You may feel absolutely fantastic throughout your pregnancy or you may feel a tad pants, especially in those early weeks. And, while I believe that you are not ill just pregnant, you are still growing another human being and that is pretty awesome so you do need to look after yourself and reward yourself with some pampering, me time and little extra attention.

Eat well

Sometimes this is easier said than done, especially in the first trimester when you may feel sick but a balance of healthy snacks and freshly prepared meals will keep you going. It can be tempting to fall into the biscuit barrel, but try the fruit bowl instead. And if you can’t face a huge meal, beans on toast will do the job, as will porridge or a bowl of cereal, and they are so much better for you and baby than a bag of crisps with a chocolate chaser.

Sleep and rest

Pregnancy can be a time of complete and utter exhaustion in the early weeks and then again towards the end of pregnancy as we carry the extra weight of baby and amniotic fluid. Chances are you are also at work and/or looking after a toddler, so the opportunity for rest is not great but it can be beneficial to make the most of some early nights and the chance to get some rest at the weekends.

Take it easy as your body changes

Listen to your body and try not to overdo it. As your bump grows and your body changes, you may find that you are unable to be as active as you were. This doesn’t mean that you can’t still be active –  you may just need to slow your pace a little or switch to classes with a pregnancy fitness specialist such as pilates http://birthandbabynetwork.com/pilates/
or pregnancy aerobics http://birthandbabynetwork.com/fitness/

Treat yourself to a massage

It is relaxing, wonderfully indulgent and very beneficial! http://birthandbabynetwork.com/reflexology-massage/

Aches and pains

If you have back ache, hip pain or discomfort in your pubic bone – get yourself along to a chiropractor to be realigned and the feed back from pregnant women is fantastic. http://birthandbabynetwork.com/chiropractor

Make some time to relax

Even a few minutes a day is completely achievable. Enjoy a soak in the bath, enjoy that few minutes of peace in bed before you drift off to sleep, go to weekly Relaxation sessions, where it’s just you and bump chilling together  http://birthandbabynetwork.com/antenatal-classes/

And looking  after yourself also means getting in touch with your GP or midwife if you don’t feel well,  don’t feel ‘right’ or just need some extra reassurance about your changing body.

Posted by Janine Rudin in antenatal classes, Baby, birth, pregnancy, pregnancy fitness, pregnancy massage, sleep Tags: antenatal classes, Birth & Baby Basics, birth&babynetwork, health, pregnancy massage, Pushy Mothers, Reflexology, RVI