Nearing the End of Your Pregnancy

10 Key Signs You’re (Finally) Nearing the End of Your Pregnancy

Obviously, each woman’s pregnancy ends differently, but as the third trimester arrives, we’re all in the same boat: we’re ready for this baby to be done with us.

Continue reading for some indicators that the end is approaching… (I promise!).

1. You purchase milk with an expiration date that falls after your due date.

This happened to me with my daughter, and it’s about to happen again with this pregnancy. It’s strange to know that you’ll probably bring home a new baby before you bring home a new gallon of milk!

2. Your desire to avoid becoming pregnant has exceeded your fear of the pain of childbirth.

It’s tempting to fixate on the pain of childbirth, especially if this is your first pregnancy, but as the end of the pregnancy approaches, this fear is replaced by a yearning to simply not be pregnant and miserable any longer. Isn’t a little discomfort during birth preferable than another month of pregnant agony? Or at least, this appears to be my rationale at the end of my pregnancy.

3. There is no room for anything.

It’s like… nothing at all. I ripped a hole in my lone pair of pregnancy jeans last week, so I’m back to leggings and the two outfits that still sort of fit. My dresses have mostly turned into shirts, and my shirts have all become unwearable.

4. Puffy face, hands, and toes… Is there anything else I can say?

The puffiness, oh, the puffiness. My face looks remarkably identical to when I had my wisdom teeth out and all of the rings removed from my fingers. In addition, my feet have declared a shoe boycott.

5. People constantly telling you that you appear to be “on the verge of popping.”

Strangers start giving you the “Whoa!” look, as if you’re about to give birth in the midst of the supermarket aisle. In case you hadn’t noticed, you’ll also get a lot of “ready to pop” remarks.

6. After six shots of espresso, you begin nesting like Martha Stewart.

During the nesting stage, some people are more intense than others, but many women experience nesting to some degree or another as labor approaches. Nesting for me is planning blog posts ahead of time and ensuring that my house is clean and dishes are done every night before bed. It also entails getting rid of old items, organizing the nursery, and doing any last-minute pre-birth activities.

7. You’re virtually dozing off.

You may feel unusually weary in the days and weeks leading up to your due date. I’m aware that I’m becoming narcoleptic. Even though I’m not generally a napper, I doze off on the couch in the middle of the day. I’d like to believe it’s my body’s way of urging me to get as much sleep as possible since I’m going to need it.

8. Your grooming practices have improved dramatically.

The prospect of going into labor with unshaved legs and a desperate need for a pedicure motivates you to step up your grooming game significantly. You book a pedicure appointment and resume shaving your legs on a regular basis. “Just in case,” you might start showering/doing your hair more frequently. You can never be too prepared for those photo opportunities, right?

9. You’ve decided to cease making plans.

It’s difficult to just keep on with life as usual, no matter how hard you try to remind yourself that this pregnancy might last longer than your due date. If you’re anything like me, you gradually quit making plans just in case anything unexpected happens. I didn’t realize I was doing that until I just glanced at my schedule and noticed that it’s becoming increasingly empty as my deadline approaches. I guess I wanted to be sure I didn’t schedule a delivery on the same day as something else!

10. Emotional outbursts in response to life changes

I was becoming upset about all of the changes that were about to happen around the end of my first pregnancy. It was daunting at times to go from being a married couple to being parents, and it felt like the end of an era. I was definitely transported back in time. This time, I’ve gradually begun to feel the same way about the change in our family dynamic – from three to four of us. It makes me cry several times a day. Sometimes it’s because I’m sad, and sometimes it’s because I’m joyful.

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