Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
After getting my period back after giving birth to my first child I noticed some issues with my pelvic floor. They worsened during the second trimester of my second pregnancy and I went to visit a pelvic floor physical therapist to get it looked at. Today I want to share my experience with the discomfort, visiting the physical therapist and what I've learned.
Enjoy,
Victoria
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
I'm one of those weirdos that love labor and birth. I just think it's the most incredible thing to witness. And while I wouldn't change a thing about my birth experience with Theo it has influenced how I want to approach this next experience with baby #2. What are my goals for my second labor and delivery and how am I preparing for those?
Enjoy,
Victoria
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
So much emphasis when you're pregnant is on labor and birth, but so many don't really give much thought to how they're going to manage once the baby is here. Having one postpartum phase under my belt I wanted to share how I'll be preparing myself for the 4th trimester, both physically and mentally.
Enjoy,
Victoria
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Today I wanted to share why I wake up so early because 5 am isn't for everyone. How I went from waking up at 7:30 to a crack of dawn alarm, setting yourself up for success, and what my mornings look like at the moment.
Liquid IV - get 25% off and free shipping use THEFEMMEHEAD or click here.
Links Mentioned:
Enjoy,
Victoria
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
I’m so grateful to have most of what we need already for baby #2, but I thought it would be fun to share what items we are purchasing and which items I’ll be pulling out of storage.
Enjoy,
Victoria
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I might have one of the most boring closets but I’m here to be real with you. This is what I wear on a daily basis. I’m all about comfort, flexibility, and easy to clean. I’m in my third trimester, chasing around a toddler, working from home, and rarely leaving the home because of covid.
I wanted to share my go-to staple pieces that I wear the sh*t out of.
Enjoy,
Victoria
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Wow, getting through those first few months of your second pregnancy while caring for your first born is hard stuff. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Today I want to share a few of my tips for getting through.
Enjoy,
Victoria
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Surprise!
I was honestly starting to feel like Kylie Jenner keeping this a secret for so long but I was waiting to make this video until we had told all our family and friends. We couldn't be more excited but it's still so surreal that we'll be having a little one joining us so soon.
Enjoy,
Victoria
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
I've been on a hunt for a new weekly planner lately to get back on track with feeling motivated and productive. I think I finally found the perfect desktop planner where I can plan out my to-do's, meals for the week, and daily cleaning tasks.
The Desktop Planner I went with.
Shout out to Clean Mama
Shout out to Go Clean Co.
Enjoy,
Victoria
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
Today I wanted to share how I got my 1 year old, Theo to eat more food (amount, and variety). The transition from milk to solids can be confusing but doesn't have to be. Enjoy! Also, let me know if you'd be interested in a "What My 1 Year Old Ate Today" video!
Shout out to Feeding Littles.
Enjoy,
Victoria
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
My skin always needs the most TLC in the winter. My skin has been sensitive and on the dry side for a number of years now and has only gotten more fickle since pregnancy and postpartum with my first babe, Theo.
Not to worry though, I have found a handful of products that are my go-to’s for 2020.
And for fun in this video, I decided to include the few body care products I’ve been using as of late.
I keep my skincare routine simple in the morning since I’m really just rinsing off any product from the previous night’s routine and then use a few more products in the evening so they have time to work their magic and sink in while I sleep.
I also take you through the different masks and treatments I like to use. But obviously these are everyday things so it would be difficult to show them in action for this video.
Enjoy,
Victoria
Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.
The time has come where my toddler has gone down to just one nap a day but has slept 12 hours through the night since he was 6 months old. Today I wanted to share my experience transitioning to one nap, and what I've done to get him to take a longer nap. Enjoy!
Shoutout to Taking Cara Babies
Enjoy,
Victoria
Today I wanted to go through my process of finding meal ideas, planning my grocery list all while saving money, and not wasting food.
First off I head into the kitchen to make a list of things I have and need to use up or can make meals out of. I learned this from Jordan Page and it is one of those duh, makes so much sense sort of things.
You don’t list every single thing you have because that would be ridiculous, but list the produce that’s going to go bad, the things you’ve had on hand for a while, and maybe want to use up, things like that.
