Self care is something we all need! Let's share our favorite DIY spa hacks, relaxation ideas or techniques. In the words of Parks and Rec let's Treat Yo' Self
Laying in bed when every child is sleeping cozily in their beds and teeth have been brushed and pajamas have been donned -- and turning on some quiet music and "letting the babies listen" and imagining that they are enjoying it as much as I do. Just a few quiet moments do my mind so much good!
Love this thread idea -- self care is sooo important for us mamas!
1. LOVE this idea. 2. LOVE that meme. 3. In the absence of whiskey (which is my favorite non pregnancy "treat yo self" method), I enjoy a hot bath and a book, or binge watching The Office, Parks and Rec, Cheers, or Friends.
Meagan Married 6.12.10 DS 11.8.12 Baby GIRL! due 7.4.18
Yep, I'm a hot bath and book type person. Last night I popped half a Lush bomb into the tub and relaxed with a book, then got into bed at 8:00 and kept reading.
I also have a Massage Envy membership that I forget to use often, so I splurge and use all my "make up" massages on prenatal massages while pregnant. Last pregnancy I got one about the same frequency as I went to see my OB, so I'll likely do that frequency again!
Today I ended my work day early and treated myself to a nap before I have to pick my son up from daycare. I feel a little guilty but whatever, pregnant ladies deserve naps.
Also on Sunday I went for a pedicure while my husband cleaned the house and watched the baby. Wish I could make that a regular thing.
I've been taking a bath with a Lush bath bomb lately. My anxiety has been high lately for some reason so I picked up some aromatherapy wallflower scents that are for stress relief and plugged one in my kitchen. I think it helps a little bit. I am definitely going to a spa in my area that is specifically for pregnant women (they do 3D ultrasounds and other stuff too) as soon as I hit 2nd tri for a massage and hot stone pedicure. (They won't do prenatal massages in 1st tri).
Married 9/19/09 Me (32) Dx PCOS, DH (32) SA = Normal/mild morph issues TTC#5 July 2017 - 3rd cycle TTC = BFP on 11/12/17 at 9dpo Beta #1 = 96 at 13dpo - Beta #2 = 207 at 15dpo
TTC#1 starting Nov. 2009 3 rounds of Clomid + TI and 3 rounds of 7.5 mg Femara + IUI before our BFP on 11/8/10 at 12dpiui TTC #2 3rd cycle of Femara 7.5mg+Ovidrel+TI = 4 follies = BFP on 10/12/12 TTC#3 July 2014 - Metformin +TI = BFP at 9dpo - Twins, one baby lost at 5.5 weeks Macy Annabelle born at 37w4d on 4/29/15. Diagnosed with Cri du Chat and passed away on 6/6/15. Forever in our hearts. TTC#4 3rd cycle of Metformin + Femara 7.5mg+Ovidrel+TI = 3 follies = BFP on 12/24/16
My feet...my poor toes look so bad! Sorry for the TMI. I left a pedicure on for way too long, probably over 6 weeks or so and now my toes are stained. Ugh. I'm letting them breathe a few more days but then I definitely need a pedicure soon.
I still have not taken a bath this pregnancy, WTH! I was waiting for the first few weeks to pass and then I just never had time...this week's the week. I have a friend in town this Thursday and Friday so I'm thinking tonight is a good time! Epsom salts are ok to use I guess?
My husband promised I could go get a massage anytime I want. The weather and my morning sickness hasn't cooperated yet so maybe this weekend I will try.
I am not a bath person, but doing one of those body float things sounds awesome. There is one near me. They use a ton of Epsom salt. I think i will ask my doctor about it this week before I book anything.
Also, does buying a new larger bra count as self-care? It just feels so good! DD carried it around Target today going, "this bra is huuuge!" Lol
I’m not very good at self care. We don’t have a bathtub good for soaking and usually I feel guilty about spending money on a pedicure.
Date nights are good for my soul, though. I don’t spend much time with my H and I like eating good food with him and talking about things that aren’t work and the kids.
Im also a big reader and love getting lost in a good book.
@flockofmoosen3 that reminds me, I have a floating therapy session booked on the 27th for me and a friend, I gave it to her for her birthday and figured it would be a good gift for me too. I was told it's totally safe in the second trimester, I'm excited!
@flockofmoosen3 I bought a Groupon for my mch (manchild husband) to one of the float therapy places and was told it was actually great for pregnancy, specifically 2nd and 3rd trimester. So, I've been thinking about getting one for myself. I've been making it a point to get a pedicure every couple weeks. I'm lacking this week. I've been itching to go to a day spa called Glen Ivy just to go float in their lounge pool and lather myself up in clay mud, maybe a prenatal massage...hmmm...Happy Mother to be Day to me?
@hillbillywife do you have any beauty schools near you? we have one and it was less expensive and equally as good since the teachers will fix anything if needed
I love the sugar scrub I made my sore hands after my weekends ar Aldi. It is just sugar, coconut oil and I add lemon essential oil to it. I've started using it every night and my hands feel so soft and awesome!
