The Perks of Being Pregnant
By: First Time Mama
Tags: Baby, Journey, Couples, Life, Pregnancy

For forty miraculous weeks, your baby is going to be growing inside you. The journey is long, and it’s not always easy. We know about all the inconvenient stuff, the heartburn, swollen ankles, backache, sciatica, and turning into an emotional wreck. But, it’s best not to focus on the less pleasant side effects and instead enjoy all the wonderful benefits.

Before you know it, your baby will be here. So, enjoy this special time before your baby arrives and take full advantage of the perks of being pregnant!

NO PERIODS

Waving farewell to periods, cramps and sanitary products for nine whole months while you’re pregnant and for even longer if your breastfeeding is AMAZING!

NAPS

When you are pregnant, it is perfectly acceptable to nap at any time of the day. No one will judge you, in fact, it’s often encouraged! If you are pregnant with your first baby, I would advise taking every opportunity to catch forty winks as when they arrive sleep goes out the window!

INDULGING IN YOUR CRAVINGS

When I was pregnant, I craved ice lollies, I couldn’t get enough of them, even in the depths of winter. Each one was as satisfying as the last! It’s important to listen to cravings as sometimes your body needs a food that’s high in nutrients that you need.

FEELING YOUR BABY MOVE

Feeling your baby move is truly a magical moment. From those first flutters that take you by surprise and you aren’t quite sure if it is your baby or if its just wind ha! To the full-on alienesque wriggles where you can see the shape of their actual foot or hand push out! I will always remember the look on my partners face when he felt our baby moving inside my stomach for the first time. You could see the joy, amazement and realisation in his face that we were actually having a baby.

LISTENING TO THEIR HEARTBEAT

Listening to the swish, swish, swish of your baby’s heartbeat on your first midwife visit is a beautiful moment!

THE PREGNANCY BEAUTY PACKAGE

Understandably, you may struggle with some of the changes your body goes through during pregnancy. But, along with your gorgeous expanding bump, you have an array of pregnancy beauty bonuses. Thick, shiny hair, glowing skin, strong nails, big boobs and fuller lips. Blessed! Thank you, pregnancy hormones!

BABY SHOWERS

I love a good baby shower! They remind you just how special your friends and family think you are. I organised a secret baby shower for my best friend. It took weeks of planning; it was like a covert operation! Her partner took her out for the afternoon and left a key out for me and our group of friends. We all parked out of sight and let ourselves in once they had gone out. We decorated the house, put on a full spread and hid in the kitchen until they returned. We decided against jumping out and surprising a heavily pregnant woman, ha! Instead, we waited silently for her to open the kitchen door and find us. It was brilliant; she was over the moon and completely unaware of what was going on!

PREGNANCY BRAIN

Forget where you parked the car? It’s okay, your pregnant. Late for an appointment? It’s okay, your pregnant. Really don’t want to go to your aunties, uncles, brother’s wedding. Don’t worry, you’re pregnant. Want to sit and do nothing? Of course, you do, your pregnant!

Take full advantage of being able to get away with almost anything while you’re pregnant!

WATCHING YOUR PARTNER TURN INTO A MOTHER OR FATHER

Watching my partner become a father made me fall in love with him even more, watching them kiss your belly goodnight, their eagerness to look after you and help you in any way they can and seeing the look on their face when they get to see your baby at the scan or listen to their heartbeat. And when the baby arrives, and you see them hold your little one in their arms, you fall in love even more!

THE ATTENTION

Your partner is ready and waiting to give you a foot rub, run you a bath or head out at 1 am for a jar of gherkins! No job is too big or too small. Carrying a baby is no mean feat, and they want to make life as easy for you as possible.

Your friends and family can’t do enough for you either. They call round to check on you more often, bring you welcome gifts of food and offer to run errands for you. Take full advantage of the help while it’s available!

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