Pregnancy Tips / Advice..

I don't know whether once your pregnant you realise everyone is else is pregnant or it's just me! Try going to Ikea, it's baby bump galore! I wanted to share with you some of my tips as thank god I have had quite a smooth pregnancy and hope that others can benefit from my experience and views. Obviously each and every person and pregnancy is different so you need to cater for yourself. Here are my top tips if you are expecting....

Photo: Me at 28 weeks!

• Don’t eat for two and eat only when you are hungry. However, during the 1st trimester you may feel quite nauseous so you may need to force yourself to eat nutritious meals. You actually only need an extra 200 calories towards the very end of your pregnancy, so don’t go stuffing your face and put on too much weight too soon. If you do fancy naughty foods try not to have too much, although it’s almost impossible to restrain yourself during the last month! There are some foods you need to avoid so get googling!
  

• Drink plenty of water and take folic acid and prenatal vitamins if you need to.
  

• Do some kind of exercise, whether it be walking, swimming, yoga etc. My favourite has been walking as it’s the most convenient.

• Apply some kind of oil to your bump and breast area every single day to help prevent stretch marks. My favourite has been the Neal’s Yard Mothers balm.

• Your bra size is going to change, so constantly get measured, and also note that you will be different sizes in different shops. Make sure you are not wearing underwired bras during your pregnancy as this can obstruct increased blood flow and compress the developing milk ducts. I got a couple nonwired but padded bras from M&S which have been great, but I found Mama’s & Papa’s maternity bras to be the best and most comfortable. Furthermore you NEED to invest in a sleeping bra, because your breasts are getting larger and if they go south they stay south so keep them where they are even when you are sleeping. You could also try pyjama cami tops with built in support which works just as well.

• Invest in a body pillow, you are going to need it so the sooner you buy one the more use you will get out of it, I used the ‘Dream Genii’ but any one will do.

• Take care of your skin, it’s going to get sensitive and you may need to change your skincare routine. I loved using Avene.

• Pregnancy fashion doesn't have to be boring, embrace your bump and rock plenty of accessories! Don’t go crazy splashing out on maternity clothes, do the elastic band trick for as long as you can for your existing jeans. However do invest in some maternity jeans or jean shorts for comfort. I have found H&M to be the most affordable and recommend checking out their range (they also do longer tops which work great with a bump). You will also need some maternity leggings to team with dresses that are going to become shorter as your bump grows or try to buy very low waisted bottoms that sit under the bump which will work too, I had a pair of jeggings and they have been invaluable during my pregnancy. Treat yourself to maxi dresses, kaftan tops, and anything flowy, stretchy or empire line as you can wear these with waist belts after your pregnancy, oh and buy your normal size! Don’t buy things 3 sizes too big.

• Organise! I don’t have to say this because the ‘nesting’ instinct will naturally kick in. But, seriously a clutter free house means a clutter free mind and the more you get done before the baby comes the easier life will be. Have your hospital bag ready by 36 weeks at the latest!

• Decide on names before someone else declares they have decided for you. You will change your mind a million times (I did) but, it makes life easier once you have decided as you can start to prepare things. If you find out the sex of the baby then you can personalise the nursery or ‘corner of our bedroom’ in my case.

• Read plenty of books and do as much research on the Internet as you can, google and You Tube are your best friends. Compare and really think about essential items such as a pram, car seat, cot etc.
  

• Don’t freak out about the ‘exit’ of baby in your last trimester, whatever is going to happen is going to happen. Write a birth plan and get as much sleep as you can, which is damn hard I tell you!
  

• Oh and pamper yourself, just becuase you are having a baby it doesn't mean you neglect yourself! It just means you may have to speed things up a little. Mac Face & Body foundation is perfect for a luminous natural glow, and combined with some Chanel bronzer makes anyone look 10X better.
  

Here's me today at 38 weeks and 4 days just waiting to go into labour - 9 days until my actual due date! I found out yesterday at my hospital appointment that her head is as engaged as it's going to be before she actually 'arrives', it's marked as 1/5 which means 4/5 of her head is actually engaged, woo! This means I go for a pee every 15mins but oh well! :)


Wow I had so much to say, I even surprised myself! All the best and good luck to all the yummy mummy to be's! x X x