I love this! My family is taking DH and I to Mexico for 7 days in February. Since DH spends most of his time in Miami for work and I’m on the Pacific coast of Canada, I thought I’d treat us to leaving a few days early before the fam comes and enjoying some time in Mexico alone! I’m so excited!
Also the dollar store has great epsom salt and way less expensive than target. It has helped so many aches and pains during pregnancy to add that in, or even to just do a foot soak too. adding in a few drops of peppermint essential oil also helps a ton! it is like an all natural icy hot!
@kissableviv It is safe! As long as you don't partake in their hot pools. My mom, sister, and I make it a yearly thing to go at least once. Every time we've gone, there are at least 5-10 pregnant ladies. I'm so ready and willing to go! Also, if you book in advance for spa treatment, you get a discount for taking in the waters (general admission). Plus their chicken nachos are to die for!!!! Will miss their Sangria this time around, however, the more I write about it, the more I'm about to send a mass text to the ladies and say please lets go!!!
@stlmegs OMG I miss my whiskey, its all just sitting there on my bar looking pretty for the time being.
I have to admit, I'm really bad at treating myself right now. My usual go-to things are off limits like whiskey or a very particular massage at a spa near by. The massage isn't a relaxing type, it's more just this side of torture because they really get into all the knots. If you've ever gone through astym in physical therapy, it's just short of that. So, not recommended for pregnant ladies.
And normally I'm a bath person, but right now it seems revolting for some reason. I can't explain it.
Perhaps some really good ice cream and a pedicure will do the trick.
I am all about hot baths with something yummy from Lush, a good book and snacks lol. I’m also planning on getting a few prenatal massages this pregnancy (I got one last time and looooved it but then the boys came early so I didn’t get another one!) and once I’m off work a mani/pedi at a spa!
Also, always snacks. All you people are making me crave ice cream even though it’s like -15 and snowy outside!
Love this self care thread. I am sad our house does not have a bath tub. We will definitely need to get one installed before baby but I wish it happened sooner rather than later so I can enjoy those nice Lush bath bombs!
I did totally splurge during my holiday break before New Year’s and got a facial at Burke Williams. Not a regular thing for me and it was my first time there but it was so nice! They also give a complimentary pregnancy spa bath and it was at the perfect temperature with a plate of fruit ready for me. Felt like a queen!
I need to get better at reading! Lately I’ve been all about the Real Housewives, zoning out and enjoying my Halo Top. Lol
I definitely took it up a notch in the self-care department recently. I was feeling so frumpy lately from being pp from DS, so H and I did a little shopping this weekend and I got some maternity shirts that actually fit. Then I got a manicure and did a little shopping at Sephora. This is my second winter on the east coast (grew up in SoCal), and my skin is not having it. Dry mixed with pregnancy hormones is not pretty. I went to Sephora to talk about my foundation and the lovely woman there taught me all about my skincare regimen. I bought a few things and am SO excited! My skin felt instantly different in all the best ways.
Going forward, I'm going to try and do little things to make myself feel good this pregnancy. Manicures/pedicures, maybe prenatal massages. Definitely baths and good books!
Everyone, remember, it’s almost Valentine’s Day! You can ask your SO to get you a certificate to your favorite spa or salon if they ask what you want for a present. That’s what I did for Christmas and what I’ll be doing for my birthday next month (:
Wine and reality TV are my normal go-tos. I love pedicures but don't get to go as often as I'd like. This thread has inspired me and I just booked a massage for next weekend. I have about $900 in my FSA account to spend between now and March and there's a place near me that bills prenatal massages as medical treatment, so I'm taking full advantage.
@zombiehoohaa@kissableviv Glen Ivy is my jam! I've never been there while pregnant but have friends and family who have gone, you just have to stay out of the hot pools. I have been dreaming about going there and lying on one of the floating bean bag chairs. Definitely on my pre-baby bucket list once it warms up a little bit.
@emsnedds my b-day is in feb and I’m totally going to ask for a massage! Ive never had one before! My DH has a coupon for a massage that our bffs gave him years ago and he knows better than to use it before I get to have one. Lol
ETA- as soon as I get one though id love for him to use his- he works super hard and deserves it too!
I've gotten so many ideas from this thread! So, we recently moved to a much bigger house in a neighborhood with good schools. We checked the finances before moving, but something must have been off because it's actually much tighter in the budget than we thought it would be. Which means that a date night is going to be a really hard sell, but I'm going to dig up some gift cards and see if I have anything that'll work. That sounds amazing!
Part of my salary goes into my own "discretionary" account, which is what I use for my self care and random things I can't help but buying online for myself or DD. Yesterday I bought some adorable Valentine's gifts for her to take to school from a local crafter for only $1.20 each!
Oh I want a pedicure so bad!! but I have a plantar wart on my left foot (so gross, sorry TMI!) and I am so embarrassed by it that I haven't been to get a pedicure in two years. I've tried all the OTC options for removing too and they just don't work.
