In the Name of Allah the Most Gracious and the Most Merciful,
Almighty Allah 
has bestowed upon married women the gift of pregnancy and nurturing a child within us to increase the Ummah in sha Allah. So far, I have taken you through my journey of pregnancy from the first and second trimesters during Ramadan where we explored ways to relieve symptoms like nausea and heartburn, and how to manage Ramadan with the family.
Congratulations to all sisters who are in the final stretch of pregnancy. May Allah bless you all to endure the hardest few weeks with patience and ease, especially if you are pregnant during Ramadan. This trimester we set our focus on looking forward to our new arrival (the best Eid gift!) and getting ourselves organized for the much anticipated day of birth, in sha Allah!
UPDATE: We are pleased to announce that Sr. Tasnim gave birth to a baby boy in March. May Allah bless you in His gift to you, may you give thanks to the giver of this gift, may the child reach the maturity of years, and may you be granted its righteousness. Ameen!
Getting organized in the last trimester!
It is always helpful to try to get organized, whether this is your first baby (or in my case, the fourth) and it is beneficial to make some form of preparation spiritually, mentally and physically. Do I hear you say “what?! Get organised?!”? I know the feeling! You are getting more tired, the bump is bigger, coupled with trouble sleeping, walking and even thinking straight! It is hard to summon the energy to organised, and you are not alone. At this point, most of us start to panic as the time gets closer for the birth, especially when the realisation that the birth is near hits us. I found that doing the following activities benefitted me in getting organised:
- Make a checklist of all the things you need to buy for the baby and yourself. This can really help you to feel less stressed and keep track of what things you need and what things you have already got. If you have had children before, it might be worth getting their old clothes out now. During Ramadan, do ask your sisters, mother and mother-in-law and friends to help you with shopping.
- Buy a hospital bag and keep things ready with all the essentials for you and baby. Allah
is the Best of all Planners and babies can be born either early or late depending on the decree of Allah .
- Read and seek knowledge of the Qur’an, especially during the blessed month of Ramadan. There is no better source of peace than reciting the beautiful words of Allah . Not only will this give you tranquillity during pregnancy, but you will be taking advantage of the multiplied blessings during Ramadan, especially as it may be hard to keep up your spiritual health after the birth.
- Make plentiful du’a to Allah . Du’a is a gift to the believer and you can make the most of the times recommended for du’a during Ramadan, by asking Allah for an easy delivery, and a healthy and happy baby! It is important to reflect on the power of du’a and supplicate to Allah during these final weeks; we all want to raise pious and righteous children, instil taqwa (consciousness of Allah) and teach them the Haqq of Allah , and this begins with du’a, even before birth!
The mother of Maryam Bint ‘Imran 
recited this du’a when she was expecting her baby:
“Behold! A woman of ‘Imran said: ‘O my Lord! I do dedicate unto You what is in my womb for Your special service: So accept this of me: For You hear and know all things.‘” [3:35]
Seeking help and support in the final trimester from your spouse and family
In the third trimester, your bump will be at its biggest as you are carrying an almost full term baby, you will become more tired and will be less able to do tasks that you normally would have no trouble with. Alhamdulilah, my husband and family have always been supportive during pregnancy and especially more attentive in the final trimester because they know this is when you will need to reserve your energy for the day of the birth. It is important to seek support and help from your spouse or family members if you need it as taking too much on is never a good idea. Do not feel shy to ask for support – after all you are carrying a life inside you, and this is an honour and blessing giving to us by the Almighty Allah . During Ramadan, it is worth enlisting the help of your spouse and family for help with preparing iftaar and suhoor, so that you do not get too tired or stressed, and you find time to invest in ibadah during this blessed time.
Informing children about the new addition to the family…
My three children are all quite young with close age gaps; I have a 6 year old daughter, and two sons aged 2 and 4 years. My two elder children were fully aware that they are going to have a new sibling in sha Allah, and it is nice to include them in the excitement of the new arrival. This can help prepare your little ones so it doesn’t come as a huge surprise when their little sister or brother is finally here. Although my youngest son is only 2 years old, it is amazing how he points at my tummy and says ‘baba’ (baby)! It is equally important to instil love for one another by praising each one of them equally and making them feel special so they do not feel insecure or jealous.
Packing a hospital bag!
It can be difficult deciding what to pack for a hospital bag when you go into labour, but it is recommended to try and have a bag packed by at least 36 weeks of pregnancy as the baby can be born at any time according to the decree of Allah . Also, it is a good time to treat yourself and pick up a few cute things for your baby. Here is a checklist that I am currently using of what to pack in my hospital bag:
Packing Essentials for Baby
- Your birth plan and maternity notes
- 2-3 Baby sleepsuit and vests
- Baby blanket
- Newborn nappies
- Muslin squares, cotton wool or wet wipes
- One pair of baby socks or booties
- Baby hat
- One outfit for the trip home
- Jacket or snowsuit
Packing for You
- Long nightdress or t-shirts for the birth
- Towels
- Maternity pads
- Toiletries
- Water bottle
- Going home outfit
- CD with Qur’an recitation
- Nursing essentials
The third trimester flew by so quickly, and I would like to wish every expectant sister a happy and blessed pregnancy. May Allah bless you with an easy and memorable birth, and grant you a healthy, pious child, Ameen. I will keep you updated on the birth of the baby, as I do not got long to go now and I really hope that you have enjoyed this series of my pregnancy diaries. I look forward to hearing any feedback or stories if you are expecting and I make du’a for you all to have happy productive pregnancy sisters!
About the Author:
Tasnim Nazeer is an award winning Freelance Journalist & Author. Tasnim writes for a variety of print and online publications on the topics of human rights, Islam and world news. Her work has been featured in The Huffington Post UK, CNN International, BBC, Your Middle East, Islam Channel, The Muslim News and many more. Tasnim was the winner of the Muslim News Awards for Excellence 2013 Ibn Battuta Award for Excellence in Media 2013 for her human rights and interfaith journalism. She received the Ambassador for Peace Award from the UN Universal Peace Federation. For more information, visit her website or follow her on Twitter or Facebook.
