Currently I’m counting down the days to Baby Boy arriving and I’m heavily nesting! I’m in the process of moving in to our new apartment and it could not have happened at a better time! I’m organizing and getting things done so quickly that I’m even scaring myself. 😅 Definitely getting this nesting out of my system.
As we get closer and closer to baby arriving, we get so focused on all the things we need to prep before they arrive that we forget to focus a little on ourselves. Before I had Anastasya, I thought that since I’d be at home that I’d have time to do certain things and I quickly found out that that was NOT the case! You thought you didn’t have time to do things before? Wait til your baby arrives!
So as I’m prepping myself into bringing another kid into this world I’m also doing some of these things on my list. Here’s a list of 10 things I recommend you to do for yourself before baby comes poppin’ out! Have fun 💕
1. Weekly Date Nights
The first few weeks after baby comes, you will be tired and lazy and overwhelmed. The last thing you’ll probably think about doing is getting dressed and going out on a date with your significant other.
In my 1st pregnancy I tried to set up 1 night every week the last month of my pregnancy to go out on a date with my husband. We went on maybe 2 dates. LOL But we did have a lot of movie nights just laying around and enjoying each other, and honestly that was better than nothing!
The most important thing is intentionally scheduling a night in both of your schedules where you’ll be with each other, giving each other your undivided attention, and just enjoying each other. Not like it’s never going to happen every again! But for a couple of weeks you’re going to be tired and you’re not going to want to do anything other than probably sleep and shower and sleep some more.
Whether you go out to the movies, or you go have dinner at Chik-Fil-A, or you make a LONG Target run, just have fun with it. The important thing is that you’re spending quality time together!
2. Babymoon
Speaking of dates, I suggest going on a Babymoon. Obviously this isn’t a necessity (none of these things are), but I do strongly recommend it because you never know when you can squeeze in another vacation into your schedule. Or maybe you do… who knows?
This vacation can be however long or short or extravagant you want it to be. It’s whatever you consider a vacation. For me it’s time away from home doing nothing baby related. Just relaxing and doing something fun that I love with my husband.
Depending where you want to go will depend when you can go. If you’re going out of state or even out of the country, you want to double check with your doctor when they feel comfortable for you to leave. Most doctors (I believe) will allow you to travel as far as 30-something weeks? It all depends where and for how long. So please check with your doctor first before booking your trip.
I had a friend that went to Europe. I had another friend who went to Louisiana. You can go super big, or stay close by. However you see fit with your life and your budget. You can even make it a Stay-cation! Again, as long as you’re doing something relaxing before baby comes, you’re doing just fine.
3. Spa Day
Take a full day to just pamper yourself! Do something where someone is serving you! Go get your nails done, get a haircut, get a prenatal massage, order some take out (so you don’t have to cook), get a facial! Do anything that allows you to fully relax. Take a breather and a break from all that’s going on around you and just relaxxxxxxx.
4. Take Long Hot Showers or Baths
Nothing is worse than having an interrupted shower that you felt you reallllyyyy needed that day! Or rushing through one. When my daughter was born I was always scared to jump in the shower, start shampooing my hair to hear her start crying and have to stop showering to go get her. Thankfully it never happened, but I have heard stories where it did…
Take advantage of the time you have now. Shower until you’ve used up all the hot water! Sit in your tub until your skin is pruny and you’ve watched 10 episodes of Friends (or those Office episodes of Jim and Pam having their first baby 😂). Just Do It! You’ll thank me later.
5. Take Naps / Sleep In
Now that I’m 30+ weeks pregnant, I’m starting to really feel my body screaming at me for those nap times! When I was pregnant the first time and I was working 12 hour days at a physical therapy office, when lunch time came, I’d eat as quickly as I could, then I’d lay on one of our therapy mats and KNOCK OUT! I would be exhausted come 1-2P in the afternoon.
This pregnancy has been pretty much the same. When 2P rolls around my eyes start to get heavy and if I even think about looking towards the couch I’ll want to go lay in it to go to sleep. Even while playing with Anastasya! I’m dying to lay right there on the floor and pass out for even 10 minutes!
Take naps whenever you can. Sleep in on the weekends. Treat yourself to a good night of rest! You won’t be having any of those very very soon.
6. Spend Quality Time with Your Girlfriends
I say to spend time with your girlfriends, not your family because it’s very likely you’ll be seeing a lot of your family anyway. They’ll be the ones that will be coming over to see the baby or to help around the house. Not that your friends won’t, but family will just automatically be the first people you call.
Before you have little time left to spend with anyone else other than your baby, your husband, and then your family, go have some fun G.N.O (Girls Night Out)! Go watch a chick-flick, since your spouse won’t. Go out dancing. Yes! Even with a belly (it’s more fun this way)! Go out to a fancy dressed up brunch with the girls. Enjoy them and have fun!
7. Home Deep Cleanings
Other than all the regular cleanings you’ll naturally going to be doing, any deep or big cleanings that you want to do or need to do, do it now and do it quick. For example, if you have carpet that hasn’t been cleaned in a long time, get that done before baby is around and crawling all over the place.
But since this is supposed to be a list of things to do for yourself, don’t you dare take care of that carpet yourself! You don’t want to be inhaling all sorts of chemicals anyway. Call someone to do it for you! A month before baby arrives, have someone go to your house and do a nice deep cleaning for you while you’re out of the house getting that massage, doing nails, or grocery shopping. Whatever. Just don’t do the deep cleaning yourself! Let someone else take care of that for you. Put your feet up and relax! 😌
8. Throw Yourself a Baby Shower
You’d be surprised as to how many people don’t want to actually have to go through planning their own baby shower. It can be draining and exhausting. I love planning and I love parties, so in my case, I go wild and I definitely enjoy it. The only part I hate is the attention…. but at the end of the day when everything is put away and cleaned up, I feel loved! So if you’re not into planning, hopefully someone will just do all the planning for you! You never know unless you ask someone.
9. Take Maternity Photos
This was one of my favorite things from my last pregnancy. It was definitely my absolute favorite shoot. If you haven’t seen the photos yet click here for my post on my photoshoot. I’m really looking forward for my next one. Keep an eye out for that post soon!
This was my favorite because I guess I was just really happy with the results of the photos. They were so beautifully taken and I thought I looked like I was glowing. There’s no better feeling than to look back at maternity photos and think you looked good considering you have a belly and could have possibly been swollen. Pick a time frame where you’re still not swollen and you’re belly is a nice size where you don’t look too big and I promise you’ll enjoy taking those photos as much as I did.
If you feel like your belly is growing quickly, I suggest pushing for photos at about 5.5-6 months. My belly grew very slowly so in my photos I was 8 months pregnant (to give you an idea).
10. Buy Yourself a Push Present
So not that a push present is a need, but it would be nice to receive a little gift as a sign of appreciation from our spouse for all the work you just did the past 9 months and will be doing from now on after delivering the baby. And let’s be honest, some guys will surprise you and show up with a cute gift. Other’s will be totally oblivious. It’s ok… that’s men for you.
So you, Girl, you go out there and pick something nice for yourself as a final reward for all that you’ve gone through and will be going through for a little while. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy! Just a little something nice for yourself that will always remind you of this journey.
Maybe an Alex & Ani bracelet? If you’re good at journaling, maybe a really pretty and good quality journal for you to write in for the next few weeks. Maybe buy yourself a massage for after the delivery instead of getting a prenatal. Or do both! I’m not judging. Some people get themselves something so that when their child is older they can pass on to their kids. Anyway, splurge on you! You deserve it!
I hope you enjoyed this list! I hope it gave you some ideas on ways you can take care of YOU these next few weeks as you inch closer to meeting your little one. Please comment below on ways you pampered yourself! I’d love to hear from you!
P.S. I did mention quite often how you won’t have time to do certain things anymore, or that you’re always going to be tired. I have a friend who described babies perfectly. He said “Babies can be an inconvenience, but they are the Greatest inconvenience you can have.”
Yes you will be tired for some time. Yes you may skip a shower here and there because you’re just too tired to go do it. There will be times that you’ll pass up a party cuz all you wanna do is stay home, watch a movie and pass out. It’s part of the process, it’s part of the season, but it’s going to be great! Life is going to get better because of that mini you. After baby comes, life most definitely changes! But it changes for the better. So have fun pampering yourself now so you can cuddle your baby every second you can later. ❤️
