"Am I Really Ready?" Facing the Emotional Rollercoaster of the Third Trimester

The mix of anxiety, excitement, and soul-deep reflection as motherhood draws near

The Quiet Before the Storm of Love

There's a moment—maybe it's late at night, when the world is finally still and the baby in your belly is dancing beneath your ribs—when it hits you like a wave. Am I really ready for this? The question creeps in softly, gently, but carries the weight of everything: your identity, your future, your heart. You sit there, hands wrapped around your belly like it's already the most precious thing you've ever held, and you wonder: What will it mean to become "mom"? Will I be good at it? Will I lose pieces of who I was?

If you've asked yourself these questions in your third trimester, you're not alone. This liminal space between who you've been and who you're about to become can feel sacred and scary all at once. So many mothers—whether first-timers or seasoned pros—experience this inner tremble, this reckoning. It's not just hormones. It's the beginning of a soul-deep transformation. And it deserves to be honored, not rushed past.

A Tangle of Emotions: You're Not Doing It Wrong

By now, your body feels like it's hosting a small festival—tight belly, sore feet, heartburn, and emotions that swing like a hammock in the wind. Joy and fear coexist in the same breath. You might find yourself folding baby onesies with tears in your eyes, not because you're sad, but because everything feels so big. The anxiety can creep up in unexpected ways: questioning your preparedness, your partnership, your body, your birth plan (or lack of one).

In quiet online spaces—like that late-night scroll through Reddit—you'll find mamas whispering the same things you're thinking: "I'm scared I'll lose myself." "I don't know who I'll be after this." "I want someone to tell me I'll be okay." These aren't signs of weakness. They're signs of consciousness. You're awake to the truth that motherhood is not just diapers and feedings. It's a stretching of the heart, a shedding of skin, a reformation of identity.

From "I" to "We": Identity Shifts in the Third Trimester

Becoming a mother means inviting a new identity into your life. That doesn't mean discarding the old you—it means expanding. But expansion can feel like loss at first. You may feel like you're grieving who you were: the spontaneity, the independence, the version of you that didn't carry this invisible (and soon visible) responsibility.

And yet, this grief is part of the rite of passage. In many cultures, this transition is honored with ceremony. In some families, stories are passed down from mother to daughter about how birth doesn't just deliver a baby, it delivers a new mother, too. This is your transformation story in motion. Yes, your world is about to change—but you're not disappearing. You're evolving.

Grounding Yourself When the Doubt Creeps In

Here's what I tell my primas, my sisters, my clients: When the fear starts to spiral, come back to your breath and your body. Place your hands on your belly. Speak to your baby. You already know how to mother—you've been doing it since the moment you started caring. You already protect. You already love.

If you're a journaler, write down your fears and then write down the truths that can hold them.

Fear: I won't know what to do.
Truth: I'll learn. I'll ask. I'll figure it out—like every mama does.

Lean on your circle—friends, family, midwives, doulas, therapists. These people are your comadres, your village. You don't have to do this alone. And if you feel like your village is small or nonexistent, know this: every mama reading this is standing beside you, in spirit. We form a quilt of shared strength. You belong here.

You're Not Behind—You're Becoming

Maybe you haven't finished the nursery. Maybe you still cry every time you look at the hospital bag checklist. Maybe you're tired of smiling through unsolicited advice from strangers who mean well but make you question everything.

That's okay.

There's no gold star for "most prepared" mama. Motherhood isn't about getting it all done—it's about showing up with love, one moment at a time. You don't have to feel ready to be ready. Readiness is not a finish line. It's a state of heart. And your heart is already showing up. That matters more than anything else.

From My Heart to Yours: You're Not Alone

In my culture, we often say that every birth is a rebirth. When you bring this baby into the world, you're bringing a new version of yourself, too. One that is soft and strong, new and wise, open and deeply human. You may feel unsure, but that's okay—most powerful transitions come with trembling.

You are becoming. And in that becoming, you are not alone.

If you take nothing else from this post, take this:

• 🌿 You don't have to feel fearless to be ready.
• 🌿 You are allowed to grieve and still be grateful.
• 🌿 There's no one way to do this—but your way will be enough.
• 🌿 You are already the mother your baby needs.

So breathe, querida. We're holding you. And we can't wait to meet the mother you're becoming.