Pregnancy... approximately 40 weeks long (that's 10 months - crikey!) So it's only natural for you to want to feel good throughout this arduous time of growing a little person inside of you. It's a time where your body will experience so many new changes and so looking after yourself and your well being is paramount.
Here are my top 5 tips on feeling comfortable during your pregnancy.
1. Use a Pregnancy Pillow - During pregnancy you are not allowed to sleep on your back as it can block oxygen to your baby and cut blood supply off. It took me a while to get used to sleeping on my sides but if it meant that it was safer for my baby then I was on board. I ended up buying my one from Amazon and it only cost me £15 so it was a total bargain! They are the most comfortable things ever invented and even after my baby is born I will definitely use it on the sofa for movie nights!
2. Utilise nap time - it may sound silly and unnecessary to get naps in during the day when you're pregnant... I mean you might be feeling fabulous and have bundles of energy... but boy do those naps work! Anything from half an hour to a 2 hour nap could be the difference in how you feel and how your body feels - after all growing a baby is hard and tiring work!
3. Drink plenty of water - During first trimester it is advised to drink 2 litres of water a day. Then in the second trimester it goes up to 2.5 litres and then in your last trimester you can go up to 3 litres of water a day. I know what you're thinking... that's a massive amount of water! But not only does it help with the development of your baby but it also helps with sickness, round ligament pain and digestive system. I also found that when I was drinking water... it gave me an extra amount of moisture to my skin and made it look more glowing which helped with my emotions and made me feel confident. I recommend buying a 2 litre bottle that has measurements on the side so you can keep track of your water dosage.
4. Stretch marks - That's right ladies the dreaded stretch marks that we all know about and fear of getting (but to be honest if they do come then we should all be proud of them as they are beautiful and show our motherhood journey of bringing a little one into this world)! However if you were like me and wanted to make sure that your growing bump was fully moisturised and wanted to minimise the appearance of stretch marks then invest in a good quality cream. I ended up buying in bulk the Palmers Cocoa Butter Stretch Mark Lotion and it cost less than £5 for a big bottle. I got through at least 4 bottles of this stuff during my pregnancy and it really helped!
5. Keep moving - I'm not a huge exercise bunny to be fair (can't remember the last time I ventured to the gym even before my pregnancy), but apparently it is advised to keep active during your trimesters as the more you move around the more comfortable you feel. It really helps combat the aches and pains, it helps alleviate the braxton hicks contractions from being uncomfortable and will help to aid you in labour. My favourite type of exercise that I swore by was walking. I would walk anything between half an hour and 2 hours a day which was so lovely, because not only was I getting my daily exercise dosage but I was also breathing in fresh air and it really calmed my head and de-stressed me. Also, I went to my local swimming pool once a week and did some lengths along with just floating in the water. It's incredible how water takes away your aches/pains especially in your legs and back and makes you feel completely weightless. I really enjoyed it and it was amazing to feel my little bump kicking me whilst I was in the water. I definitely think she will be a water baby when she is born.
These are my top 5 tips that I swore by but everyone is different. Make sure that you find out what works for you and that you enjoy this exciting time in your life because it is so precious and special!
Thatlittleshoe x
