I had such a fun and healthy pregnancy, but I didn’t know it all (duh, Annabelle). Even though I’m a nurse that has grown up with an OB/GYN dad and Labor Nurse mom, I had a lot of learning to do. I had to talk to numerous moms about how to have a fun and healthy pregnancy. Most of all, I had to get coaching.
What about you? Are you in need of some tips in your pregnancy heading toward one BIG delivery day? I am going to share with you what I learned in my pregnancy, and I hope it is helpful.
10 Tips for a fun and healthy pregnancy
1. Don’t have expectations of what Baby is going to be like.
I had to take a moment before my son was born to think about how things were going to change once he arrived. He was my first child, and I wanted to do things right as a parent.
Take a moment, like I did and think of the child growing inside of you. That baby will be born, grow to be a teenager, and then an adult. What does this mean to you when you think about how you will react to every little thing that happens in pregnancy, and as a parent?
Babies are human beings. They are not a babydoll that we get to dress up, cuddle, and tote around town showing off to others.
They are unique, they cry and fuss, each one has different behaviors from you and dad, and one day that baby will even have failures that you will take personally (even though it won’t be personal).
It is easy to fall into a thought process of conjuring up what your baby is going to be. And that leads to frustration and overwhelmed feelings when things don’t happen like “they should”.
Maybe your baby will be born with something that you didn’t expect, Baby might have colic and cry for hours on end, Baby will have reflux and vomit after every feed and wear 10 outfits a day, etc.
It is not my goal to scare you, but to help you realize that you have no idea of what your baby is going to be like.
The amazing thing is that if your can take things as they come, you will be a much happier, relaxed, and pleasant mom/person/wife/daughter/friend. This starts while you are still pregnant because things change daily, and not always like the textbooks say.
Release your expectations that cause frustration and annoyance in your life.
Release the stress that increases cortisol levels and puts a halt to your labor process.
Release the Mom Mind that has a standard, and wants her baby to fall inside of that standard.
It is time to love your pregnancy, love your baby, and take things as they come. This perspective will put you on the right path to a fun and healthy pregnancy and motherhood.
Before I go any further, I want to mention my FREE Natural Birth Workbook! This 4 Step Process is a great start if you are considering a med-free birth. Click the button below to download the workbook…
2. Exercise a little, everyday.
Exercise is vogue, right?
I know plenty of Mamas that want a “belly only pregnancy”. This is good and healthy, but I am here to say that Gym Life moms are not for every mom.
Exercise in pregnancy is not just about not gaining weight. Exercise is good for blood circulation, oxygen to the placenta and baby, mood, strength, endurance, and a lower C-Section rate.
YES! If you walk 30 minutes everyday, and sustain a heart rate 120 beats per minute, then you will decrease your C-Section risk.
Walk around your neighborhood, take a mild hike, walk into work from the farthest spot in the parking lot, and add some resistance training such as weight lifting, squats, or planks into your schedule three days a week.
I am not asking you to be a gym guru, a little bit of daily exercise will dramatically heighten your fun and healthy pregnancy goals!
3. Superfoods, macronutrients, and vitamins are a must.
Simple and tasty tip number three is about adding nutrient dense superfoods to your daily food intake.
These are foods such as sweet potatoes, avocados, quinoa, asparagus, spinach, dates, sprouts, oranges, beans, fish, chicken, and steak.
Make sure every meal has all three macronutrients: healthy fats, high protein, and whole carbohydrates.
Keep taking your prenatal vitamin and folic acid everyday, but add superfoods and 100 ounces of water to your menu everyday.
4. Travel on the weekends.
Travel is fun and can be super easy. Just make it easy, not complicated.
Plan little weekend trips so you don’t have to take time off work. Drive to your location. Stay at an AirBnB. Pack light with dresses, slip on shoes, no makeup or hair dryer. Grab some easy snacks, and don’t forget your pillow.
Get out and have some fun to release any stress that built up over the week.
Maybe you were planning on a BabyMoon, but I suggest making time for more easy trips.
Make sure it is a trip with a lot of walking because exercise gives you endorphins, and endorphins make for better memories of the trip.
5. Sunshine for 25 minutes daily.
All I will say is that sun is good for humans in every sense of the word, and we don’t get enough of it.
In fact, most people have low vitamin D levels, which makes a bad road ahead. Vitamin D is good for calcium absorption and strong bones, immunity, mood, and fighting off unwanted diseases.
Get outside in the sunshine for 25 minutes everyday without sunblock, even if it’s cold where you live. Take your sunglasses off for a while and soak in every ray of sunshine possible.
6. Wear comfy clothes, but don’t be a slob.
You need to be comfortable in your pregnancy, need I say more.
Well, I will. Don’t go all slob because you want to look back on your pregnancy and say, “I looked good!”
I loved wearing dresses and sandals for meetings, dinners, and church. If it’s cold, then wear your leggings, but add a cute top, makeup, and earrings.
Try buying clothes that are comfy, make you feel confident, and can be worn after pregnancy.
7. Nap time and meditation is necessary.
Pregnancy is hard and stressful at times, especially if you work like I did during pregnancy.
Try to sneak in a nap where you can, even if it’s only a 5 minute power nap.
I recommend taking time to meditate. Turn off distractions and think about fears, anxieties, and stressors that are invading your mind, body, and spirit.
Remember that you cannot take on the stress of outward pressures in your life. You cannot control what is thrown at you, but you can control your response.
Release negative emotions, find energy and positivity, find a new perspective, and give the rest to God.
8. Baby name is who your baby will be.
Everyone has a different perspective on this, but I wanted to call my baby by name while he was growing inside of me.
Bingly began to take on many nicknames in pregnancy. So, my husband and I decided that we wanted his name to be with him through the journey. We began to call him by name, and we felt a connection with him.
He was no longer “him, it, they, bubs, bambino…”
He was Bingly.
Whatever you call your baby now, that is who he or she is to you right now. Take time to think about how you feel about naming your baby now.
9. Mommy role model will provide more than empty words.
Ugh. I had so many women tell me their stories during pregnancy, and ask me the same questions over and over again.
It was nice at first, but then it got old.
I didn’t even want to go out into public or to work in my last few weeks of pregnancy because I was so tired of hearing “when are your due, how far along are you, what gender is it, what is his name…”
You are going to talk to women everyday. They will tell you stories, some good but some horror.
You will want to stay in your house, and you will need someone to talk to on a deep level.
You need a mommy role model to be there for you. She will listen to you, and help you release fears, doubts, and questions.
10. Birth plan, support, and practice are vital to a natural birth.
And last, make your birth plan, get your support person by your side, and practice breathing & relaxation techniques!
This is the fun part as labor approaches, and deciding what you want before labor arrives is so important.
Ask yourself: What does a beautiful birth looks like? Who is by my side? How am I coping with pain? What positions do I use for pushing? How do I avoid unnecessary hospital interventions? How do I get my birth plan?
Now is the time to start answering these questions, get your support person onboard, and practice that plan before labor comes.
It all can be done, and it is so much fun.
I am here to help.
Do you want some help making a plan? I have created my FREE Natural Birth Workbook just for you. This 4 Step Process is a great start if you are considering a med-free birth. Download below…
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