During the week I’ll just keep a list on my phone of the things I notice day to day that we’re out of or I want to get. Usually, this is basic staples, but it’s also those random things you never remember to get like oil or nutritional yeast.
I also put the things on the list that we get pretty every week. Things like avocados, fruit, oat milk for Michael, those sorts of things.
Once you’ve got the staples and random things you’ve collected on your list throughout the week you want to look at the list and ask yourself?
Are there any obvious meals?
I usually try and find three meals to make in a week and the rest of it is just kind of the quick staple meals that are tried and true. But I always make extra of the main meals to eat for leftovers.
For me, breakfast has to be quick and easy. For a long time, it was a bagel with hummus, oatmeal or cereal. But lately, I’ve been making pancakes because that’s something Theo will eat (he also likes bagels). And I burnt myself out of bagels with hummus.
Lunch and dinner meal ideas are pretty interchangeable to me.
Ok, say you’ve thought of one obvious meal to use up ingredients you have on hand. From there I usually have something in mind like “Ooh you know what sounds good?”
I try to keep it to meals that I don’t have to buy every single ingredient unless it’s something that’s easy and doesn’t require a lot.
Curries, soups, and stirfry are a great way to use up things that might be going bad soon.
Usually have one meal that’s a new recipe I want to try out.
As I’m making my shopping list I’m writing down those meal ideas so I have them to look back to when I’m like “Um what I was I planning to make?" And you can see how many meals you actually have stuff for.
And here’s what mine ended up looking like from this past week as an example.
Lately, with Coronavirus I’ve been doing a grocery pick up because it saves time and is great for parents who don’t want to take their kiddos inside. Depending on where you live this may or may not be an option, but if it is you usually have to put your order in at least a day in advance.
Let me know of any of your meal planning or grocery shopping tips and tricks!
Happy shopping!
2020 has been a year, and it’s only June. But I have seen several posts about how maybe 2020 is what we all needed to start making some changes.
I am a listener. I have always been the quiet, shy observer. I’m worried I’ll get the facts wrong. I don’t like confrontation. But I love to educate myself and grow as a person.
I’m from a small town in Iowa and while I’d like to think I’ve always been loving and accepting, the more I learn the more I realize I need to learn. Just saying to yourself “Oh I’m not racist, homophobic, transphobic (the list goes on)” isn’t enough.
Step one is educating yourself and honestly, that’s where I am. I feel guilty that I’m not one of those badass women who speak out against human rights violations.
I’m working on letting go of my fear of confrontation and pissing people off because you’re probably going to piss people off if you want to make change happen.
But enough about me today. I wanted to start sharing some recommendations that I have come across in the past weeks. And I want to add to this list as I learn more.
Educate yourselves!
I’m serious. Even if you feel like you know enough, I promise you don’t even understand the tip of the iceberg in all of this.
A video I saw shared in an Instagram story that I think is worth a watch for my fellow white women is Dani Callerio’s “speaking honestly about my own racism.”
Let’s start with some black women owned period product companies (I know there are more but I can’t find the tweet that listed others. Feel free to share any you know of!)
+ Ruby Love (underwear, swimsuits, leggings and pads)
+ The Honey Pot (cups, organic tampons and pads)
+ Nene’s FemHealth (cups)
In searching for black women owned period product companies I came across Happy Period Org, a charity giving period products to underserved communities. So, of course, I have to share them because I love anyone sharing period products with those who need them.
Next up on my list of recommendations is thanks to Daysy who shared a list of black women who are menstrual health experts and practitioners (once again share any more you know of):
@bribraggs - Bri is a body literacy coach (fertility, pregnancy and motherhood)
@ericachidi - Erica is the ceo and co-founder of Loom, and author of “Nurture”
@berrionlberry - Berrion is a pms and period coaching, and host of Flow With Berrion Berry podcast
@statusflow.co - Vianney is a period coach and host of the podcast Periods and Power Moves
@biancapattrson - Bianca runs wellness retreat and online course “From Barren to Fertile”
@drheatherirobundamd - Heather is an OB/GYN who shares educational content on common period problems
@eatlovemove - Le’Nise is a nutritionist and yoga teacher working to help women fix period pain and hormonal problems and hosts the Period Story podcast
@fertilityfriday - Lisa is the author of the book The Fifth Vital Sign, host of the podcast The Fertility Friday Podcast, Holistic Health Practitioner and Fertility Awareness Educator
@coachgessie - Gessie is a nutritionist and health coach - address fibroids holistically
@coachjolinda - Jolinda is a certified holistic health coach
And finally, so many films, shows, and books have been shared on social media. I try to screenshot them so I can start working my way through the list. I haven’t watched/read all of these but nevertheless I’m sharing them.
