Man, marketing is everywhere. It’s frustrating – because it does really hard to know what you need versus what is just fluff. Today I want to tell you 5 things you NEED for the third trimester. The good news? These are not very expensive, and many you may already have. I suggest you cut through the fluff and really give you what’s important.
In case we haven’t met yet — I’m Hilary, the curly head here at Pulling Curls®, but many of you may know me as The Pregnancy Nurse® also. I’ve been a nurse since 1997 and started doing R&D in 2001. I love research and sharing how things can help you have a better (and safer) pregnancy! I’m glad you’re here!
Spoiler: My #1 must-have for the third trimester is a birth class — this prenatal class has prepared over 5,000 couples (more on that in a bit!).
Bottle of Water
Okay, probably on the “already have” list is this one. Of course, I have favorites:
- This is great for travel. I have the smaller/skinnier one so it fits in my bag easily. When I say “travel” – I mean appointments, errands (but it’s great for the plane too). I get a strong color to remind me to drink
- One of these sits on my desk. I fill it up every morning and when it’s there it reminds me to drink. The stainless steel interior makes the water taste good every time.
- And, if you absolutely hate water, there is such a thing. The cartridges flavor the water very easily — so you don’t get tired, because we DON’T need it!
So why a bottle of water? Great question.
It’s hard for me to stress enough how important hydration will be in your pregnancy. It took me 2 liters of IV with my second baby to realize how rubbish I felt when I wasn’t drinking enough (and I THOUGHT I was drinking enough).
If you want — Hilary, how do I know if I’m drinking enough? I have a pro tip:
Just check your toilet (as long as it’s white). Is this urine a really pale yellow? Are you ready – darker? Drink more! It’s like a built-in system for tracking it (and what most people ignore).
Also, when you pee in a cup at your doctor’s office, be sure to check it. As someone who has seen tens of thousands of pee cups, I’m here to tell you that pee comes in a variety of colors and it’s easy to tell who’s drinking and who’s not.
Do you have an involved partner? — If they want to know what they can do to help, get them into a routine of filling the water bottle for you every morning. They’ll feel useful, you’ll feel loved, and it’s really something that WILL make a difference (even if it feels small). This will also be awesome after giving birth! And, if you’re looking for more help with partners — keep reading!
Looking for more on pregnancy health? — be sure to check out these posts:
Want the full list of third trimester must-haves? Seize my freedom Third trimester checklist.
Pillows
Speaking of something you already have…. pillows. I know everyone is trying to sell you on one pregnancy pillowand they are nice, but you can also use just regular pillows. Many of these can just be the ‘fancy’ pillows from your bed as you won’t get them dirty.
Areas for pillows in the 3rd trimester:
- 1-2 between your legs (you want to get it so your hips are aligned and not turning in if possible to help support those ligaments in your thighs)
- One BELOW your belly (a spot that is often missed — but needs support so it doesn’t “hang” there as you sleep on your side.
- One to hug, because it just feels good.
- A firm one for under your head (or two softer ones)
- And if you’re a back sleeper – one to put under your hip to give you a bit of an angle, and one for under your knees as it can put strain on your back if you’re just sleeping.
As you notice, one of them pregnancy pillows can do this too — but they take up a lot of space on your bed… my husband was often like that — is there ROOM FOR ME? Anyway, any type of pillow will work – I’ve always used a body pillow (the U-shaped ones take up A LOT of space – and we had a queen bed at the time).
What the research says about sleep: They’ve been saying that for a long time not sleep on your back as the uterus can put a lot of pressure on a major blood vessel (your vena cava), but recent studies show that it doesn’t really matter. That said, I’ve seen babies that don’t look great when mom is flat on her back, so I still appreciate a little tilt. It doesn’t have to be much, just enough for that uterus to move away from that vessel.
Looking for more information on pregnancy sleep? — be sure to check out these posts:
Birth Class
I know, I know — you’re thinking — Hillary, I follow you on social media, it’s a lot.
But, I’m here to tell you that 2026 is about women less more prepared for birth than they were 10 years ago — especially because they think a few tiktoks will prepare them.
Social media videos lack substance and detail—exactly what you need to put in your brain as you head into labor and delivery.
I think social videos can help you feel less alone and sometimes they can give you some information that can be helpful, but they don’t tell the whole story.
A full birth class (don’t worry – I’m not going to recommend one of those $400+ ones) will:
- Give you what you need from start to “finish” (because you are forever postpartum). You won’t miss anything – what more certainly will with a social media plan.
- Be an expert, you can be sure you trust what you learn (you can’t do that on social).
- It will work for BOTH of you. You need a teammate, not just a cheerleader — and there are things they can do to help, but they need to be trained!
My online prenatal course for couples covers everything from early labor to delivery — for both of you, from a real R&D nurse. It’s affordable, it’s fast and it’s fun. Three things I know you need.
Belly Band
These can be tricky — because I think there’s a problem, I think it can get worse and needs to be worn to fix your real problem.
Honestly, the best thing about physical therapy is helping you — but I think a belly band can be extremely helpful for both of you ligament pain and symphysis pubis (pelvic) pain.
Now, if you have no idea what I’m talking about — I have a whole post on a belly belt and how it can help. But, these are the cliff notes:
(As always, check with your provider before you start wearing them, they can be very helpful in knowing which type might be right for you!
think one like this can be worn a little lower than pictured and really help with hip pain. My pelvis was splitting, and my pants weren’t doing him any favors. Something like that would be nice (and helped a lot postpartum).
If your problem is more joint or back pain, one like that is nice because it helps balance out the weight of that belly a little more.
Looking for more information about pregnancy pains? — be sure to check out these posts:
Compression socks
Ooo-la-la now I’m talking sexy. 🙂
Yes, compression socks. But these aren’t going to be like the ones your grandma wears (or maybe you have a hip grandma, I have no idea).
I have a whole article on because it’s a good ideabut the cliff notes are:
- They can help with the pain and discomfort of swollen lower limbs by helping to push this fluid back up.
- They can help with charley horses
- They can also help prevent blood clots — important if you don’t move a lot, such as when traveling.
And just in case the latter is you — don’t miss: Traveling During Pregnancy: 18 Tips for Traveling in the Third Trimester
I got a couple pairs at target that I really like (I wore them when I was working as a nurse, but I also wear them when I go to Disneyland because my feet hurt so much standing in lines).
You can also get them in different compression ‘weights’ so I say start light and then build up from there if you think you need more… Some options:
As I said above, you can get them in most major stores too – but the pricing is similar to them.
The facts in this post aren’t going to break you, but they’re going to make your third quarter better.
And if you want to feel truly prepared for birth, my online prenatal course for couples is the only investment that will pay off the moment you walk into that hospital.
What you need in the third trimester, tell us in the comments!
