Caring for yourself during your last weeks of pregnancy in Portland, Maine during COVID-19
The last 2-4 weeks of pregnancy can be a doozy under the best of circumstances! Emotions all over the place. Excitement to meet your baby. Wondering what labor and birth will be like, and almost definitely some fear mixed in. Anxious about what your baby will be like, and what kind of a parent you’ll be. Not to mention a tired, aching body and hormones that feel like they’ve hijacked your thinking brain.
Distraction helps, and so does having activities to look forward to. Typically I suggest pregnant parents plan at least one “big” fun thing per week during the last month of pregnancy. A massage, a haircut, a pedicure, a fancy dinner out with friends or your partner, going to a movie, a prenatal yoga class. Those planned activities can be a lifeline (or at the very least a distraction!) when you are feeling anxious about the unknown.
So many of these self care activities are unavailable right now due to COVID-19, but taking care of yourself during your final weeks of pregnancy has never been more important!
To help kickstart your brainstorm, here are some ways you can treat yourself at home, while you wait for your baby. I suggest planning these out on your calendar so you still feel like you have activities to look forward to, and recruit your partner to support you in making them happen.
At-home self-care ideas:
Get cozy with a really absorbing book
Have an in-home movie theater night. Think popcorn, your favorite movie snacks, and bonus! You can take pee breaks without missing any of the movie!
Ask your partner for a massage. Feet, shoulders and low back tend to need some extra attention during pregnancy. Use a lotion you like, maybe something with a soothing scent like lavender.
Make some meals to freeze for after baby arrives. Could you do a virtual cooking session with a friend over Facetime or Zoom, both cooking in your kitchens?
Do a guided meditation. The Calm app is great for this.
Take a virtual prenatal yoga class. Some local options include: Sundara Yoga, Breathing Room, Greener Postures
Get an at-home pedicure. Have your partner watch a YouTube video to learn how to do a pedicure!
Go for walks in beautiful spots within a short drive of your home. Neighborhood walks are wonderful too, but you will likely be doing many more of those once baby arrives.
Watch all the Netflix you want, no guilt!
Enjoy takeout from one of the many Portland-area restaurants and cafes offering curbside pickup and delivery. Some favorites: Cia Cafe, Elsmere BBQ, El Rayo, Eventide, and so many more.
Treating yourself and planning soul-nourishing activities may be different during these times of social distancing, but intentional self care is still possible and so important during your last weeks of pregnancy.
If you’d like more connection and support as you plan for the arrival of your baby, please reach out! I offer virtual postpartum planning and postpartum doula support. Contact me at hello@arrivemaine.com
