Collaborative Post¦ Pregnancy is a beautiful time. It’s also hard work. Your body might struggle, your hormones will be all over the place, and you’ll be more tired than you’ve ever been before (but, unfortunately, not more tired than you will ever be). While only 40 weeks of your life, when you are suffering from pregnancy symptoms, it can feel like much longer. Which is why you need some fun things to do to make the time fly. Here are ten of the things that you should do while you are pregnant.
Pick a Name
Picking a name for your baby is exciting. It seems real when you’ve got a shortlist of names, and even more so when you’ve selected one. Even if you don’t want to tell anyone else, you’ll start to think of your baby by name. It can help you to bond even before the birth.
Plan the Birth
Birth plans are great. Making your plan gives you a chance to research pain relief, like gas and air (entonox), and to learn more about what is likely to happen during labour. It’s certainly worth writing down how you would like your labour to go, and what you would like to happen as soon as the baby is born. But, you need to keep an open mind. Few labours go entirely to plan, learn as much as you can, but be prepared to make changes to your plan during childbirth.
Pack Your Bag
You might want to leave packing your bag until late on. There’s no rush, and it’s not something that you need to do as soon as you find out you are pregnant. But, your baby could come anytime after 37 weeks without being considered premature, so don’t leave it too late.
Decorate the Nursery
Your new baby should sleep in your room until it is at least six months old. This can drastically reduce the risks of cot death, and it will make night feeds much easier. You might think that this means that you have an extra six months to decorate the nursery. But, you’ll find it hard to make time once you’ve got a newborn around. Get it sorted while you are pregnant and you won’t have to worry later on.
Enjoy Being Alone
In your life before pregnancy, you’ve probably spent a lot of time on your own without noticing. You might also think that you hate being on your own. But, that’s about to be a thing of the past. Once you’ve had a child, you will struggle even to take a shower without company. So, enjoy being on your own. Instead of taking it for granted, appreciate it. Try to get as much time on your own as you can, and enjoy even the simple things that you do by yourself.
Get a Massage
A pregnancy massage at a local spa is a wonderful way to relax on your own. It could help your aches and reduce any swelling, and you might find that it helps you to get a good night’s sleep. If you don’t fancy a massage, book a haircut, a manicure, or something else that’s just for you and a treat that you will enjoy.
Take a Holiday
If you are able, try to get away with your partner before the baby comes. It’ll be your last chance to be on your own for an extended period for a long time, and it’s also a great chance to enjoy your pregnancy together, away from the stresses of home life. You might not be able to go drinking or spend hours on your feet exploring, and it might need to be a more relaxing break than you are used to, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t be fantastic.
Enjoy Date Nights
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Once your baby is born, date nights will be a rarity. You might not want to leave your baby for a long time, and even when you do, you’ll have to find a babysitter and get home at a reasonable hour. You won’t have the same freedom. So, enjoy it while you can.
Take Some Photos
You might not think that you look your best during pregnancy, but other people will think that you look great. Take plenty of pictures of yourself, your growing bump, and your pregnancy adventures to remind yourself of this special time once it’s over.
Exercise
Exercise might be the last thing that you want to do when your pregnancy isn’t treating you well. If you are struggling to sleep, suffering from morning sickness, and your body is aching more than ever, even the idea of exercising might be hard to bear. But it can help. Swimming, pregnancy yoga, gently walks, and other pregnancy exercises can help you to manage your symptoms and even improve your mood. If you’ve got any concerns, speak to your midwife or doctor first.
Disclosure: This is a collaborative post.