When I started telling my friends and family about my pregnancy with my second child, they were of course overjoyed. They are so eager for my son to become a big brother and for our family to continue to blossom and grow.

But now that we're in the depths of summer and I'm very clearly pregnant, I get the pitying looks from everywhere.

"Are you just SO hot?"

"I can't even imagine."

"I puked from the heat when I was pregnant."

"You've gotta be hoping this is over soon."

Short answers: yes, I'm hot. No, I'm not sleeping well regularly. Luckily, I don't have the puke response. And I'm handling it all just fine by resting as much as I need.

I don't take any of it the wrong way. Everyone is well-intentioned and trying to empathize. But the truth is, the more I've reflected on these reactions, the more I've realized summer is a beautiful time to have a baby.

Spring represents rebirth in the natural world. It's a time for renewal, growth, expansion, and of course, babies (do you love seeing little fawns, baby rabbits, and hungry nestlings as much as me?)!

All of these energies feel wonderfully complimentary to bringing new life into the world, and my first was indeed a spring baby. It felt great to welcome rest in my third trimester alongside the darkest days of winter and to welcome our little boy right when the geese on the farm started laying, the days were warming, and nature herself was bringing forth so much life.

This time around, my resting and nesting phase falls right in the heat of summer, overlapping the longest days that feel so energizing and abundant. Is it really possible to tap into these seasonal rhythms while my body pours so much into the little life growing within me?

The more I've both reflected on and experienced a summertime third trimester, the more content and settled I've become with this reality. Here's why:

1. The Nesting Phase

The third trimester inevitably calls for rest. Sometimes it's a whole day and sometimes it's just ensuring a nice sit or lie down between activities. But it also pushes another energy: nesting.

During this phase, many moms begin to stash meals in the freezer, collect postpartum essentials for their own health, and ensure they have everything they need for a happy, healthy newborn.

It can actually be a rather busy time. This movement naturally aligns with the longer days of summer and the need to prepare for upcoming slower seasons.

I'm focused on filling the freezer with meals for my personal recovery, meals for my family, and lactation snacks for myself. I'm also pulling out all our newborn clothes and gear and considering how we might organize and structure around a newborn in the context of the toddler madness that currently defines our home. We plan to have the baby stay in our room for the first little while, so that space is also getting a mini revamp.

Even while honoring the rest my body needs, I'm finding it deeply satisfying to be as busy as the birds and bees this season.

2. Contentment in Now

My yoga practice has supported a long journey toward slower living, and becoming a mom with my first solidified that path. A crucial piece of that practice that comes off the mat and into my daily life is contentment.

I may be hot, it may be hard to sleep, and I may have aches and pains that aren't usually there. But I don't wish this time away for a single moment. These are the last months we have as a family of three and I know it will be a shift for all of us with a newborn in the mix.

Not to mention, being pregnant is a special kind of connection to your child that must eventually end. The little kicks and hiccups are magnified as the baby packs on the pounds during these last few months and they are a joy to witness.

Yoga helped me hone my self-awareness and presence muscles. Contentment in the now is far from toxic positivity. It's about knowing yourself enough to be able to weather the more difficult moments (like the day after a 5-pee-wakes night) that come with literally creating life, and understanding that every moment on this journey is worthy of experiencing and accepting.

When I receive comments like, "You're going to be so over this by the time the baby comes," I remind myself it's coming from a place of empathy and concern for my own comfort. I stay present in my own experience and knowing that this is a special (if hot) and temporary time.

3. Autumn with a Newborn

Third trimestering in the summer can only mean one thing: newborn snuggles in autumn. My first postpartum experience slowed me down way more than I even thought was possible, and this time I'm ready for the energetic shift.

The busyness of summer and nesting season will shift overnight into the slower days of rest, connection, and reaping the benefits of all that preparation. Fall is the season of harvest and we will be at home, accepting love from family, and living off the meals, snacks, and new space we created during the summer for our freshest family member.

Practically, it will also be a great season to get outdoors with the baby without worrying as much about overheating like in summertime or cold little toes like in winter. The days won't be at their shortest yet, so there will be plenty of sunshine to absorb during maternity leave and ongoing simple farm and garden tasks that the baby can join in on.

As I lean into contentment, presence, and the bigger energy associated with the current season, I eagerly await an autumn of rest and gentler rhythms well-aligned with nature's last sigh before the chill of winter sets in.

If you're experiencing a hot third trimester this summer and feeling the pity either from others or yourself, I hope these simple reminders about the energies of the seasons now and ahead support you. How you perceive and experience your pregnancy is personal. I hope you can lean into the sweaty joy and honor it as deeply as it (and you) deserve.

Yoga, Nature, and Slow Living for Busy Moms and Moms to Be

• The online yoga studio for busy, working moms seeking a slower way of life offers monthly pre-recorded yoga and meditation you can use to sink into a slower pace, plus a slow down framework where you can restructure your most overwhelming challenges into peaceful, rhythmic routines that support you and your family.

• Two-minute Reset Meditations for Routine Calm Days includes ten completely free two-minute meditations for you to capture a moment of calm right now, without spending an hour at the yoga studio or taking paid leave.

• The Mama Naturalist on my website and Substack is a space where I share both conceptual and practical guidance on slowing down, connecting to nature, and living seasonally.

• Mindful Moms Digest offers exclusive yoga and meditation classes, nature stories from a wildlife biologist (me!), and free, supportive resources including links back to every blog post for busy, working moms journeying toward a slower, more seasonal way of life.

• Cultivate Calm Mornings is a structured series of three yoga workshops that supports you in transforming your morning routine from chaotic to calm.