How To Feel 'Sexy" During Pregnancy
Pregnancy is lonely. It takes you away from your normal life and throws a 4-month flu, a growing body that doesn't feel like yours, and all the pains you could think of in places that you didn't know could hurt from just walking to the kitchen. It is a time in your life that your significant other will never understand. From nausea to your new curves that you aren't sure if you love yet, it puts so much strain on a normally great relationship.But, the thing is, if you put yourself in a position where you ooze confidence in yourself, you will start to believe it too. Yes, that sounds hard in these periods of your life, and trust me, as my third time around, I struggle every day with it also. It is doable and if you give time for yourself, you will see that it can happen. Self-care in many different forms is the key to feeling your groove back. I tallied up all of the ways I make myself feel better in my stretching skin below.
How To Feel 'Sexy" During Pregnancy
Work out
Those endorphins are real! having been extremely physically fit during my first pregnancy and feeling all the confidence throughout. Then, with my second, having had suffered a miscarriage, I was afraid to work out and my confidence both during and after was the worst in my life. So I am here to tell you to get out and work out. Daily walks, prenatal classes, even just a basic gym membership or youtube videos will work. You won't see a difference, as you are growing a baby, and if you aren't active in the first place, for sure talk to your doctor before signing on, but I am proof that it changes EVERYTHING!
Use Self Tanner
Having a golden glow is always a huge boost for your self-esteem, especially now in the dead of winter. I use the St. Tropez Express Mousse as you can choose your darkness and wash it off within 3 hours.
Buy Yourself New Lingerie
There is nothing worse than looking in the mirror as you get dressed and your boobs are popping out of your bra, and your baby bump and love handles are coming over your undies. It's a fact that you are going to go up a size or even a few in both your underwear and bra during and after pregnancy. Go out and get yourself some beautiful pieces that fit your curvier body. I like the Aerie bralettes as they will work for breastfeeding, as well as their high rise undies to go over my bump instead of uncomfortable under it.
Track Your Bump Growth
Take a picture each week, even just a selfie in the mirror of your growing bump and save it to its own file on your phone. When you feel low about yourself, look back at the beautiful miracle that you are taking on. You will feel so much better about the curves and your bump.
Clean Out Your Closet
GET RID OF ALL OF YOUR PRE-PREGNANCY CLOTHES! Put them in a box and in storage because you won't be needing them for a while. Your morning routine of getting dressed will be so much easier if you don't have to stare at all the clothing options that won't work for you at the moment. Instead, leave behind all the items that will work with your growing bump. This way, you can also see if you are missing any pieces that you cant live without during your pregnancy.
Put Yourself Together
Do your hair and make up a few times a week. Girl, I know you're exhausted, and if you have multiples, you will be even worse off. But taking 10 mins for yourself each day to slap on some concealer and run a brush through that hair that isn't in a mom bun will have you strutting into school pick up.
Take A Babymoon
No, this doesn't have to be far away, even just a night away in a hotel with your significant other with dinner and drink and breakfast in bed the next day will do wonders. We tend to push our loves away during this time because frankly between nausea, aches and pains, gas, and all the other things that accompany pregnancy, we don't want to be touched. Doing something to bring each other closer is worth every penny before a new baby comes into the mix.
Eat Healthily
That first trimester wreaks havoc on any healthy eating you may have had before pregnancy. you are just eating anything that will stay down. That is totally ok. But, when that nausea is kicked to the curb in the second trimester, get back to you. Your growing baby needs all the vitamins and nutrients so grab the salad, veggies, and dip, or soup instead of the pasta and bread. Your body, baby, and confidence will thank you!