Looking back, I could should have done things differently when I was pregnant and I can’t help thinking about the things I didn’t do because of anxiety, personal insecurity and lack of time. Now, with the baby, I regret some decisions I made when I was pregnant. I don’t regret them enough to try and have another child, but still If there’d ever be a second pregnancy, I know what I’d put on my pregnancy wish list.
1. Stressed less and enjoyed it more
My anytime piece of advice is to just enjoy every single day of pregnancy because it will be over before it starts and you’ll be left missing your big bump, those mid night pee breaks and never ending heartburn!
You’ve probably heard ‘Enjoy it!’ and ‘Sleep now you still can!’ a zillion times already since it is the most cliche advice in the world everyone will tell a pregnant woman. But there’s a reason for this. Trust me. And take that me-time!
2. Wear a maternity swimsuit.
I’ve never been all that comfortable wearing a swimsuit in public, so I definitely wasn’t about to attempt it during the last part of pregnancy.
Dressing a pregnant body in next-to-nothing is a whole different ball game. One on hand, your boobs are fab. On the other hand, depending on the trimester and the type of pregnancy, you are dealing with an expanding waistline (and butt), cellulite, odd skin discolorations and a whole host of other changes. Moreover a bikini is adaptable to a growing belly. String bikinis in particular are adjustable, so they work well when you’re pregnant. It’s such a beautiful and magical moment. My advice would be to embrace it and show it off!”
3. I wish I had put on the same music every night before going to bed
Many feel that way, the baby inside starts to learn that when the music plays, it’s time to sleep. However, the odds are just 0.4% but that’s still enough. Trust me, when your baby refuses to sleep at night you think ‘I so should have tried this’. This thing hits your hard when you google on how to make your baby sleep and you come across a story about a baby who nods off straight away when hearing ‘Despacito’ because that’s what his pregnant mummy played every night. Put those tunes on repeat!
4. Stayed more active and worked out
Many plan on working out during their pregnancy, want to be one of those girls who stays active and fit. Well let’s just say that didn’t happen! During the first trimester you would be so tired and there was no way to work out. By the time you start feeling better you todo list would be so huge working out would be put at the bottom. tough! Mama’s outta shape!
5. Record a video message for your baby the before night
Take your phone and film a message for your baby that they can have for the rest of their life. I don’t know why I didn’t do it. Perhaps it was anxiety or heightened emotions or losing the suggestion along with everything else inside my foggy pregnancy brain.
6. Tried Nausea Remedies Sooner
Every pregnant woman feels that nausea is something that they have to live with and plan on spending the first trimester of pregnancy absolutely miserable. Sometimes unusual food or smell helps. You would be surprised and wouldn’t believe that why you never had this idea before. By the time you discover this you would almost be mad at yourself for not trying something sooner.
7. Told My Closest Friends
Many people decide to keep their pregnancies a secret, and for good reason. But, the truth is, we would have told our closest friends and family sooner. Even if something terrible had happened, most of us would have wanted the people closest to me to know what you were going through.
Drinking fake glasses of wine at dinner and having no excuse for wanting to go to bed at 9 by missing night shows really wasn’t necessary. Obviously, this is personal and up to each individual, but if I ever experience the first trimester again, I plan on telling the people closest to me a little sooner.
8. I wish I had taken (even more) advantage of the situation
To be honest, most of us have already done this a bit, sometimes a lot. But sometimes you could have easily done it more. ‘Yes, but I’m pregnant’ is basically your “Get Out of Jail Free card’. It’s the end to every discussion and almost guarantees you’ll get whatever you want, whenever you want it.
‘Yes, but I have a newborn’ also works pretty well after birth, but when your baby starts to fit in diaper size 4, most people start to think there’s no need anymore to bow to your every wish.
9. Packed my hospital bag early
By early it doesn’t mean early 3 months before, you should have your bag sitting by the front door kinda thing, You should have your hospital bag ready to go between weeks 32 and 35 of your pregnancy, in case your baby comes a bit earlier than expected a good time to start the packing process is around the 28 week mark, or at the start of your 3rd trimester so that you don’t miss on anything.
