with vitamin-C-rich foods can also help your body absorb iron.
I also love encouraging my clients to enjoy nourishing herbal infusions like NORA tea, a traditional pregnancy tea blend made with nettle, oatstraw, red raspberry leaf, and alfalfa. NORA is often used as a mineral-rich daily infusion during pregnancy, although research on pregnancy teas and their effects on labor is limited. Talk with your midwife or doctor before adding herbal products to your pregnancy routine.
And as a doula, I’m legally obligated to talk about eating dates! (Kidding). One small prospective study of 114 women found that women who ate six dates daily during the four weeks before their estimated due date had greater cervical dilation on admission and lower use of labor-inducing medications than the comparison group. It’s an interesting finding, but it was a small, non-randomized study, so I think of dates as a delicious food to enjoy—not a recipe for a particular labor.
3. MAKE SPACE FOR YOURSELF
This might be my most important advice.
Birth is a profound and mysterious journey, and sometimes we can become so focused on doing everything “right” that we forget to actually live the final weeks of pregnancy.
Yes, move your body. Eat nourishing foods. Care for your growing belly. Drink your water. Learn about birth. Prepare your pelvic floor. Take your childbirth class.
But also make time for the woman you are right now.
Write a letter to your baby.
Write a letter to your future self, as a new mother.
Go for a walk. Get an ice cream. Meditate. Sit at your favorite café and journal. Take yourself on a date. Spend an afternoon doing absolutely nothing.
Your life is about to change forever.
There is no perfect checklist that can guarantee how your birth will unfold. Preparing for birth is not about controlling every possible outcome. It is about building trust in your body, gathering knowledge and support, nourishing yourself, and making space for the experience ahead.
So as you enter your third trimester, remember: make space for baby, make time for nourishment, and make space for yourself.
You are preparing for more than a birth.
You are preparing to become someone new.
