By the third trimester of pregnancy, you may find one of the most frustrating symptoms is insomnia. This can be caused by restless leg syndrome, frequent urination, and anxiety, and watching the hours of the night slip away feels terrible! My rest is critical for myself and my baby, so I tried and tried until I found the perfect way to prepare for bed.

Around 9, after my daughter has gone to bed, I run a hot bath. I add Village Naturals Lavender Nighttime bath salts and also magnesium flakes to the water while it is running. Hair goes in a top knot, and sometimes I put an antioxidant or exfoliating mask on my face while I wait.

When the bath is ready, I climb in, and depending on how tired I am and how antsy my ankles feel, I may wash my legs with goat soap and shave them. Smooth legs feel much better when it comes time for lotion. I rinse and cleanse my face, and then my favorite part – I sit there until the water gets cold. I may stretch my feet and legs and move around some, but other than that, I’m just sitting. By this point in the night, I have stopped drinking anything to keep from having to get out of bed 3+ times to go to the bathroom before I even fall asleep. Pro tip.

I do not feel bad or silly about bathing again when I have already showered earlier in the day. It is a nice treat, and since we have well water, I don’t really worry about that part either. If you deprive yourself of little things like a hot bath, no one notices, so go ahead and take two baths.

After the bath, I dry off and apply my Manuka honey face serum, which smells divine. Then I brush my hair and apply my belly serum and balm from 8 Sheep Organics. I have two favorite lotions for my legs, and both are also made by 8 Sheep. I cannot say enough good things about the brand. All 4 of the products I mention are included in the Pregnancy Survival Kit.

For the rest of my body, I like hemp or Eucalyptus Spearmint Stress Relief lotion. I put my grounding sheet on my bed and use my bed sprays. One is Unwind Pillow Mist from 8 Sheep, and the other is anti-acne pillow spray by TreeActiv. They both smell like- you guessed it- lavender.

After using the bathroom one more time, taking my tums, brushing my teeth, and applying lip balm, I am ready for a full night’s rest. I have seen VAST improvement in my sleep since I started doing all this, and I hope that it can help someone else get the rest they need!