This weekend we watched 13th on Netflix and my oh my it’s a must-see.
I had no idea.
There are so many things I’ve learned on my own accord that I just ask myself “Why weren’t we taught this in school?”
Other’s I saw that were recommended:
American Son (Netflix)
Dear White People (Netflix, YouTube, Prime)
If Beale Street Could Talk (Prime, Hulu, YouTube)
King in the Wilderness (Prime, Hulu, HBO Max, YouTube)
See you Yesterday (Netflix)
The Hate U Give (Prime, Hulu, Youtube)
When They See Us (Netflix)
Who Killed Malcolm X (Netflix)
Time: The Kalief Browder Story (Netflix)
Explained: The Racial Wealth Gap (Netflix)
Just Mercy (Free online for the month of June)
Books:
(So far I have ordered White Fragility and How to be Anti-Racist)
Other recommendations:
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
This is about educating ourselves. Like so many have said: It is a privilege to educate yourself about privilege. So do it.
And for the love of all things good get out there and vote if you can.
[No that’s not a photo of my hospital bag. It’s just aesthetically pleasing for our eyes.]
I’m a planner, and I make pack lists before I got on trips, so it was natural for me to want to create a pack list for my hospital bag.
I could throw in a few other things from the time I write this to when I actually put it into use, but this is the plan:
Clothes:
+ loose pants (I’m not going to want anything tight I’m sure)
+ nurse friendly tops (loose with quick boob access)
+ cardigan (easier than trying to put sweater on)
+ warm socks (if my feet get cold)
+ slippers (wear these or sandals to walk around and be mobile)
+ brief undies (well just loose underwear that can hold those big ol’ postpartum pads)
+ sports bras (favorite bras at the moment and they’ll be perfect for breastfeeding)
+ pumping bra (my sister recommended this one, just going to cut some holes in an old bra, Mean Girls style)
+ easy sandals (what I’ll wear there and to go home in)
+ robe (so I can go topless if I want but keep them covered when not in use)
Toiletries:
+ hair ties/scrunchies
+ lotion
+ chapstick
+ toothbrush/toothpaste
+ face wash
+ dry shampoo
+ pads (I’m going to be collabing with a cool company for these)
+ makeup (you never know)
Electronics:
+ phone + charger
+ portable charger
+ camera + charger
+ SD cards
+ laptop + charger (might want to watch netflix as a distraction who knows)
+ headphones (so I can listen to my hypnobirthing tracks, music, etc.)
Comfort:
+ pillow (I don’t like crunchy, hospital pillows)
+ blanket
+ green massage ball (It’s the size of a tennis ball and really firm, great to dig into knots and sore muscles)
+ misting fan (I overheat easily, and I don’t want Michael to have to fan me with a clipboard for hours when I have this nifty handheld fan already.)
+ few essential oils (lemon for sure - it’s my favorite. I’ve also heard lavender and peppermint are good for labor. Just something to sniff if I want.)
Misc:
+ water bottle (and will someone remind me to drink during labor)
+ snacks (my midwives will let me eat small things during labor, yay!)
