7 Ways to Nurture Yourself during Pregnancy

A Little Indulgence is Good for the Soul

Your doctor's instructions to take good care of yourself leave plenty of room for a little indulgence now and then.

An extra 300 nutrition-rich calories per day are all that's required to grow a healthy baby. Provided you are fairly faithful about exercising regularly and eating an overall healthy diet, there's no reason not to satisfy your sweet tooth every once in a while. An occasional half-cup of gourmet frozen yogurt or a slice of berry pie will not do much harm to the baby and could do a world of good to your state of mind.

Don't fall into the trap of worrying about every pound you gain. That extra weight is going to a good cause, after all! If you're concerned about gaining too much weight, check out our Perfect What-to-Eat-While-Pregnant Diet.

Not all indulgences need to be food related. Why not shop, for example?

The time will come in your pregnancy when you absolutely, positively cannot get away with wearing unbuttoned jeans covered with a big, baggy shirt. It doesn't look good, it doesn't feel good. Count yourself lucky to be pregnant at a time when there are multiple options for stylish, inexpensive maternity clothes. Check out the many online resources, as well as your local shops. Tent dresses, you'll be delighted to discover, have gone the way of the dinosaurs.

Rest Up!

Now that you're pregnant, naps are no longer an indulgence. You need some time to put your feet up and recharge. There is a lot more going on in that body of yours than you may realize. Recent research shows that naps can be hugely beneficial, provided they are taken at the right time, and for the right amount of time.

Try to schedule a nap for the same time each day. Ideally, you will nap approximately halfway through your typical waking hours. So, if you normally arise at 7 AM and go to sleep at 11 PM, 3 PM would be your ideal time for a rest. Twenty to twenty-five minutes is the right amount of time for a nap. If you sleep much longer than that you will feel groggy upon awaking, rather than rejuvenated.