Pregnancy Love: Top Tips to Help You Glow as You Grow

Nikola Reinfelds

Nikola is a passionate writer and strives daily to be an exceptional mother and partner, respected friend and an engaged community leader. She also contributes to the Northern Colorado Moms Blog and The We Spot Blog.

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No matter how grateful we may be, new or experienced, strongly supported or strongly solo, pregnancy is hard. Here’s the good news, self-care is trending. It’s no longer shunned to follow the airline rules in everyday life of putting your oxygen mask on first before helping others. But how does that translate when the other is growing inside of your very own body?

Learning from past pregnancies

I’m currently pregnant with our third child. It was unplanned, but let’s get real, so was our first and we kinda love her to the moon and back. So after the hardest first trimester I’ve ever experienced, I’m ready to show myself and this sweet growing bump some serious loving care.

First
During my first pregnancy I was so busy with my career in New York; I do remember having fun dressing my growing body, highlighting the miracle that is motherhood, but I also remember being so focused on work that I didn’t really pay much attention to my body until my back pain was so bad it became a challenge to walk.

Second
I definitely learned from this and during my second pregnancy, now as a stay at home mom, I took my daily exercise time seriously and prioritized it like a champion. Also during that time I was adjusting to moving cross-country, starting an early intervention journey with my first child and buying a home. So, no, no stress at all. I know I could have managed that stress better.

Third
So, what’s on my wish list this time around? All the self-care and love practices! However, after 36 years I thankful have learned to be a bit more practical and move out of the all-or-nothing mindset. So, here are the top five must-do’s to show myself love during this pregnancy. Because if I can count my must-list items on just one hand, they are more likely to happen.

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Keep yourself glowing while you’re growing

1. Move your body, eat well. You’ll hear this plenty from your health-care providers, but it really makes a difference in your mental and physical health when you focus on your diet and exercise during pregnancy.  Strive to move your body daily, meaning breaking a sweat every now and then. Think of your nutrition as fueling your whole health. This could be as simple as daily dance parties to your favorite tunes or a 10-minute prenatal yoga session at home with YouTube. Remember when it comes to eating mindfully your most important utensil is your table and chair.
2. Treat yo’self monthly. As your body changes, so do your needs and wants. And this is happening rapidly. Every few weeks or so brings on growth, change and new symptoms of pregnancy. Budget in monthly treats to honor your strength through all of this change. See a prenatal chiropractic, book a prenatal massage, change up your hair style, get a mani-pedi, maybe even invest in a monthly BumpBoxes subscription. Whatever speaks to you, make it a priority to treat yourself at least once a month.
3. Sweet dreams sleep. So, this one was a lot easier to sneak in during my first pregnancy when I didn’t have little ones waking me up early in the morning and refusing their naps in the afternoon. I’ve also found myself with major pregnancy insomnia this time around. Once my mind gets going, there’s just no going back to sleep or napping. So, I’ve learned to fiercely protect my sleep by going to bed early when I’m tiered, asking for help so I can sneak in a nap when I’m sleepy midday and practicing bedtime rituals just as I would with my kids. But instead of bath, book, bed, it may look like aromatherapy, tea, Epsom-salt baths, meditations and journaling.
4. Dress up and celebrate. Put those date nights on the calendar and treat them like a doctor’s appointment. This is the time to celebrate more often with your partner and friends. Not sure what to wear? Don’t worry because your mom tribe has got your back. Because this pregnancy was unplanned, I had already donated all my past maternity clothes. A simple ask on my local mom’s Facebook group turned up tons of cute, new-to-me maternity clothes. In fact, I go so much of an abundance I was able to donate four boxes of clothes to our local charity, Stork Support of Northern Colorado.
5. Book a maternity photo session. I didn’t invest in a maternity photo session during my first two pregnancies and I so wish I had. Each pregnancy has been so different and I really wish I had those special memories made everlasting with a professional photo shoot. Sure I took the monthly bump shots from home and I do enjoy looking back at those photos. But let’s be honest, the lighting is terrible, my clothes are whatever and the focus is just on the growing belly. I really want to celebrate my whole body and capture something special. So, this time around I was thrilled to find Amber Sullivan Photography and grab up not just a maternity session, but also a newborn session while I was at it. I’m so excited and I look forward to sharing with you all the beautiful photos that I know will result. 
   

What are your favorite self-care practices while pregnant? Let us know in the comments.