+ hard candy (heard it’s sometimes nice to have something to suck on during labor)
+ sleep mask (probably frivolous, but I’ve been sleeping with one since the first trimester)
+ nipple cream (Who knows how my nips are going to react and I want a brand I’ll want to use if I need it)
+ breast pump (use it to stimulate labor if needed, and if I needed after labor for some reason, but I’ll probably keep it in the car)
(I’m going to let him back his own bag, just going to recommend a few things for him)
Clothes:
+ clothes
+ pajamas
+ slippers/slip on sandals
Toiletries:
+ toothbrush
+ glasses
+ extra contacts
+ medication
Electronics:
+ phone + charger
+ laptop + charger
+ headphones
+ portable speaker (I might want some music during labor)
Comfort:
+ pillow
+ blanket
+ camping roll (hospital couches aren’t the best but I think if we throw on that camping roll it will be super comfy + I want a well rested birth partner.)
+ ear plugs (he’s a light sleeper, and might want them)
Misc:
+ water bottle
+ snacks
Clothes:
+ 2 short sleeve onesies
+ 2 sleepers
+ 1 swaddle
+ 1 hat
+ pair of baby mittens
Misc:
+ have carseat installed beforehand 😉
Bada-bing bada-boom that’s the plan. And we’re only 7-10 minutes away from the hospital if I need someone to go run and get me something. Plus if all goes well I’m going to scoot boot and boogie out of the hospital as soon as they’ll let me.
What did you bring that you used, and what could you have left at home?
So I thought it would be fun to dissect a registry list from a big baby box store and compare that to what I actually got.
So first let’s take a look at a real baby registry “checklist”. I sent this to my friend who has an 11 month old so we could laugh about how absurd it is together. It has over bullet points of items on it, not including multiples of many items.
Now, let’s compare that with what I actually have for baby at this point?
Nursery:
+ crib (West Elm)
+ crib mattress (Brentwood Home)
+ crib sheets (Burt’s Bees — gift from friends)
+ waterproof mattress cover (Amazon)
+ rug (used one I had)
+ dresser (Ikea DIY)
+ snake plant (already had, but I do want to get a taller plant for beside the crib)
+ wire basket ($5 at dollar store, spray painted gold)
+ rocking/glider chair
Travel:
+ convertible carseat (Safety 1st Grow and Go 3-in-1)
+ stroller (Britax B-Agile hand-me-down from family)
+ structured carrier (Ergobaby borrowed from sister)
+ sling carrier (borrowed from sister)
+ cloth baby wrap (solly baby)
(You don’t need this many carriers, she just sent me with the sling carrier, which I wouldn’t have bought normally, so why not)
+ travel crib (guava lotus travel crib + bassinet for our bedroom/travel. The first link is to just the crib, and the second is for the bassinet + crib bundle that we got so we could use the bassinet in our room.)
Feeding:
+ pump (Spectra S2 — through insurance)
+ manual pump (NatureBond second hand from friend)
+ milk bags (Unimom — gift from friend)
+ pacifiers (Philips — gift from friend)
+ bibs (hand me down from sister)
+ Bottles (Comotomo)
+ Nursing pillow (Boppy borrowed from sister)
+ Bottle sanitizer (I think it’s this one borrowed from sister)
+ Nipple balm (Shea Moisture from friend)
+ bibs (second hand)
+ breast pads (mostly these from my friend)
(I will be getting a high chair of some sorts when babe is ready to start dabbling in solids and can sit upright on their own.)
Bath/Health:
+ 3 baby towels (hand me down from sister)
+ thermometer (Safety 1st)
+ cradle cap brush (Safety 1st)
+ soap (Baby Bum)
+ lotion (Baby Bum)
+ vitamin D drops (Mommy’s Bliss)
+ bath pad (Summer Infant)
Diapering:
+ Newborn cloth diapers (17 hand me down from sister’s friend)
+ Prefolds (Cloth-eez — 24 size newborn, 24 size small, 12 size medium)
+ Diaper covers (Thirsties — 7 size 1, 5 size 2)
+ snappies (3 pack to hold prefolds on)
+ Cloth Wipes (Cloth-eez — 36)
+ Pail Liner (Planet Wise )
+ glass spray bottle (this amber one to put wipe solution in — gift from friend)
+ small travel wet bag (Grovia)
+ diaper pail (Dekor Plus)
(I will be getting 5-10 BumGenius Freetime diapers for Michael and family members that aren’t keen about fussing around with the prefolds. I will also be getting a diaper sprayer when they start eating solids.)
