Pregnancy is one of those things that most people view as one of the most positive experiences in the world. While this is true in many cases, others find it hard to stay positive and perky while carrying around a little human.
Instead of giving yourself a hard time and making things more complicated than they have been thus far, you need to try your best to relax and make it through the entire 40 weeks (41 for me…whew) while managing to smile the majority of the time. This may seem impossible, but here are some pointers that will help you immensely.
Live In The Moment
Since this process lasts quite some time, you can try breaking things down and focusing on each day as it happens. This means that everything that happened yesterday should be left there, and whatever you experience today should be forgotten by tomorrow.
This does not apply to significant life changes, but you should try your best not to place so much focus on trivial things. Do you really want to upset yourself and the baby over something you will not remember by the time you give birth?
Practice Yoga
If you are not the most health-conscious person in the world, you may have always thought yoga was not meant for you, but think again. Everyone can benefit from the relaxation and deep breathing techniques taught in classes for all skill levels.
While you may not be able to bend your body into pretzel-like positions while you are expecting, there are so many benefits to yoga that you should sign up for classes sooner rather than later.
Relish Your Sharper Senses
Many do not know this, but one of pregnancy’s great benefits is heightened senses. This allows people to walk through life as usual while seeing it in an entirely different light. Imagine that!
Things as simple as listening to waves crashing and the smell of baked bread can suddenly seem like the essential thing in the world. Relish these moments since they will be gone once you give birth, and you are required to take on new responsibilities.
Prepare For Being A Parent
In some ways, parenting can be seen as a state of mind, but that does not mean you do not have to study for it the same way you did when you tried your best to get good grades in college. All kinds of online resources, mobile apps, and books will teach you everything you would ever want to know about the subject; some may wish you didn’t.
Embrace that you are bringing a new life into the world and immerse yourself in all the educational materials you can find. Even though there may not be a pop quiz, you will have to pass in order to prove you actually learned something; the real test will be what happens when the little one is here.
Shake Things Up In The Bedroom
Okay. Your body is larger than usual, and you probably feel as sexy as a bowling ball with a dress on most days, but that does not mean it isn’t time to regain your groove. There are no rules that say you aren’t allowed to keep it spicy just because you are expecting. Take the time to explore new sensations, embrace your new body, and let your partner do the same.
Practice Self Care
It can be challenging to stay on top of self-care when you are always tired, focusing on eating well, and some days you wish you were anywhere, but here, this is essential. Take time out of your schedule to pamper yourself and indulge yourself here and there.
Prenatal massages are an excellent idea since they can help improve circulation, ease joint pain, and reduce the amount of swelling you experience in the legs and feet. Other self-care activities you may want to consider include swimming, heading to the spa, getting a facial, and spending some time in nature.
Reach Out For Support
In many cases, a woman’s self-esteem suffers during pregnancy, particularly since the body changes in many ways, and not all of them are positive. Instead of working yourself up and focusing on all the bad things you are feeling, reach out to someone, and let them know what you are going through. Having a friend or family member who can offer a much-needed boost can make a big difference.
Reading Positive Literature
Many begin to read religious passages more often while pregnant as a way to cope with all the feelings they have. You can try this if you seek spiritual guidance, which can greatly impact you.
On the flip side, if you are not particularly religious, many books are available out there that offer readers positive affirmations for each day. Look for one that is geared toward those who are expecting. You may read something that makes even your worst days feel like they are not so bad.
Love Yourself
Try your best to embrace all the positive things about yourself, and do not allow what others think or what you swear they are thinking to harm you.
If you are intelligent, honest, and well-rounded, and have a host of other positive things, embrace them and give yourself a high-five. In the event there are some things you are not very fond of, like your penchant for eating too many cookies at once and the fact you cry when watching movies that aren’t really sappy, love the fact that this makes you different and continue.
It can be hard to stay smiling when your feet look like balloons, you are wearing a granny-looking bra, and you haven’t seen your feet in weeks. With that said, do everything you can to stay positive so you will have a smile on your face now and once the baby is here to see it.
Leslie Berry lives with her husband and two young daughters in Los Altos, California, where she loves helping other moms get comfortable with motherhood and embracing the insanity with facts peppered with laughs.
