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Looking for an excuse to pamper yourself? You’ve hit the jackpot: pregnancy is the best excuse going for nurturing yourself mind, body, and soul. So unplug the phone, light some candles, and start running that bubblebath. Here are 40 fabulous ways to nurture the pregnant diva that is you!
FIRST TRIMESTER
- Treat yourself to a feel-good book about having a baby: a book that will share your wonder about the journey you’re on and not leave you feeling like perfectionism is a prerequisite for pregnancy.
- Start a pregnancy blog or podcast. Find a blank book to use as a pregnancy journal. Dust off your camcorder and start a video diary—the perfect way to capture memories of your incredible growing belly. Just find some creative way of keeping a record of the moments in your pregnancy that you won’t want to forget.
- Curl up on the couch with a pregnancy magazine and savour the fact that you’re pregnant. Or, if you’re in the mood for something a little more frivolous, curl up with one of the growing number of “pregnancy lit” novels—one of the newer categories of chick lit.
- Whip up a yogurt smoothie in the blender using low-fat yogurt, berries, and ice. Not only is it decadent and delicious: it’s a healthy way to boost your calcium intake.
- Surf over to some pregnancy web sites so that you can meet other moms who share your due date.
- Invest in a good digital camera so that you can ask your partner and other people in your life to help you keep a visual record of your pregnancy by taking regular snapshots of your incredible growing belly.
- Treat yourself to some pregnancy workout clothes so that you’ll be inspired to stay active during pregnancy—assuming, of course, that you’ve got the green light from your healthcare provider to be active during your pregnancy.
- Transform your bathroom into a home spa by trying out some of the truly decadent facial mask recipes in Greda Breedlove’s book The Herbal Home Spa (Thomas Allen).
- Meet a friend at your favorite coffee bar and indulge in a decaf latté—a great way to get your java fix and squeeze in some calcium at the same time.
- Invite a girlfriend over to watch Raising Arizona or some other must-watch movie about babies. It’s the ultimate chick flick experience.
- Treat yourself to a skin cream that delivers maximum SPF protection. The staff at the beauty counter at a store you trust can recommend an appropriate product. Protecting your skin against the sun will help you to ward off the so-called “mask of pregnancy”—an area of increased pigmentation on the face which the sun’s rays will only serve to accentuate.
- Get a sneak peek at life in your post-baby universe by reading Mother Shock by Andrea Buchanan (Seal) or Operating Instructions by Anne Lamott (Fawcett).
- Celebrate the fact that you can still reach your feet by giving yourself a foot massage with your favourite foot cream. Ahh....
SECOND TRIMESTER
- Rent a pregnancy workout video and start investing some of your newfound burst of energy in staying fit and healthy.
- Sign up for prenatal fitness classes so that you’ll have a chance to meet other moms-to-be.
- Invest in a good maternity/nursing bra. It’ll serve you well down the road and provide you with much-needed comfort today. The staff of your favourite maternity store can help to ensure that you get a good fit.
- Cool down on a hot day by indulging in a glass of sparkling mineral water with a slice of lemon, lime, or cucumber. Mmmmm…..
- Give your skin a rejuvenating spritz with a homemade facial mister or an off-the-shelf product from the beauty aisle of your favorite store.
- Pamper yourself with a manicure and a pedicure at a local day spa—the perfect mid-trimester pick-me-up.
- Invest in a few good pillows. A pregnant gal can never have too many. And if money’s no object, indulge in a body pillow—a mother-to-be’s best friend.
- Tickle your funny bone by listening to singer/songwriter Nancy White’s hilarious ode to motherhood, Momnipotent.
- Treat yourself to a facial—either at home or at the spa, depending on what your budget can swing. Because your skin is extremely sensitive during pregnancy, you’ll want to avoid abrasive scrubs or exfoliants. Instead, go with an ultra-gentle hydrating mask.
- Camp out in the library for a couple of hours and pour through all the baby name books. Don’t forget to bring a notebook with you so you can start compiling a short list of names for baby.
- Invite your girlfriends over for a sleepover party. The sleep deprivation will be great preparation for motherhood (sad but true).
- Slather your stretched-out itchy belly with an ultra-soothing belly balm. Ask your friends to recommend their favourite brands.
- Bliss out by listening to music and lighting some aromatherapy candles. Invite someone special to cuddle with you and it could turn into a night to remember!
THIRD TRIMESTER
- Ward off insomnia and other late pregnancy sleep problems by finishing off the day with a warm—not hot—bath: a relaxing way to wind down and get a bit of shut eye.
- Get a really good haircut—one that will serve you well in your post-baby universe. That means choosing a low-maintenance style that won’t look limp and lifeless when you start shedding all the extra hair you accumulated over the course of your pregnancy.
- Treat yourself to a massage. Either hand your partner a massage bar or head to a massage therapist who has been specially trained in the art of pregnancy massage.
- Hit the swimming pool at your local community centre. Not only will a dip in the pool help you relax and unwind: it can help to ease back pain by taking the weight of your uterus off your poor, aching back.
- Enjoy a romantic dinner with your partner.
- Spend the night at a B+B enjoying one last pre-baby fling.
- Have spontaneous sex—assuming, of course, that you’re still in the mood. (Not everyone is at this stage of the game.)
- Let a friend do something nice for you like whipping up some casseroles for the freezer, pre-addressing your baby announcements, or cleaning your house from top to bottom. This is one time in your life when it’s okay to call in all your favours.
- Make a belly cast so you’ll have a one-of-a-kind souvenir of this amazing time in your life.
- Put together a comfort kit of goodies that will soothe and inspire you while you’re in labour: music, lip balm, scents you find soothing: anything that might you to relax and “go with the flow” of the labour contractions.
- Schedule lunch with a friend on your due date. That way, you’ll have something to do if your baby decides to show up fashionably late.
- Pick up a bottle of herbal sitz bath to help ease some of your postpartum aches and pains.
- Plan to use your newly honed pampering skills to start pampering the new arrival. Sign up for a workshop on infant massage and pick up a bottle of baby massage oil so you’ll be all set to start practicing infant massage after your baby arrives.
- Succumb to your urge to nap or sleep in. If there’s one thing that’s likely to be in chronic short supply during the weeks ahead, it’s sleep. This could very well be the Sandman’s last stand....
