Week 33: Pampering Pregnancy

This is the first article I ever wrote that did not directly address grief and loss in some way.  It just kind of happened.  This made me realize that even though us bereaved mother's talk a lot about grief and loss and the struggles with pregnancy again after a loss, we still experience everyday struggles that other moms and pregnant ladies experience too.

I write about this in this weeks Pregnancy and Newborn Magazine's Knocked Up Blogger post as I share the physical discomforts of pregnancy and how to pamper yourself on this journey.  Click here if you would like to read it.

“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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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.
4. 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.
5. 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.