People always say the newborn stage is harder

 People always say the newborn stage is harder.

That you will never sleep again and that you will be running on caffeine and instinct.
But honestly, no one really warned me how exhausting the third trimester would be.

This isn’t just tired.
It’s heavy.
It’s hips that ache no matter how you sit.
A body that can’t find a comfortable position.
Heartburn that shows up no matter what you eat.
It’s waking up every hour, not because there’s a baby crying,
but because your own body just won’t let you rest.

Everyone says just wait until the baby comes, that’s when the real exhaustion starts.
But at least when the baby comes, there’s a reason for the sleepless nights.
A tiny face.
A soft cry.
A reminder of why you’re up.

Third trimester tired feels different.
It’s a quiet kind of exhaustion.
A waiting kind of tired that settles deep in your bones.

But even through all of it, I’m grateful.
Grateful for the kicks that remind me this is temporary.
Grateful for the strength my body still has to keep going.
Grateful that this kind of tired means I’m almost there.