Pregnant and Extra

37 weeks

Please note: I am not claiming any of these practices to be 'self-care.' As that term has been used more and more in my mom-community, the more clear it's become to me that nail appointments and shopping aren't what I would consider to be 'self-care.' Maybe in certain seasons they are, but I think self-care has a lot more to do with spiritual disciplines and practices than spending an afternoon having your eyelashes filled. If you feel like perhaps your confidence issues are deeper than hair-extension level, the best place to start is with a good group of friends and a weekly Bible Study/reading plan...that's really the best advice I can offer.

13 weeks

With that said, I have no regrets about being the most extra pregnant woman there ever was. Everyone can choose to 'do' their pregnancy differently...I choose to do mine with a spray tanned face.

And here's why.

When I look better, I FEEL BETTER. I'm generally a happier and nicer person (ask Jamie). Soooo much changes in nine months of being pregnant, the last thing I need is to be feeling weird in my own skin. No one has time or energy for that. So for me, the best way to keep my confidence level high is with a few (what some might consider high maintenance) beauty hacks. Honestly, the idea of spending nine months living in sweats and feeling sloppy and crabby about the way I look...just doesn't seem like a good use of time. No one likes spending time with a pregnant person who complains non-stop about aches and pains and weird pregnant things. So it's always a big goal of mine to be the OPPOSITE of that. I've found that the following list helps my mindset and outlook tremendously, as vain and shallow as that may be. Like I said, #noregrets

24 weeks

Spray Tans

The last time I was 7/8/9 months pregnant I had the luxury of it being summer...so I had a pretty amazing natural tan. That is not true this time around, so I've been using a couple different at-home self-tanning products and I'm in love. Because it's winter, I only have to spray my face/neck a couple of times a week and I can keep the illusion of a 'healthy glow' going. I use this spray for my face/neck (originally found/recommended to me by my friends at Studio 7 Salon in Ames, where I get my full-body spray tans for special occasions) and I use this build-able lotion for larger areas like my legs/arms when I want to control the tan a little better (originally found at Sun Tan City, currently out of stock on Amazon). Also this self-tanning mitt has been a GAME CHANGER for doing this at home and getting near-professional results.

Hair Extensions

As someone who has always had thin hair, but has always loved BIG HAIR, these were the answer to my big hair prayers last spring when I discovered them. This clip-in-version is easy to put in, takes hardly any extra time (I curl/straighten my hair layer-by-layer so clipping them in between each layer is super easy) and look really real. I can't even tell what hair is real and what's fake when I have them in. I'm guessing dark-hair girls will have an easier time choosing/blending a color than blonde girls, but for as cheap as they are on Amazon, I figured it was worth a try. They curl and straighten just like real hair, until they're too full of hairspray, then they need to be washed with shampoo and conditioner just like real hair. When I want some extra PRETTY I throw these in for church/dates/events and instantly have a great hair day. 

Manicure/Pedicure

Whether I've had them done at home or at the salon, having my nails done is always a big part of how 'put together' I feel. I usually do my own toenails at home, do my own manicure from home, then I head to the salon for a quick coat of kinetic gel (which I can usually make last for 3-4 weeks). Skipping the manicure and just having them gel my nails is a huge time and money-saver and keeps my nails healthy and 'done' the way I like. Le's Salon in Ames is my go-to.

17 weeks

Lash Extensions

I've never had lashes done before...I'm about to take the plunge and report back. I've always thought lash extensions were something I might want to do the next time we had a baby so during the most tired, puffy, newborn days I wake up with beautiful lashes that took zero effort. Especially with doctor appointments and visitors and meals arriving...with Maverick I always quick tried to throw on some mascara each day (same message applied back then, if I looked better I felt better!), but if you're anything like me, mascara isn't something you can just 'throw on.' It's the part of my makeup routine that takes the LONGEST. I'm trying to alleviate that this time around with a round or two of fake lashes.