Clothing: (majority of what I have is from my older sister)
+ swaddles (like 4)
+ sleep sacks (2)
+ onesies ( around 7 for each size)
+ sleepers (3: Newborn, 4: 0-3 mo, 7: 3 mo, 5: 3-6 mo)
+ pants (7: newborn, 4: 0-3 mo, 5: 3 mo, 7: 3-6 mo)
+ hats (11 — way too many, but they’re borrowed)
+ socks (so many)
+ mittens (4 pairs)
+ hangers (ikea)
So that’s where we’re sitting before the arrival of little one. And there’s plenty that I’m going to get as they grow, or as I discover things I need. I’ve tried to include a little note here or there of what I know I’m going to get in each category to show you my though process of “I know I’ll need this, but I don’t need it yet.”
Today I wanted to share my plan for how I’m cleaning the ol’ house in preparation for little one’s arrival.
First off, I love a good deep clean in any situation, but it feels extra appropriate with the impending due date.
I think any good clean starts with a declutter. And this is something you can do as you move throughout your space to clean it. If you haven’t done any sort of declutter before I (and everyone else) definitely recommend picking up a copy of Marie Kondo’s The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. She takes you through her process and sometimes it’s just easiest to have someone else tell you what to do.
Depending on how far along you are in your pregnancy and how you’re feeling you may or may not be able to do a full declutter. But I recommend it if you can.
I’m not going to go over general tidying but it helps to have everything put away where it goes before pulling the big guns out.
Start with dusting — because gravity, duh! Get up in those ceiling corners to grab any cobwebs that have been built, dust along the top of windows, doors, tall furniture, light fixtures, vents, shelves, tops of frames and art. Top to bottom is the mindset you should have when you should go to each room. It also can’t hurt to give the walls a quick wipe while you’re at it.
Windows — often forgotten in our regular cleaning it’s nice to vacuum up all the dust, bugs and crunches that collect on and in our windows before wiping down the glass.
Light switches and door knobs — do you ever wipe these down? I don’t, but nesting Victoria does. Think of all the people who touch these things and how we never clean them. Yeah, just give them a quick wipe down while you’re in there.
Baseboards — Sometimes I remember to sweep these off, but while you’re in deep clean mode, go ahead and wipe them off. All that dust you’ve wiped off from up above has floated down and settled on them anyways. Plus you always find some sort of dried fluid splatter on them when you get down there close and personal like.
Vacuum — Floors, rugs, furniture, anything you missed when you were dusting. I’d say we all vacuum or sweep most weeks, but don’t be afraid to pick up couch cushions, get under bookshelves and find all those dust bunnies and forgotten pieces of popcorn.
Laundry — wash the bedding, pull down the curtains and throw them in while you’re at it too. And don’t forget about all of babies things. You’re supposed to wash it all before they wear it anyways regardless of whether it’s new or hand-me-downs.
Now, let’s move into room specific cleaning!
Bathroom:
Wipe that mirror, the better to see you with.
Scrub/wipe that sink and counter. Toothpaste and dried spit splatter, need I say more.
Vacuum and wipe any drawers or cabinets. I don’t know about you but I find my hair everywhere.
Ah, the toilet. I like to start by throwing in some toilet bowl cleaner to let it sit and do it’s work while I clean the rest of it. Wipe it down top to bottom, being careful not to miss the bottom of the toilet, below the bowel, where the urine splatter and dust likes to collect. Don’t forget to lift up the lid, and then the seat. And finally grab that trusty toilet brush and give it a good scrub, making sure to get up under the rim.
On to the shower/tub. Not nearly as gross as the toilet, but possibly as dirty. First, take out all the soaps, shampoos and conditioners so it’s empty. I like to spray it down with some water first, and then go in with my cleaner and scrub it out top to bottom before rinsing it again. I’m always surprised with how much dust and soap splatter collects on the flat surfaces.
Kitchen:
Deep clean your dishwasher with some vinegar and baking soda. Take 1 cup of white vinegar and put in a dishwasher safe cup in the middle of the top rack in an empty dishwasher before starting it on its hottest, longest cycle. When that cycle is done, take the cup out, and sprinkle 1 cup of baking soda all over the inside of the machine before putting it on another hot, but short cycle.
