Besides creating a whole human being inside your body, there are other things to do while you're pregnant that you might want to invest time in before the baby arrives. Call it your pregnancy bucket list or call it making the most of your final days of pre-parenthood: it's your chance to live it up the next nine months.
Get inspired with some fun and helpful things you may want to do with your partner or for your own enjoyment before those tough final days of pregnancy roll around!
Feast on Your Cravings (if They're Safe)
Believe it or not, you may not want to eat spaghetti sandwiches once your baby is here. Whether it's a strange pregnancy craving or just your favorite food in general, feast on all the things you want right now. Your body is doing a lot of work and you deserve to enjoy yourself. Plus, things just taste better when you're "pregnant hungry."
If you're craving something you shouldn't eat while pregnant, you'll want to hold off until after the baby is born. If your craving is truly inedible (like soap or raw beef), you'll have to deny yourself the chance to actually consume it — and it's best to talk to your doctor if this happens.
Have a Photoshoot for Your Bump
Pregnancy can be a rollercoaster of body image emotions: one day you feel like a life-giving goddess and the next you're crying over not fitting into your husband's T-shirts. While you're still having more good days than bad, have a photo shoot to show off your bump. Even if you aren't feeling beautiful in the moment, you'll be so happy when you look back on the photos and see how gorgeous you were as an expectant mom.
Create a Self-Care Space in Your Home
This is the time to plan for the self-care you'll need in the final days of pregnancy and the early weeks of motherhood. You might spend some time creating a self-care space in your home so it's easier to prioritize taking care of yourself. Think about what will work for you, whether it's setting up a home gym, creating a reading nook, designing a meditation room, or starting a small garden.
Recreate Your First Date
Welcoming a baby with the love of your life is a huge milestone. It might just inspire you to revisit some of the most pivotal moments in your relationship. You might celebrate this special time by recreating your first date, planning a weekend away in your old college town, or visiting some of your favorite local spots together.
Plan a Spa Day With Your Spouse
You and your partner are about to embark on a brand-new, and exhausting, adventure. Taking care of babies is no joke. Get ahead of the exhaustion by planning a couple's day at the spa. Get massages, body treatments, and facials while you relax in anticipation of this new life chapter.
Linger in Bed With Your Partner
If this is your first pregnancy, you likely still enjoy plenty of snuggly mornings with your partner. The truth is, those mornings are a bit harder to come by when the baby comes. Soak them in now and linger in bed for as long as you can while you're pregnant. You won't regret the snuggles or the quality time once you're both focused on the baby.
When you're finally ready to crawl out of bed, plan a sweet morning date together. The time you spend connecting now will be priceless.
Feel Weightless in Water
Swimming (or just floating) in water is a whole new experience when you're pregnant. A growing baby means growing strain on your body, and spending time in the pool helps relieve the pressure of weight from your back. Spend some time in the water if you can. Your future self (and your back) will thank you.
Have a Girls' Night (or Two)
Once you become a mom, it will take a bit more planning to pull off a girls' night. While you're still growing your sweet babe in your belly, spend as much time with friends as you can. Plan nights out, sleepovers, brunches, and even weekend getaways with your best gal pals.
Get a Prenatal Massage
A prenatal massage is a therapeutic massage specifically designed for pregnant women. Getting a massage while pregnant might help relieve stress, back pain, and other discomfort you may be experiencing from your growing belly.
According to the American Pregnancy Association, it's safe to receive a prenatal massage at any point in your pregnancy. However, some facilities may refuse to perform prenatal massages on women still in the first trimester. Always check with your prenatal provider to determine your potential risks with massage.
Embrace the Nesting Phase
Somewhere between your second and third trimester, the need to nest will set in. Embrace it! It will give you a burst of energy to clean, organize, and get your space ready for your baby's arrival. Before the intense nesting urges hit, go ahead and make a list or a plan for what you want to tackle so you can channel the energy toward decluttering and organizing the things that matter most.
Get Good Quality Sleep
Sleep might be your favorite hobby or the thing you struggle with most depending on where you are in your pregnancy. Regardless of trimester, try to prioritize good quality sleep as best you can.
- Invest in a pregnancy pillow for enhanced comfort during pregnancy.
- Nap when you need to.
- Make your bedroom cozy and inviting for sleep.
- Avoid blue light exposure before bed.
- Elevate your head to help with breathing.
- Sleep on your side for maximum comfort with a pregnant belly. (Experts recommend pregnant women sleep on their left side.)
Write Letters to Your Baby
You can probably think of so many things you want to tell your child throughout their life. Relationship advice, what it felt like when they kicked in the womb, and how excited you are to meet them. Get those thoughts out now, before the "mom brain" officially sets in. Grab stationary or a journal and spend part of your pregnancy writing sweet letters to your baby.
If you don't love writing or feel your thoughts are best expressed audibly, try making a series of videos for your baby instead.
Plan a Babymoon
A babymoon is a trip you take before the birth of your child. It's meant to help you relax, spend quality time with your partner, and celebrate this exciting time. Plan a trip somewhere you can relax and recharge from the tough work of growing a baby. If there's a place you and your partner have always wanted to visit, now is the time to make it happen.
If a full-length trip doesn't work for you and your partner, a weekend getaway or even a staycation are great options too.
Finalize Your Birth Plan
The truth is, your birth plan won't likely pan out exactly how you expect it will. But, it's still important to have one. It's less about planning how your birth will go and more about advocating for a birth experience that empowers you. Talk with your provider and your partner about creating a birth plan that feels right for you.
Do What You Want While You're Pregnant
You're doing something pretty amazing: growing a human with your body. You deserve to do whatever you want to do while your body is working so hard at creating life. Eat the yummy food, rest as much as you want, and spend time with the people you love as you excitedly wait for those final days of pregnancy and finally getting to meet your baby.