Teeth Whitening Strips

Four and a half delightful years ago, I started drinking straight black coffee due to a precious bundle of joy named Maverick who didn't follow a single Babywise Rule. I didn't really think much of it, until my smile was in pictures next to Josh's beautiful bright white smile and then it was OBVIOUS coffee-drinking was taking a toll on my teeth. I was nervous to try Crest White strips because of the sensitivity they can cause, but if I go 3-4 days between using the strips, and only keep them on for a half hour at a time, I haven't had any issues with sensitivity. I buy mine from my dentist office because they can carry strips with a higher level of...whatever the whitening agent is...than the ones on the shelf at Target have. For about the same price as what stores carry. I also use Crest Whitening toothpaste, which I think helps blend and fade the patchy-brightness the strips can cause (there's a good chance I'm making that up, but it's how I feel).

Waxing

Growing up, I didn't know this was something that my future held, but at a certain point it was inevitable. I regularly get my upper lip waxed because...this is the plight of the dark-haired girl. Bonus, I'm helping remove the stigma every time I take Maverick to the salon because he gets his haircut, I follow the appointment up with a lip wax, and he has no idea there's anything weird or embarrassing about mommy having that done. Without details, I will leave you with the following in regards to waxing services of another kind: They are hands-down, 100%, abso-freaking-lutley worth the cost (and the pain) to feel more confident and comfortable in the weeks leading up to + post-childbirth. I will stand by this until the day I die. 

 

27 weeks

Exfoliating/Moisturizing

Showering for me is just a whole thing because I don't do it super often, so when I do it...I do it right. My hair and skin feel soooo much better when I go 2-3 days between showers and you can have opinions about this, but I do not care. I make sure to exfoliate really well and moisturize everything because...winter in Iowa. Then to keep my feet from becoming old lady feet, I use this Amope exfoliator, followed by tons of this Gold Bond foot cream + socks overnight. The exfoliator is rechargeable and you can order replacement rollers when the current ones wear down.

Buying Clothes that FIT

I will let you in on a secret..it is not a contest to see how long you can wear your 'regular' clothes for. No one cares. If you're uncomfortable anywhere in any way, it's time to pull out the maternity tote of clothes or plan a shopping trip. You better believe I was wearing pregnant jeans/leggings by 8 weeks and full-on maternity fit shirts by week 10. I just feel like I have nothing to prove here. I've found that shopping for and buying cute maternity clothes that are comfortable and fit me well is huge for my attitude, my overall excitement about being pregnant, and my word...it's SO FUN. My go-to places for maternity shopping are Target, Amazon, Motherhood Maternity, and (surprise of the century), Wal-Mart. I scored some SUPER SOFT v-necks there last week for $6.97 and I'm as shocked about this as you are. A little spree around 37+ weeks for hospital jammies, a cute 'going home' outfit (why is this just a thing for the baby??), and a fresh pair of large(ish) leggings for post-childbirth are all important and fun things I just finished checking off the list.

BUY THE BIG BRAS AND UNDERWEAR TOO. Stop being a hero about this. If you're anything like me, your comfort level is directly related to your confidence level. You will need another size (or two) bigger and there is no shame in this. The sooner you accept it, the sooner you can just be comfortable. 

BONUS TIP: Shoe size doesn't change...buy all the cute shoes you can handle before/during/after pregnancy because that is the ONE THING (for me anyway) that doesn't change a bit...

Hair Cut + Color
I think this one is pretty 'normal' for most mama's...we all schedule in our final hair appointments because we aren't sure the next time we'll make it to the salon on a three-hour feeding schedule...and because my hair appointments happen all the way in Manson, I make SURE my final cut and color is scheduled as close to the baby coming as possible. Now that I think about it, the last time I didn't make this happen and my hair had a weird-growing-out-reddish tint that I do not enjoy in pictures, but somehow didn't notice at the time. Good thing I'm knocking that appointment out tomorrow afternoon. 

I went back and read what I wrote about 'Looking Fab During Pregnancy' the first time around, and surprisingly many of these tips are the same! Just re-invented a bit and 'sassed down' for your reading pleasure.

MmB

15 weeks