Life

Courtesy of Steph Montgomery
11 Benefits Every Mom Can Enjoy After She's Finally Given Birth

by Steph Montgomery

The third trimester is by far my favorite. Not only are you in your final stretch, but you can feel your baby kick all day long, which is so reassuring (when they're not kicking your ribs or bladder). There’s generally no doubt you're pregnant, so people switch from quietly speculating about your weight gain to loudly speculating about when you are going to "pop." Plus, no one looks at you sideways if you order onion rings and ice cream. There are definitely benefits every mom can enjoy when she's finally given birth, though, and those benefits outweigh the awesomeness that is the third trimester (in my opinion).

The best benefit, by far, is finally getting to meet your new baby. If you are anything like me, the last 13 weeks of pregnancy can feel more like 37. By the end I am so ready to be done. Growing tiny humans is hard work, but snuggling a newborn is more than worth the trouble. There's also the fact that my pregnancies made childbirth seem like the easy part. I freaking hate being pregnant. Hate it. From severe nausea and vomiting to swelling, aches, and pains to Braxton Hicks and back labor, pregnancy sucks big time.

Then there are all of the things that you can finally do again, like being able to shave your legs, paint your toenails, and lie on your stomach or back when you're in bed. So, with all that in mind, here are just a few of my favorite things about the third trimester finally being over, because it totally has it's benefits.

You're Not Puking Anymore

I had hyperemesis gravidarum and threw up almost every day of my last pregnancy. I even puked while I was in labor. After my baby was born I was so happy I was finally able to eat again and, you know, not have the food come up a few minutes later.

You Can Finally See Your Toes Again

The end of my third trimester means finally seeing my toes again, which means I can paint my toenails and effectively shave my legs without there being what can only be described as a bloodbath.

You Get Your Body Back

OMG it's the best feeling to finally feel like myself again. Of course, now, I have a newborn attached to me all day long, but if I need a break I can hand him off to someone else.

You Get Bigger Boobs

My boobs will never look as good as they did when my milk came in. Never again. Sigh

You Can Have Sex Without A Passenger

I freaking love third trimester sex, but your growing body definitely makes some positions impossible, and sometimes it can be super weird and uncomfortable. After the third trimester, you not only get your body back (when you can find the time) you can get it on without a huge bump in the way (or a baby kicking you in the cervix).

You Have Smaller Ankles

No more cankles. I can wear shoes again and my feet and legs don't look like sausages anymore. Hurray.

You Can Lay Down On Your Stomach

I am totally a stomach sleeper. I hate having to stop sleeping that way when I reach my third trimester. There's nothing like sinking into my mattress and falling into a deep sleep (until baby wakes up to eat, that is).

You Enjoy Instant Weight Loss

While I don't put a lot of pressure on myself to lose pregnancy weight right away, it's nice to be able to wear real clothes again and start to feel like myself. Of course, most days I still wear leggings, because, leggings are freaking comfortable.

You Can Enjoy A Cocktail

There's nothing like celebrating your new baby with a glass of wine or cocktail. You have a serious reason to celebrate and can probably use a glass of something to help you relax, too. Hell, I know I did. Of course, you might get a little tipsy when you have your first postpartum drink, so be careful.

You Don't Have To Deal With Pregnancy Insomnia

I don't sleep much during pregnancy, and especially during the third trimester. It's so nice to finally be able to sleep. Unfortunately, now that I can fall sleep, I really can't stay that way, because my baby wakes up every two hours to eat. Grrrr

You Can Enjoy Baby Snuggles

Courtesy of Steph Montgomery

For me, the fourth trimester is the best trimester. I love the newborn period. Snuggling with the adorable tiny human you grew in your body, smelling their tiny soft head, and kissing their tiny baby toes makes pregnancy totally worth it. I should probably take a shower, especially now that I can see to shave my legs, but instead I think I might sit here all day and snuggle with my son.