Top Tips for Positively Spending Pregnancy in Self Isolation
If you’re an expectant new Mum, you may be wondering how you can best spend your time whilst in self-isolation. If you view this time indoors as a positive, there are a huge number of different tasks you can get done, that you may not have the time to have done previously. You should also focus this on incorporating as much self-care as possible into your routine to help you feel as refreshed and relaxed as possible.
Get Organised
You may find that in normal day to day life especially if you work full time, that you simply don’t have enough hours in the day to get organised. With the upcoming arrival of your newborn, there are so many different things you need to prepare, and now is the perfect time to do so!
Practise Makes Perfect
If you’re a first time Mum and are planning on bottle-feeding, you might not actually know where to start. Or you might have invested in a bottle prep machine but have no idea how to use it. Most mothers find they don’t have chance to even think about this until the arrival of their baby, let alone actually perfect it. Why not use the free time you have indoors to practice making the perfect bottle, whether it’s by hand or using a machine. You can also test out any bottle sterilising equipment to ensure once your baby is here, you’re an absolute pro!
Sleep, Sleep Sleep!
Whether it’s your first child or fifth; there’s no doubt about it that you need all the sleep you can get right now. If you’re unable to leave the house much, you should definitely be taking advantage of the free time you have to simply rest, unwind and sleep at home. You may feel guilty having naps or resting when you have a job or you might not even have the time, whereas you do now - so sleep while you can, your body will definitely thank you for it.
If you struggle to get comfortable when sleeping, why not try a pregnancy pillow?
Read Your Baby Books
Remember the pile of baby books you were gifted at your baby shower but you haven’t had a second to look through? Set aside some time during your day to sit down with a cup of tea and read through your baby or pregnancy books to help you feel as prepared as possible. There are a whole host of different baby-related books you could try, ranging in topic from hypnobirthing to baby name inspiration. You could also just read anything of your choice, as it’s unlikely you will find much time to sit and read once your little one arrives, and it’s a great way to pass time when spending your days indoors.
Eat Your Greens
It’s easy to neglect your diet when you’re busy, even more so when certain cravings kick in and you’re suffering from overwhelming fatigue. If you don’t have time to typically cook healthy, home-cooked meals and find yourself grabbing a meal deal from the shop, use this time to batch cook some healthy meals for the freezer. Using a slow cooker is a great way to save time, effort and mess and means you can cook a large amount of food at once, ready to put in Tupperware.
Pack your meals with healthy, wholesome food and plenty of veggies as your body and baby will benefit from all of the vitamins and nutritious ingredients. If you have a freezer full of healthy meals, you’re also less likely to turn to less nutritional food choices that won’t help with your fatigue or other pregnancy symptoms.
Wash your Babygrows
One of the tasks to be done before the birth of your baby is to wash all of their baby grows, clothes, bibs, and blankets and what better time to do this? You could dedicate a day per week to spend working your way through your loads of washing and working on other household chores so you gradually get it done.
Pack Your Hospital Bag
Packing your hospital bag is a job many new Mums-to-be get excited about! It means it’s nearly time to meet your baby and can make the whole experience finally feel real. Whether your due date is around the corner, or you are only a few months into your pregnancy, no time is too early to pack your bag - particularly if you’re housebound. If you have all of the essentials anyway, you might as well start a checklist and pack everything so it’s ready in advance! Not only will you feel positive and prepared, but it will also bring excitement as reality begins to sink in.