Every woman's pregnancy is different. Some of us love it and sail through it, some of us struggle with nausea, chronic fatigue, bad skin, bad moods, pains in our backs and pains in our fronts... But we can all agree on one thing: the last few weeks can be the pits.
We feel huge, like giant elephant women who have to call for heavy machinery to winch us out of bed each morning. We can't reach our toes in any sort of comfortable way in order to paint them and we'd go to the beauty salon to have them done, except that we're scarlet about our swollen cankles. The skin on our chest, while fabulously humongous, has developed all these alien-like large blue veins and we pray nightly that they'll bugger off after the baby comes. We're starving, but we can't eat the way we'd like, because the baby is taking up so much room in there that our stomachs are half the hungry hero they used to be.
Mostly, we're impatient, because we really, really want to meet our new baby and so spend the last few weeks over-analysing every twinge we feel, studying our knickers for a sign of anything, and taking it as gospel when the hospital midwife says 'I'd be very surprised if I saw you here next week' (why must they give us false hope!)
We hear you, sister, and so we've compiled a list of really cool things to do to keep you distracted until the baby comes. Keep the faith.
1. Go for a preggo massage
You need to find a salon that has one of those beds, the ones with the hole in them for your bump and your boobs so that you can lie on your front while the amazing beauticians work on you. This is a move you will never regret.
2. Take yourself off for a movie date
Pick an afternoon movie from the listings, grab ALL the popcorn, ALL the sweets and ALL the ice cream, put your feet up on the back of the chair in front of you (no one will be at an afternoon viewing), and lord it up. There ain't nothing nicer and it's something that isn't likely to happen again for a while after babs arrives.
3. Have baths every day
Just light those candles, run that bath (not too hot, remember you can feel a bit light-headed with the heat!), grab your favourite book and chill for a half an hour or so. You will totally forget to wash for a while when the new baby arrives so now is the time to enjoy feeling scrubbed (NB; have someone on standby to haul you out afterwards if you're particularly immobile!)
4. Catch up with some friends
This, of course, won't change when the baby arrives - you'll still see your friends all the time, but it'll be different then because you'll both be going gaga over the new baby! Hang out especially with those who you know you can have those epic chats with; you can be serious, you can laugh your asses off and ultimately you come away from the cuppa, or lunch, or dinner, feeling the better of it. Mates rock.
5. Spend quality time with your other kids
If this isn't your first baby, then there really is nothing nicer than planning some 'dates' with your other kids. You don't have to go too far (and shouldn't really, if your due date isn't too far off!), and it doesn't need to be too complicated. Anything as simple as going for little walks together, to the local playground or just sitting down to paint pictures while you have the chats. When you're distracted with the new baby and feeling guilty that your other kids aren't getting enough attention - which they are, by the way - you'll be glad you put the time in here.
We hope you're doing nice things for yourself if your baby is due soon! Let me know how you're staying sane at sharyn.hayden@HerFamily.ie