How’s your stove and oven looking?
What about that refrigerator? Get rid of any expired food, forgotten about condiments and give it a good scrub down. I try to clean the food out when I come home with new groceries and every few months try to wipe it down. You might even want to pull out the vacuum to suck up any crunchies in your fridge drawers.
Don’t forget about that freezer! Are you going to be breastfeeding, pumping, aka in need of milk storage? It’d be smart to come up with a system before the baby arrives to store that precious breastmilk.
Get in that microwave. But first put in a bowl with 1 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar and a squeeze of lemon juice. Set your microwave for 3 minutes at high power. If it’s super gross let that bowl sit for an extra 5 minutes before opening the door to let the steam work it’s magic. And then wipe it down, oohing and ahhing in amazement by how easily it wipes away.
While you’re at it scrub out your sink and faucet with some white vinegar and baking soda. If you have a stinky garbage disposal a great hack is to freeze a few lemon slices in ice cubes to throw on there and hit the disposal switch!
I like to go around and vacuum out my cabinets and wipe out the drawers and shelves while I’m deep cleaning. (This is a great time to declutter what you have in your kitchen. Are there any appliances you just don’t use, old food?)
Laundry Room:
Deep clean your washer with white vinegar and baking soda (notice a theme yet?) Start with 2 cups of baking soda and run it on a hot, long cycle. After that throw in 2 cups of white vinegar (and 10 drops of essential oil if you so fancy, and have some on hand) for another hot, long cycle.
As for your dryer, pull out that dryer lint vent and vacuum out any extra that’s been left behind. If your dryer vent tube if full it’s a good idea to unscrew it and vacuum that out.
Give the machines a good exterior wipe down.
Anywhoooo, that’s the cleaning plan I’ve been working on. What did you do cleaning wise to prep for baby? Let me know down below.
[This is my own naive philosophy before my baby has come so take what I say with a grain of salt. If you’re a seasoned mama you’re going to know what worked/didn’t work for you.]
And what I’m getting might not be what you think you need, and I might be skipping something that you think is a necessity.
I don’t know about you but the one time I went to Buy Buy Baby I was overwhelmed by everything in there. And if you look at most registry lists they give you online it’s soooo much stuff.
And the point I want to make today is yes, there are so many baby items that you’re going to end up swearing by, but how do you know what that’s going to be before you even have your baby?
My approach is to get what I know baby is going to need. And I feel like the three important things are:
What is baby going to eat? Are you going to breastfeed, pump and bottle feed, use formula?
What is baby going to wear? I was #blessed to have an older sister who let me borrow as many of my nephew’s clothes as I wanted. I’m set for newborn - 9 months at the moment. I’ve also heard that newborns are just going to chill in onesies or sleepers most of the time so there’s no need to get them cute, complicated outfits.
Where is baby going to sleep? In their crib, a bassinet/pack n play, side car sleeper, with you in a cosleeper? You want a safe, firm place for baby to sleep, free of pillows, blankets, toys, crib bumpers, you name it. And don’t forget the ever so popular rock n play has been recalled.
At the end of the day baby really only needs you when they start their life on this side of the womb.
I’m waiting on a lot of games, toys, swings, other contraptions. It’s not that I don’t want them or think they’ll be useful. I just don’t know if I’ll need them right away.
I’ve also tried to get things that can be reused, grow with baby or are multifunctional. Getting reusable diapers that can grow with them, a convertible carseat that I can use from birth to when they’re a toddler and a dresser to store stuff and throw a changing pad on top (even though I don’t know how often I’ll use it).
I’m going to be writing another blog post closer to the end of the month sharing what I got vs. what they say you need. And I’m also going to be making a few videos about the different things I got for baby but I haven’t gotten that much of it honestly.
What were the things you couldn’t live without from the beginning and what things do you think you could have waited to buy?
I have always been the type of person who would rather be hot than cold. I was the person who was constantly cold.
But things have changed since getting pregnant.
