Let me guess, you were tossing and turning all night trying to get comfortable in that unpredictable pregnant body of yours?
Or you woke up a few times for absolutely no reason and stayed up wondering what went wrong?
Pampering your pregnant body is just a dream. A dream you never get the opportunity to have while you sleep!
Your head feels like it just got punched all night long and now you have to face another morning of exhaustion. Which leads to another day of fatigue.
Being pregnant throws all sorts of curveballs at you – in the form of physical discomfort.
Then once you think you have the handle on your symptoms – a new one comes up in a different form, and there you go again on the hunt for some relief.
As a pregnant woman, you become fixated on your future child, prepping the house, and figuring out the future. Don’t get me wrong that is normal, and it needs to happen. But most of the time it is at the sacrifice of your body and your well-being.
You need to let loose and do things strictly for yourself.
It may not cure your symptoms, but it can help you feel better about yourself. Feeling better about yourself while pregnant helps bring positivity into your life. That positivity will help you get through some of the tougher times.
If you do not take care of yourself now, it will become even harder when you have your baby.
Trust me, my unkempt eyebrows and dry flakey skin are far too familiar with this predicament.
Here are some super easy things you can do to pamper yourself during your pregnancy. All you have to do is let go of your responsibilities a few times a week, breath, and enjoy yourself.
#1 Rub a dub dub
Okay, so we all know you can’t get into extremely hot baths and all that stuff. But you can still soak in a tub – just keep it lukewarm. While a lukewarm bath does not sound appealing, you can do a few other things to make it heavenly.
Buy the most delectable bubble bath scent you can find
Get your lighting just right – if you have bright lights try candles (oooh la la)
Use a special soap to wash your body.
Put on your favorite music – anything that relaxes you and makes you feel renewed. It can be a new age, romantic, isochronic tones, whatever works for you!
Most of all, do not forget to shut out the world around you. When you are in that bathtub – it is your domain. I am not even going to mention what NOT to think about because you already know and I do not want those thoughts to pop up.
Think about:
- Clouds
- Meadows
- Colors
- Tranquility
- Flying
- Weightlessness
- Your body at peace
Melt away and just enjoy yourself.
#2 Get your rubs on
Girl! Get yourself a massage!
There are a few ways you can get a massage.
To err on the side of safety ask your doctor if they recommend you see a chiropractor or masseuse.
If you have some spare cash to spend – go get a massage at the spa. Do your research and make sure your masseuse knows how to massage pregnant women.
Another thing you can do is get your significant other to massage you – that is what I did. My husband rubbed me daily but in short spurts. If you are trying to get pampered, go all out with oils and make your environment ideal (maybe even romantic).
If none of the above work – you can ask a friend or family to help rub out your aches and pains. Of course, it would need to be someone you are close to and comfortable with. Make it a nice and casual setting. Maybe no candles for this scenario (you do you though).
#3 Get off your feet
Yes! Getting some rest can be pampering!
And when I say rest, I mean plan on not doing anything. No list writing, no tasks, no thinking. Just let everything escape from your mind.
Do it in style. Plan time to rest and make it a priority. Make it, so you do not have to get up (unless you have to pee) for the time you have blocked off to relax.
Gather the things you love and place them strategically around you. It can be a pleasant calming book to read and lull you to sleep. You can play some calm music. Get snacks and water to ward off any hunger or thirst.
Whatever you do, get off of your feet and unwind.
#4 Tame your claws
Before you have a baby, an excellent idea is to get your nails shortened. Trust me scratching your newborn’s delicate skin is the guilt you do not want to deal with.
What I had to do was phase out my long (stiletto) nails over the nine months. So by the time my baby was due, my nails were short.
So take some time out to get your nails and your toenails ready! Do it by going to a nail place you trust. If you do end up going to a nail salon or spa – when you are getting your services try to unwind and enjoy yourself. Put your phone away and meditate a bit if you can. At the very least zone out.
Or you can always do your nails yourself. On those long days when your feet have ballooned up, and they are killing you, soak them up in some water with Epson salt and relax.
Just keep in mind by the time you are about six months pregnant – you may not be able to cut your toenails. The perfect excuse to go get a pedicure!
#5 Become weightless
If you are pregnant during the summer, there are pros and cons to it.
One major con is the heat! It is almost unbearable at times.
On the flip side, you can go swimming to get some relief. Swimming while pregnant makes you feel weightless and for a while, you forget you are pregnant. Your back and whole body get relief from the extra weight.
Essentially, you get relief from the heat, and you can escape your body aches for a while. Both huge wins while you are pregnant.
Of course, be safe, have someone with you at all times when you swim. If your belly is big, have someone help you in and out of the pool. Have them also keep an eye on you in general, you must be careful when you are outside in the direct sun.
Oh yeah, make sure that person keeps you hydrated while you are in the pool (and have them bring snacks too). Drink water before, during, and after your pool activities.
For pampering purposes, I do not recommend a swimming amusement park type of place. I recommend a private pool, so if you do not have one try to find friends or family that do have one. If that is not possible, you can try a nice hotel that has fancy facilities. Hotel pools are usually empty during the day. The final resort would be a public pool – just try to go at a time there will not be too many people.
So gather up your sunblock, sunglasses, hat, swimsuit, towels, and all the other things you need to enjoy yourself at the pool.
