Week 33: Pampering pregnancy
“Oh, you look so much bigger than last week,” a […]
“Oh, you look so much bigger than last week,” a coworker said this to me on a Monday morning after not seeing me over the weekend.
“What every pregnant lady wants to hear,” I responded in a playful, yet sarcastic tone.
My coworker laughed with me and we went on about our day but, her observation is true. It seems like each day I am getting a little larger and about to pop. With the belly beginning to bulge into a burstable bubble, the well-known and uncomfortable pregnancy side effects increase. It’s as if overnight I went from basking in the pregnancy glow of the second trimester to not being able to walk through the grocery store this past weekend without feeling as if I was going to pee myself because baby was kicking my bladder.
And that’s not the only third trimester pregnancy symptom that has settled into my growing body and uterus. I can no longer see my feet, I waddle when I walk, yawning occurs on a regular basis and at the most inappropriate times, my moods swing from happy as a clam to being angry as a bear without warning, while my swollen body aches as I try to sleep at night with this bowling ball of a baby between me and ability to find a comfy position in bed. Oh, I forgot to mention that slumber also eludes me because I now get up to pee about five times a night. I mean, what is a pregnant girl to do?
So, I decided I would gather a list of ideas on how to pamper my pregnancy from here on out.
- Get a Massage—If it’s professional or from a partner, a little touch can go a long way on those oh so stressed muscles and swollen joints. I know that I felt so much better after my prenatal massage a few weeks ago that I think I should get another. This time it might need to be on a nightly basis from my husband as pregnancy massages aren’t cheap.
- Take More Naps—Or go to bed early, sleep in late, and maybe even include an afternoon snooze. Each day I get more and more exhausted from carrying around this extra weight and all my added worries, that rest is a great re-energizer for me. I also covet sleep now because I have heard a rumor that babies bring sleepless nights and tiresome days.
- Lighten the Load—By working less around the house and on the job. That’s my plan. I have begun by cutting out chores and caring less about getting the laundry folded and more about prioritizing preparations for the baby. I also take my time at work and try to lighten the unrealistic expectations I put on my own work load and be more reasonable with what I can accomplish in the upcoming weeks as I notice my body and mind slowdown in preparation for birth.
- Get a Pedicure—I can no longer see my feet, so someone else might need to paint my pretty toe nails in preparation for birth. The added bonus is that with a pedicure you also get a nice relaxing foot and leg massage. I think I will put this on my calendar for the upcoming weekend.
- Laugh a Lot—Believe it or not laughter has been the best medicine for my emotional and physical stress caused by pregnancy. My husband and I have spent the last few weeks watching silly YouTube videos of talking cats, funny movies with fart humor, and even going out to professional comedy clubs to get a few good laugh-until-you-cry chuckles in. A night of giggles always helps everything feel better.