I am a literal incubator. And have a base level of heat that I have never had before.
I used to sleep in pants and a sweater almost year round, now I sleep in my underwear and bra or tank top.
I used to always bring a warm layer with me, even in the summer, and now I’m sharing that with someone else who’s cold and doesn’t have a sweater because I’m too warm to need it.
Today I wanted to talk about ways to stay cool and comfortable while pregnant in the summer.
Officially we’ve just entered into summer on the 21st but it’s been pretty steamy here in Iowa for springtime so I feel like I’ve had good practice heading into summer.
Early on I ordered myself a mini misting fan, and it’s like a glorious handheld AC machine. It has been great to have if I ever have to be outside for extended periods of time or if I get a hot flash inside.
I recently picked up a pair of maternity jean shorts. The two pre-pregnancy pairs don’t fit, I’m not comfortable in my spandex shorts so that left me with my overall shorts. I wear those, but it’s great to have a normal pair of shorts to throw on.
Going along with clothing, it’s important to avoid those pieces that are too thick, heavy or tight. Let your body breath! Often when I’m home and warm I’ll just take my shirt off and hang out in my bra or pull my shirt up so my belly is exposed to cool off.
Get a nifty cooling neck towel to go along with your fan when you’re outside. You just soak it in cool water, wring it out so it’s not dripping wet and drape it over your neck for instant cool shivers of relief.
This one goes without saying, but drink lots and lots of water. Make sure you always have some type of water bottle with you, that you’re regularly taking big gulps and filling it back up.
Throw on your best pair of comfortable, breathable sandals. My go-to favorites have been my classic Tevas. You can get them wet so if you can walk through a fountain or stream you don’t have to worry about ruining your shoes.
Make sure you take a break if you get too hot. Either sit in some shade or go inside. Your “limit” has changed now that you’re pregnant. I overheat much easier these days, but I’m able to recognize when I need to stop for a bit, drink some water and cool down.
You’ve got extra blood and weight so go ahead and throw your legs up when you’re taking a break.
And finally, go swimming. It’s glorious to take the weight off your back and often is instantly cooling. You just have to be wary of any sort of contracting any sort of infection so if the water looks sketchy, maybe just put your legs or feet in.
I was working an event a few weeks ago and they had one of those flat fountains that little kids love to play in. And it felt amazing to just walk through it in my sandals to instantly cool off.
As I get further along I’m getting more persistent aches and pains in my back and ribs so I’ve been trying to rub them out with a little ball on the wall, take the weight off my belly and to rub some icy hot on my back.
What are your tips and tricks to staying cool and comfortable during pregnancy in the warmer months?
I must have been geared up for an unreasonable amount of pregnancy criticism or something because I’ve been surprised with the lack of judgement and shaming I’ve received.
(No complaints about that of course!)
I just always heard that you’d get all this unsolicited advice and hear horror stories.
And so far I’ve had two instances of “judgement”.
The first was when I posted a video about realities of diet during my first trimester as a vegan. Of course that’s going to invite in those who don’t like or understand plant-based diets. So I got a few, “I hope you change your diet” comments but nothing too bad.
The second instance was recently when we were coming back from San Francisco. I was getting a cup of coffee at the airport and the lady ringing me up said “Not decaf? But you’re pregnant.” And I calmly replied that I knew the safe recommended limit and I was staying well below that with my one cup of coffee a day.She then went on to laugh and say “You know, if you drink coffee now the baby is going to come out drinking coffee!”
I gave her my sweetest crocodile smile and grabbed my cup of coffee. She probably gave me decaf anyways.
Oh and I guess there was that one weird DM conversation I had on Instagram where a lady gave me shit for not having a home birth and said my husband was trying to force me against my will into a medicated birth (her definition of us going for an unmedicated, vaginal birth in the hospital). Which of course isn’t true. I’m very excited to give birth with my midwives in the hospital this time.
So there you have it. My three experiences with pregnancy judgement. Hopefully I’m not inviting in more criticism by putting this out there into the universe, but I think I’ll be ok for the last 6 or so weeks.
What’s the craziest thing someone judged you for, or said to you while you were pregnant? Share those below.
