{"id":1289,"date":"2016-02-24T04:16:39","date_gmt":"2016-02-24T04:16:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pinkimono.com\/?p=1289"},"modified":"2017-07-21T02:00:39","modified_gmt":"2017-07-21T02:00:39","slug":"lessons-learned-tips-for-your-last-30-days-of-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.pinkimono.com\/2016\/02\/24\/lessons-learned-tips-for-your-last-30-days-of-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"Lessons Learned: Tips For Your Last 30 Days Of Pregnancy"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

So I\u2019m in the homestretch of this pregnancy. At the end of March, my son, Westley will have his \u201cB.\u201d That\u2019s his nickname for my belly\/little sister, Baby Girl Finch. I\u2019m so excited. I\u2019m also reflecting on lessons learned from my first pregnancy. After thinking about several things to do differently in my\u00a0last 30 days of pregnancy, I thought I\u2019d share them with other mamas-to-be who are in the same boat. So below are 6 lessons\u00a0I learned from my first pregnancy that have greatly improved this one. Hopefully, they\u2019ll do the same for you.<\/span><\/p>\n

Harness The Torpedo Belly<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Like my last pregnancy, this little one is growing quickly and my belly is getting H-E-A-V-Y. With Baby Girl Finch moving into position for delivery, I am in a bit of pain and it is making me a wee bit cranky. Plus, I feel bad for my Westley because he can\u2019t even sit on my lap anymore. (Our story time kind of looks like a\u00a0page from The Berenstain Bears New Baby.)<\/span><\/p>\n

\"new-baby-mamas-lap\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Lesson Learned #1: Invest in an Upsie Belly<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n

Belly Bandit<\/span> makes this amazing supportive band called the Upsie Belly<\/a> to help with this particular pain. It is amazing and I WISH I had it for my last pregnancy. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"last<\/a>Its primary purpose is to give relief for your back and other aches and pains by providing necessary lift and support. When I wear it, I seriously feel like someone is cradling me and my little girl. Now, it’s a little pricey for 30 days (retails at $69.95), so try to score it on sale beforehand. That\u2019s what I did via Target. I only have two warnings about it: #1 Watch the velcro closure. Sometimes I snag my clothing when I put it on which is really annoying and #2 Don\u2019t put it on too tight. I think when it’s too tight, it irritates my little girl cause she\u2019s starts kicking and pushing. (Clearly, she already thinks she\u2019s the boss.) Bonus: It also comes with a hot\/cold pack to sooth the pain which is AWESOME!<\/span><\/p>\n

Tame Your Inner Fire-Breathing Dragon<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

Sister like brother. Like Westley, every time I go to bed, Baby Girl Finch does something to turn me into what feels like a fire breathing dragon. The fact is as your little one grows, there simply is less space in your belly so heartburn is going to happen. And in the last 30 days, that little bundle of joy is growing quickly; so that heartburn is roaring. <\/span><\/p>\n

Lesson Learned #2: Get Some Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics Heartburn Tea <\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n

Earth Mama Angel Baby Organics Heartburn Tea<\/a> is a lifesaver. If you\u2019re like me and the heartburn is REAL, and you\u2019re trying to avoid all unnecessary medications, then this tea is for you. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"last<\/a><\/p>\n

Honestly, I have a cup right after dinner and I\u2019ve noticed my middle of the night heartburn has died down. I highly recommend investing in this, even before the last 30 days. Just make sure you check with your doctor before using it. Then sit back and find some relief with a warm cup of tea.<\/span><\/p>\n

Keep Calm And Vacation On<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

We found out 3 months after our honeymoon that we were pregnant with Westley; so the idea of a babymoon at the time didn\u2019t make sense financially. We just spent a nice chunk of change on going to Mexico, not crazy money, but enough. We figured with a new baby coming, we should save our coins for his expenses. <\/span><\/p>\n

Lesson Learned #3: Go Somewhere\u2026Anywhere<\/b> <\/span><\/h4>\n

We really should have gone on a vacay locally or even planned a fun staycation. Instead, we pretty much just worked and prepared up until the day Westley was due. It didn\u2019t help that somebody was 11 days late; so we never really got a break. This time around we\u2019re dedicating an entire weekend to a local staycation with just my husband, Westley and myself. (Technically baby Girl Finch will be there, but you get what I\u2019m saying.) We\u2019re going to do a few Westley-focused things to celebrate his last days as an only child.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"last<\/a>Being that I was dethroned I know what he\u2019s about to go through; so I think it is worth carving out this special time for him and my family. Whether you already have kids or not, take time to enjoy the final few days of the family you have because it\u2019s going to change quickly.<\/span><\/p>\n

When You Look Good, You Feel Great<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

When I was pregnant with Westley, I was so concerned about making sure I had everything ready for his arrival that I forgot about preparing myself so I felt great during delivery. This is going to sound ridiculous, but when I got to the hospital for my induction, I was more embarrassed by the doctors seeing my toes that were in desperate need of a pedicure than I was for them to see my lady parts during labor.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lesson Learned #4: Have A Pamper Me Day<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n

Take some time to to take care of yourself before you deliver. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"last<\/a>This isn\u2019t vanity speaking, this is reminding you that you deserve some me-time because it goes out the window very quickly after your little one gets here. I will say, you can\u2019t alway predict when you\u2019re going to deliver, but you can make sure the basics are covered as close to your due date as possible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Prep The Ta-Tas<\/b><\/span><\/h2>\n

We knew the plan was to breastfeed Westley from jump. I seriously did all of the reading about latching and even preemptively saw a breastfeeding consultant. What I didn\u2019t do what have a breastfeeding kit ready and waiting for me when I got home. I had all of the pieces, but some items were in the nursery, some were in the kitchen, some were…I don\u2019t even remember. <\/span><\/p>\n

Lesson Learned #5: Make A Breastfeeding\u00a0Basket<\/b><\/span><\/h4>\n

What I learned was, have everything, and I MEAN EVERYTHING, that you could possibly need when it comes to breastfeeding in one place. <\/span><\/p>\n

\"last<\/a>So when you need your husband to get your nipple cream because your new little bundle of joy has just stared to wreak havoc on your body, you won\u2019t need to send him on a wild goose chase. Just have everything nursing related together. This time around, I have all of the following together in a basket:<\/span><\/p>\n