#6 Bring your skin back to life
If you are busy like me, it’s convenient to shower, get dressed, and head out to work. Skipping all sorts of morning routine steps, like putting on makeup, doing your hair, and moisturizing!
Ugh, I know I am bad at times.
So one thing you can do if you have been neglecting yourself is moisturize!
Gather up your fanciest body lotions and knock yourself out.
Moisturize every part of your body. Use specialty lotions too. If you have a face mask put it on.
To get your skin extra soft, make (or buy) some body scrubs. Scrub your whole body, so when you do moisturize your skin is prepped for it.
There was a time when I was obsessed with making body scrubs. Here is my favorite recipe:
- Essential oils – mint, lemon, and eucalyptus
- Granulated sugar
- Coconut oil
- Mix to the consistency you like
It is easy to make lovely skin-softening body scrubs. I really enjoy mint, lemon, and eucalyptus, but you can use whatever essential oil combinations you enjoy.
I even put coffee grinds in one of my recipes, I used brown sugar and coconut oil, the refrigerated them to turn them into little blocks. The sky is the limit on body scrubs.
#7 Dress-up
Let’s be honest with each other – maternity clothes kind of suck. I think they are getting better, but if you are battling with what to wear each day, I feel you.
However, one thing I discovered was that non-maternity clothes fit me just fine for most of my pregnancy, especially dresses. So get out a cute stretchy dress and try it on – see if it suits you and just wear it, even if you stay home or use it for a photo.
Speaking of photos, when you take your pregnancy pictures to document your baby bump – make getting ready for them a time to pamper yourself.
Do your hair the way you like or extra fancy. Spend time working on your makeup. Doll yourself up like the hot mama you are, when you look back at your photos you will be proud of how well you looked during your pregnancy.
Also, years down the road you will appreciate the time you took to look well, they may even help you forget the sickness and all the tough times you faced while pregnant.
Plus, being a parent age you, so get lots of photos of your pre-parent face.
#8 It’s the little things that count
Indulge yourself.
This one is open to interpretation because you can indulge in anything.
When it comes to pregnancy, usually indulging means giving into your food cravings. While it is okay to indulge in your cravings once in a while, make sure you follow your nutritional guidelines and are aware of what you are putting in your body.
Here are a few things you can indulge in beyond food and just enjoy:
- The smell of fresh-cut grass
- Your pet’s unconditional love
- A fresh manicure
- A clean house
- A person who is kind to you
- A flirty text from your significant other
- A beautiful sunset
- The smell of rain
- All the fantastic pregnancy compliments you get
- A job well done
#9 Catch up on your junk food
Not actual food! Your junk food shows. I call those shows junk food because they do not have real value in your life. They are not educational shows. They really do not have value, the are just pure entertainment.
You know cheesy shows that are so ridiculous you can’t look away?
Like reality shows, talk shows, or dramas.
My junk food show is Unreal, it comes out on Lifetime (Hulu), and it is a dramatic series about the behind-the-scenes of a dating show (like the Bachelor). Everything about it is absolutely cheesy, but I love it.
Junk food shows can distract you for a bit and take your mind off of all the millions of things you must do. So instead of feeling guilty – just enjoy.
#10 Escape from your home
While you are pregnant it is way too easy to get into the same routine such as: wake up, work, nap, and bedtime.
If you stick to that routine, one day you will wake up realizing you are five months pregnant already and will wonder where all your time went. Then you realize in four months you are going to have less flexibility in your life.
Yeah, that is not fun at all. Do not let that happen to you.
So make sure you go out every once in awhile and have fun.
Being pregnant does not mean you have to give up on going out. You may have to do things a little differently. Like, avoid places where people smoke and places where thrill rides are the main attraction.
Instead, do things during the daytime at your peak energy level.
Especially if you are far along in your pregnancy, make sure of the following:
- There is a restroom nearby
- You can sit when needed
- You can get up when needed
- You can stay cool in the summer and warm in the winter
Just think ahead of different scenarios.
I went to the movies once, overate popcorn, and threw up all over myself. The lesson? Make sure you do not overdo it and always get plenty of napkins.
Another time I went to the movies when I was about eight months pregnant, and I was glad we were sitting in the handicap area because I had to get up a few times to stretch and use the restroom.
I did go to a rock concert while pregnant, I just made sure I had good seats, stayed hydrated and got plenty of rest before and after. I was tired during the final band, but it was worth it. Totally doable.
So remember, you can do things just be aware of the situation and prepare. There are so many things you have to avoid while pregnant – just do not stop living, having fun, and doing what you want.
Final thoughts
Remember you do not have to do every item on the list – do what works best for you and what you enjoy the most.
If you are wondering why this pregnancy is zapping your strength, just know you are not alone. Your body is creating life. How can you not feel weak?
Being pregnant is hard! Do not forget that when you see other pregnant women who look like they have it all together. They are probably going through the same thing and are looking at you wondering how you have it all together.
While there is no cure for every single symptom, hopefully, you can start to feel a little better by pampering yourself a bit and practicing some self-care.
Try to take over your pregnancy, do not let it take over you. When you become a mom it gets even harder, so do what you can now to get a grasp on self-care.
You deserve it, now go get some tender loving care.