Something I have truly struggled with is enjoying my pregnancy. I feel guilty when someone asks how I am feeling and I am honest with them….and it’s not so great. I know that not every woman has the opportunity to carry a child, so I feel an obligation to tell everyone that everything is peachy, when it’s not. I felt terrible my first trimester, great my second, and am feeling terrible again in my third. If there’s one thing I have learned, it’s to treat myself, and do it often!
Here are some of the things I do to make sure I am taking it easy!
1. I get monthly pre-natal massages. The first 2 trimesters these were just fun, but now I can’t wait for my next appointment and get them every other weekend! Why: At 35 weeks, my feet, hands and wrists are sore and swollen, and my lower and upper back are incredibly sore. A massage gives me a break (even for an hour) of all my aches.
2. Get off your feet as often as possible. I am most comfortable in a recliner at this point, so I make it a point to sit down and eat a snack and drink water for about an hour every 2 hours no matter what! If you’re out and about, sit on a bench for 10 minutes or go to a restaurant for a little while. You owe it to yourself and your baby.
3. Let your loved ones help you. I am done trying to be wonder woman, and often times after an 8 hour work day, I don’t have energy to make dinner. I come home, get in my jammies, and let Lance cook dinner. I get up and help him if he needs it, but he’s happier and I am happier if I am relaxed.
4. Say “no” to guests and entertaining. No one should expect you to make a 4-course meal or take them out on the town at this point, so don’t feel like you can’t say no to people when there’s a lapse in judgment. Instead, offer to have them over after the baby has arrived, or ask them if you can meet them at your favorite meeting spot for dinner. They may think they’re doing you a favor by coming to you without realizing that it may add stress to your day.
5. If you’re entertaining, take it easy. My friends stopped over last night and wanted to bring me shower gifts, so we offered to grill the meat and they each brought a side. It was no extra work for me and everyone could contribute.
6. Learn to let some things go. I have learned that I need to let some things go. My dogs smell like dogs because they need baths, my counter-tops aren’t clean and organized, and my clothing isn’t put away. While I catch up on these things every once on a while, I can’t make them part of my weekly routines anymore. That’s okay!
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I wish I could come take you out to lunch! 🙂 I love when Mamas get real with each other. Social media paints this sunshine and rose filled photo of motherhood and it causes everyone to look at their own lives and think they’re doing something wrong when that simply is not the case. Growing a person is hard and raising them is also hard! It’s worth it, of course. But man is it hard! I remember when I was pregnant I would literally get out of the shower and sit on the closed toilet in the bathroom for like 5 minutes just to get enough energy back up to stand long enough to style my hair!
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