*Disclaimer: The Latched Mama Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

As your due date approaches the need to nest may ramp up or ramp down. Energy levels often drop in the late third trimester as you develop a waddle from lightening (baby dropping or moving down lower into your pelvis to prepare for birth). Although no one can be fully prepared for bringing baby home, since due dates are only estimates and baby will come when they are ready, there are things you can do to help. 

Meal Prep: Stock your fridge and freezer with meals and snacks you have prepared ahead of time. If this task seems overwhelming, ask for help. Have a meal prep party where you have your ingredients and recipes ready to go but people come and actually help you prepare those meals and snacks. 

It is important to remember that not all things freeze well. When in doubt, ask someone if they have ever frozen such meal or go to google. Some ready go to meals and foods that do freeze well are: vegetable soup, marinated meats, beef stew, breads, bean burgers, and cakes.

Marinated meats: even if you do not cook a bunch of meals before your baby arrives, marinating meat is so easy. Buy your favorite meats at the grocery store and separate them out into portions using freezer safe bags. Add whatever marinade you desire, seal bag, and place it in the freezer. When you are stuck for what to cook or need something easy, you can just pull it out of the freezer in the morning and it will be thawed enough to put in a dish and cook that evening in the oven. 

Some of my favorite marinades are as follows:

Chicken: BBQ sauce, Italian dressing, or Low Sodium Soy Sauce 

Beef: Steak Sauce or Worcestershire Sauce 

Turkey: Vegetable stock with onions, parsley, and garlic

Padsicles: These will help soothe and heal your perineal area after giving birth. Making these in advance can be a huge help for you. Although a lot of hospitals and birth centers will send you home with postpartum pads and ice packs, having the pads you already know are comfortable is completely different.

Padsicles are simple, all you need is: pads (disposable or washable depending on your preference), witch hazel, and lavender oil. Simple soak the absorbent part of the pad lightly in wit hazle and add a few drops of lavender oil. Place the pads in freezer safe bags and lay them flat in the freezer. When you need one, you can just pull one out. 

Sitz Bath Mix: This helps soothe and heal your perineal area after birth whether you tore or not. This is also soothing to hemorrhoids. Getting some small glass storage jars is a good way to store bath salt mixes until you are ready to use them.

An easy basic “recipe” is: 

1 cup of  Epsom salt 

2 ounces of Witch hazel

5 drops of Lavender oil

Depending on stitches or any other conditions, your care provider may recommend only 2-3 inches of water in the bathtub and soaking for 10-15 minutes. It is always important to consult your doctor or midwife before beginning any new routines. 

If you do not have the time or energy to prep all of these things, don’t stress. There are so many things at our disposal these days like mealtrain.com where people can sign up to bring you meals while you rest and recover. Do not hesitate to ask friends and family for help as you prepare and are immediately postpartum. Listen to your body and your baby and savor this special time.

*Content from The Latched Mama Blog is not intended to be used for medical diagnosis or treatment. The information provided on this blog is intended for general consumer understanding and entertainment only; with experiences shared from Mom to Mom. The information provided is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice.