9 Ways to Have a Blissful Pregnancy

Carrying a baby in your tummy for nine months, however exciting it may be, does make a mess of your moods. “Pregnancy is a delicate time for a woman’s emotional state,” says psychologist Laura Kinney in Life in the Womb, a book she co-wrote with Ben E. Hastley. “On top of all the physical changes she’s about to go through, she has to deal with emotions set on a roller coaster ride.”

But having bloated feet, an aching back, and shallow tear ducts doesn’t mean you have to wave the white flag and say goodbye to your carefree, pre-preggy self. In fact, it’s imperative that you don’t. “A fetus is sensitive to its mother’s moods and may be affected by a mother’s low perception of self,” Dr. Kinney emphasizes.

So to help you embrace the changes and keep cool throughout your pregnancy, take your cue from these nine simple reminders.


1. Flaunt Your Radiance
Gone are the days of tent blouses and over-alls with huge kangaroo-like pouches. “Those loose tops and dresses make mommies look as huge as a balikbayan box or, worse, a refrigerator,” says stylist and makeup artist Kat Manalo-Erro. “Try tops with V-necks and empire cuts. Clothes that enhance curves look sexy—not promiscuous—on pregnant women. These types of clothes really do celebrate pregnancy.” For utmost comfort, Kat suggests getting clothes in stretch fabrics such as Lycra, jersey, cotton, and chiffon.

The right wardrobe will work doubly well with a hairstyle that’s low maintenance, comfortable, and stylish. Try one of two no-brainer hairstyles: long tresses that you can tie back into a bun, or a super-short yet super-chic wash-and-wear cut like actress Angel Jacob’s. Don’t take your pampering to the colorist, though. Chemicals from hair dyes may not be safe for the baby in your womb and when you’re breastfeeding.

 

Click here to read more ways to have a blissful pregnancy.

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Read on for more ways to have a blissful pregnancy.

 

Avoid clogging your pores with cosmetics since they might contain harsh chemicals that can affect your baby. “If you have to wear makeup, keep it light,” says Kat. “Remove your makeup as soon as you get home. Use a mild facial wash and makeup remover.”


2. Exercise
Exercise counteracts the extra weight you gain. OB-gynecologist Tere Henson, M.D., says, “Since labor and giving birth are two of the most exhausting ordeals a woman has to go through, getting fit and keeping fit during pregnancy is a must. Of course, your doctor has to consent to what form of exercise you can do.”

Aerobics and calisthenics are highly recommended by doctors. For a more “zen” workout, try yoga or pilates—but only after your doctor has given you the go signal. Many moms-to-be have found these two books—Yoga for Pregnancy by Wendy Teasdill or Pilates for Pregnancy: Toning Exercises for the Mother-to-be by Michael King and Yolande Gron—helpful in doing yoga and pilates routines tailor-made for their growing baby and belly (both available at Little Professor Book Center at the SM Mall of Asia). However, it  is still recommended that you get a private yoga or pilates instructor. Try contacting Yoga Manila at 0917-522-YOGA or the Vivian Zapanta Pilates Studio at 886-7744 for their private classes.


3.  Eat Healthy
Step up on the nutrition department since you’re eating for two now. Good eating habits may keep complications like anemia, morning sickness, leg cramps, premature labor, and mood swings at bay.

Says Dr. Henson, “Foremost in your diet should be fruits and green leafy vegetables.” They contain vitamin A (for healthy skin, bones, and eyes), folic acid, vitamin E, vitamin C, extra fiber, calcium, and trace minerals. Don’t completely discount fat from your diet. You and your baby also need calories, though your baby needs just about 300 calories per day. Easy on the sweets, go strong on the fluids.

But if there’s such a time when you need guilty-pleasure comfort food, it’s when you’re pregnant. Once in a while, treat yourself to an oatmeal cookie, a small helping of fries cooked in vegetable oil, buttermilk pancakes, a banana milkshake, and dried fruits. Then step away.  Step away.

 

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Read on for more ways to have a blissful pregnancy.

 

4. Pamper Your Body
Nothing pampers a pregnant woman’s body like a trip to the spa. Vicky Jalandoni-Lim, mom to 6-month-old Renee, says, “On my eighth month of  pregnancy, I treated myself to a foot spa. Since all my weight was carried on my feet, [my feet] needed all the pampering they could get.”

Yes, the feet do deserve to be spoiled. During pregnancy, your body retains extra fluid, causing some body parts—but especially your feet—to bloat and uncomfortably heavy (aside from the fact that your joints are expanding to ready your body for labor). A foot massage helps ease the discomfort.

There are other things you can do to happily spoil yourself since, after all, you deserve it. Vicky adds, “I also treated myself with lotion and cocoa butter. The latter relieved my itchy belly, and the former [kept] the rest of my body [smooth].”


5. Have Fun with the Girls
A support system is essential, especially now that you have a little person growing inside of you. Call the girls over! Have a girls’ poker night and, instead of money, bet with baby accessories. Play Pictionary or Scrabble—anything that will require minimum waddling and maximum mental activity.

In Vicky’s case, she had a blast shopping with her older sister. “There was a time when my parents and husband were out of the country, so my eldest sister was the one taking care of me,” she says. “She took me shopping for clothes and baby stuff. As you know, shopping can be the best therapy a girl can get.”


6. Bond with Hubby
Enjoying life with your husband becomes infinitely better when you’re about to have a baby. Go on a DVD marathon with him. Alternate between “chick flicks” and “manly-man movies” so you both accommodate your viewing preferences. Or have a lunch date somewhere out of your usual mall, like Sonya’s Garden in Tagaytay—it will be romantic and very healthy, too.   

Or simply let hubby take care of you. Ivan, Vicky’s husband, became endearingly obsessed with Vicky’s health during her pregnancy. “He watched almost every move I made, making sure that I didn’t trip, jump, or strain myself,” says Vicky. “It was sometimes irritating but always very thoughtful of him.”

 

Click here to read more ways to have a blissful pregnancy.

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Read on for more ways to have a blissful pregnancy.

 

7. Spend Time with Yourself
Sometimes all the fuss coming from family and friends can get overwhelming that all you want is to be alone for a while. By all means, go ahead. Relax with a stack of books: some good reads are Jo Glanville-Blackburn’s Blooming Gorgeous: Well-being and Beauty During Pregnancy, which includes home remedies for sore hands and feet, and Teresa Moorey’s Baby Magic: Enchanting Ideas and Traditional Wisdom for You and Your Baby (both available at Little Professor Book Center at the SM Mall of Asia).

Bliss out with music, too. Studies show that soothing music can calm a fetus. But don’t pick any random CD of sonatas. Play music that you like and makes you feel good. When you feel good, your baby feels good also. If you want to dance along to your favorite track but your lower back just can’t handle it, lie back, snap your fingers, and wiggle your toes to the beat.


8. Prepare for D-day
Start a journal or make a scrapbook of what you’re going through. Show this scrapbook to your child when he or she is about to become a parent, too.

Enjoy a creative brainstorming session with hubby by mulling over possible baby names (pick some for a girl and some for boy).

Pack your belongings, as well as your baby’s, a month before your due date. Don’t forget important documents and IDs like medical insurance IDs, SSS ID, your credit card or ATM card, etc.

Visit the hospital and assess the room you’ll be staying in: Will you need extra blankets and pillows? Is there room for hubby to sleep in? Can you charge your cellphone in the room? Is your room near the nursery? Do a run-through with your hubby of what to do when you begin labor.

If you don’t have a nursery for the baby at home, set up a “baby station” in your room so that everything will be in place when you and your baby come home from the hospital.

 

Click here to learn more about how to have a blissful pregnancy.

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Read on to learn more about how to have a blissful pregnancy.

 

9. Rediscover and Reactivate Your Talents
Several factors such as financial stress, lack of emotional support from your partner, or anxiety about your health or your baby’s may make your self-esteem dip a bit. That’s normal and will get better. All you need to do is focus on what you’re good at and do it.  

If you’ve always liked working with your hands, create something—perhaps a mobile for your baby’s crib or a hand-sewn quilt to use as your baby’s first comforter. If you’re imaginative and eloquent, why not write a children’s story and read it to your baby?

“Many times, if their condition prevents them from doing some things they’re used to doing, pregnant women may go through a feeling of uselessness,” says author Dr. Kinney. “The secret is to concentrate on what they can actually still do rather than on what they can’t.”  


Photography by Jun Pinzon