ou’ve made it to your last trimester! Congratulations! Enjoy these moments of comfort and normalcy now before it all changes in a couple of weeks. Don’t get me wrong - the last trimester (or as I call it, the final chapter) delivers the most wonderful reward, so all the hard days and nights ahead are most certainly worth it.

Prepare for moments of anxiety, fear, swollen ankles, fretfulness, and quite possibly your worst fashion and beauty dilemmas ever! You’ll wonder how your skin is able to stretch and grow to such limits and you’ll ponder if those J Brand jeans will EVER fit your once slender frame again! (I promise you that day will come... for me it was years, but the day eventually arrives!)

I am writing this with such a great sense of hindsight (time heals all wounds!) so I have the luxury of sitting back and assuring you that it will all be fine... in fact, more than fine. With that said, I know exactly how you feel, as I was in your shoes not too long ago and only wished that I had someone giving me some sane advice.

First, RELAX... you are going to do this. And you can do it while making it look easy. I know you can. The first step is believing in yourself and that gorgeous baby of yours growing inside your beautiful belly. Embrace these last few months, as you are part of life’s most wondrous miracle. Lean on whatever support system you have. We all need our family and friends - now more than ever. Ask for help, ask for an afternoon off to treat yourself to a blowout or manicure or lunch at the beach, museum, café... whatever you fancy.

Now that you are somewhat relaxed and ready to conquer the final twelve weeks of your pregnancy, you are going to need a few key wardrobe pieces. I’m loving the leggings trend right now and can tell you that a great pair of cotton Lycra underbelly leggings are a perfect third trimester wardrobe item. They are versatile, comfortable, and flattering on most, if not all body types. You can easily pair with a crisp white button down blouse; the ones that are cut like a tunic (longer looks leaner), or with a floral print empire-cut shift dress and flat boots.

You will also need a comfy, cozy nightgown. Trust me when I tell you this: the final weeks are hard on the body and sleeping becomes much less enjoyable. The last thing you should worry about is being relaxed in bed. You might as well look for a nightgown that can also be worn around the hospital ward. Darker colors and prints are best for the hospital - you will look and feel better. And after junior arrives, you don’t want to be wearing light colors - trust me.

It’s also time to start planning ahead and thinking about your hospital bag (for me it was a suitcase!) because you never know when labor will strike. Believe me, you’ll want to have your bag ready so you won’t be scrambling for it at the last minute. I could write an entire column about what you’ll need to pack (and I just might do that), but for now remember these key items:

• Nightgown

• Socks with traction or comfy slippers

• Panties (not g-strings... save those for later!) Darker colors are best.

• Nursing bras (a few!)

• Nursing pads

• Cameras, cameras, cameras! You can never have enough!

• Beauty bag: facial wipes, face lotion, translucent powder, lip-gloss, mascara

• Headbands and hair ties

• iPod and dock... every Rock Star Momma needs her own play list!

• Newborn clothes for baby (at least 4-5 outfits)

Writing this brings back such joyous memories of our son being born... the best moment of my life. You will soon have your own moment and trust me, you’ll quickly forget how challenging these last 9 months might have been for you. Enjoy every minute of it!