If you’re pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, I’m sure you’ve already heard a ton of advice from everyone.
Sleep while you can. Don’t walk upstairs. Don’t over-exert yourself or travel. Avoid eating pineapple and eggplant.
And then there are the old wives tales…
If it’s a girl, she will take your beauty. Having heartburn — the baby will have a full head of hair. Don’t go to funerals. It’s bad luck for the baby.
It is endless. And at times, it can put you down.
Well — I am here to tell you that it doesn’t need to be this way.
I had a seriously beautiful pregnancy and you should, too. Every woman’s experience is different, and they are all special and unique. Do not let anyone make you feel like yours is anything short of incredible. We’re making humans, ladies!
Before becoming pregnant, I hadn’t worn a bikini in years unless it was high-waisted. However, I truly felt so comfortable in my pregnant body. So, here I am—nine months pregnant in a two-piece, letting it all hang out…
I hope you all are enjoying your pregnancy!
Below are my 7 suggestions of what worked for me:
1. I was terrified of having stretch marks. I spent way too many sleepless nights overanalyzing my day to see how I could improve it to prevent any “blemishes” from my ever-growing skin. Well, I ended up having zero stretch marks. But I gained a whole new layer of confidence. One that doesn’t revolve around picking my body apart and putting myself down. Just remember — if you wouldn’t say it about your best friend, then you shouldn’t say it about yourself. Please note stretch marks are beautiful. Something I once feared so much, mattered so little to me in the end. But in case you’re curious about what I did:
- Well, I googled how to prevent them almost daily and I came across the same message .. If your mother had stretch marks, you’ll have stretch marks. My mother did have them, and I have them. All over my legs and butt. I thought I was doomed! It will soon follow to my belly and breasts. Good thing I only believe half of what I read. From the first day of my second trimester, I started using Mama Bee Belly Butter and Bio-Oil twice daily to my thighs, butt, belly, lower back, and stomach. I went through these bottles very quickly and ordered them every month. While in the shower, I exfoliated my butt and belly with Belli Skincare Fresh Start Pre Treatment Scrub to remove any dead skin and allow the lotion and oil to penetrate
2. Water. Water. Water. I drank 96 oz daily for 9 months. This was not easy to do, so I suggest either getting a water jug or large bottles of water. I drank 32oz bottles and had three each day. You will need to pee constantly as your baby grows and pushes in your bladder. I would stop drinking an hour before going out or leaving work, so I wasn’t stuck unable to use the bathroom.
3. Start taking prenatal vitamins three months early to help prepare your body. I’ve talked to a few moms who have had issues with their prenatal that caused them to become very nauseous. I took New Chapter Perfect Prenatal and never had any issues.
4. During my first two months of pregnancy, I saw an OBGYN who viewed pregnancy as a disability. There were constant warnings to avoid exercise and sleep as much as possible. When I decided to switch to a Midwife facility it was a different vibe. They encouraged working out and advised me to view my pregnancy as an exciting journey. I was told to listen to my body. After that appointment, I started my workout routine (squats, lunges, free weights, and a TON of walking). I gained 13 lbs during the pregnancy and felt more confident than before. (NOTE: directed towards low-risk pregnancies and approval from a doctor)
5. Give organic foods and can-free a try. As soon as I told my husband the news he cried, smiled, then ran into our pantry and threw out all the junk food. I thought it would end there as I saw my precious Doritos tossed in the trash. But no, he then researched non-canned foods and organic foods. And just like that — we became a household that no longer bought canned beans and had organic fruits and veggies. This was challenging for me for a few reasons:
- Dried beans take way longer to make than simply opening up a can and cooking them. I have no patience for soaking dried beans, so I bought an Instant Pot and was quickly obsessed. It is very easy to use and helped me with this transition. You add dried beans with water on the “pressure cooker” setting with a 25-minute timer. They will begin to cook after 10 minutes for 25 minutes, then begin to count up to 15 minutes. Once this is done, simply release the pressure and voilà! I usually make a large batch on a Sunday and store them in the fridge for a week.
- Going organic is expensive and difficult to identify when eating out, so we only switched to organic for the fruits and veggies on the dirty dozen, which made it way easier and lighter on the wallet.
6. Get as much sleep as possible. Easy to say, right? Between the restless leg syndrome, growing tender breasts, and protruding belly this can seem close to impossible. I remember shoving pillows behind my back and between my legs to get comfortable — only to wake up with a sore neck and back pain. That is until a friend told me about the Leachco Snoogle Total Body Pillow. From what I recall from my endless research, there are a ton of pregnancy pillows in different shapes. I haven’t tried any others because this one just worked for me. It can be used to support your back and belly at the same time. It is incredibly comforting and feels kind of like a hug. My one complaint is without a cover it was very rough and scratchy, so I purchased the Leachco pillow cover. It is super soft!
7. And lastly, allow yourself to feel sexy. I went to Victoria’s Secret when I was in my second trimester in search of some stretchy underwear to accompany my ever-growing body. One of the sales associates stopped me and asked if I needed any help. I told her my underwear dilemma, and she spun me around and told me I looked “fabulous”. I was pretty emotional at that point in my pregnancy so naturally, I cried and told her how unattractive I felt since I was in the phase where you couldn’t tell if I was pregnant or just had Chipotle. She told me to embrace these changes and allow myself to become the sexy mom I was destined to be. She also let me know when she was pregnant she wore nothing but crop tops and let her belly hang free. I ended up purchasing sexy lace (stretchy) panties and was no longer okay with settling for anything less.
The biggest takeaway? You’re a boss-ass woman. You’re creating a human being. You are incredible.
Cuddles & Chaos 