My relaxation is watching a good tv show or reading a good book with some buttery popcorn, wrapped in my preggo pillow. Ahhhhh its glorious!
Yesterday I wrote this whole thing about self care being more than massages and mani/pedis and about self care starting with picking the right man to go on this journey with and about nourishing your body with good food but then I realized it was kind of a downer for this fun thread so.....
Yes to all the little treats that make us feel good! I've kept up my hair, mani/pedis and waxing, it gives me a boost of feeling pretty that I really like. Also, I dislike the idea that as moms we don't matter or we should come last. I love my kid so much and of course I put her needs ahead of mine but that doesn't mean my wants/needs don't matter or that I don't get to enjoy life.
A fun idea to share with you guys, after I gave birth to DD my hubby surprised me with a gift certificate for a full spa day. I think I made the appointment when I was 5 weeks pp and it was sooo amazing to get pampered. Kind of the perfect treat for a new mom.
@samjjorgensen Floatation therapy provides a remarkable way to calm the mind, relax the body and amplify the spirit. The experience involves lying on your back in an enclosed float pod, which is filled with 200 gallons of water heated to skin temperature, infused with 1,200 lbs of pharmaceutical grade Epsom salt. This incredible amount of Epsom salt provides effortless buoyancy of the body. Some of the anti-gravity benefits are decompression of the spine, elimination of pressure points on the body, and efficient blood flow which produces natural dopamine levels and lowers cortisol. Once comfortably relaxed in the water, the sensation of where the water begins and your body ends are integrated into one, leaving you feeling euphoric.
@zombiehoohaa Flotation therapy sounds equally parts incredibly relaxing and terribly claustrophobic to me! I think I'd give it a try, but I worry I'd have a panic attack in the pod.
@zg49 I have a plantar wart too--mine has gotten VERY painful, so I've been trying to freeze it off with an OTC kit, so we'll see, but I feel your pain! Have you tried going to a doctor?
@samjjorgensen there are some places that offer open floating sessions. I'm no typically Claustrophobic, however with being pregnant, I'm very much more aware of space and wanting room to breathe. Lol
@samjjorgensen No I haven't gone to a dr yet. When I was pregnant with DD I got one on my hand and my OB said it would go away after I had my daughter. Strangely enough, it did! The foot one came on when I was pregnant with DS so I've just been waiting for it to go away LOL.
@runsomewhere I agree with you! Self care is definitely about that, about surrounding yourself with the right kind of people and knowing when someone isn't good for you. I feel self care can really mean alot of things, in all areas of my life. When I get some free time, I research new things that interest me, I study to further myself in my business, I attend Bible studys. To me, these are self care on a long term basis. The fun self care things just make the daily grind more bearable
Re: Treat Yo' Self 2018
Love this thread idea -- self care is sooo important for us mamas!
2. LOVE that meme.
3. In the absence of whiskey (which is my favorite non pregnancy "treat yo self" method), I enjoy a hot bath and a book, or binge watching The Office, Parks and Rec, Cheers, or Friends.
Married 6.12.10
DS 11.8.12
Baby GIRL! due 7.4.18
I also have a Massage Envy membership that I forget to use often, so I splurge and use all my "make up" massages on prenatal massages while pregnant. Last pregnancy I got one about the same frequency as I went to see my OB, so I'll likely do that frequency again!
Also on Sunday I went for a pedicure while my husband cleaned the house and watched the baby. Wish I could make that a regular thing.
Me (32) Dx PCOS, DH (32) SA = Normal/mild morph issues
TTC#5 July 2017 - 3rd cycle TTC = BFP on 11/12/17 at 9dpo Beta #1 = 96 at 13dpo - Beta #2 = 207 at 15dpo
3 rounds of Clomid + TI and 3 rounds of 7.5 mg Femara + IUI before our BFP on 11/8/10 at 12dpiui
TTC #2 3rd cycle of Femara 7.5mg+Ovidrel+TI = 4 follies = BFP on 10/12/12
TTC#3 July 2014 - Metformin +TI = BFP at 9dpo - Twins, one baby lost at 5.5 weeks
Macy Annabelle born at 37w4d on 4/29/15. Diagnosed with Cri du Chat and passed away on 6/6/15. Forever in our hearts.
TTC#4 3rd cycle of Metformin + Femara 7.5mg+Ovidrel+TI = 3 follies = BFP on 12/24/16
I still have not taken a bath this pregnancy, WTH! I was waiting for the first few weeks to pass and then I just never had time...this week's the week. I have a friend in town this Thursday and Friday so I'm thinking tonight is a good time! Epsom salts are ok to use I guess?
Also, love this thread!
I am not a bath person, but doing one of those body float things sounds awesome. There is one near me. They use a ton of Epsom salt. I think i will ask my doctor about it this week before I book anything.
Also, does buying a new larger bra count as self-care? It just feels so good! DD carried it around Target today going, "this bra is huuuge!" Lol
Date nights are good for my soul, though. I don’t spend much time with my H and I like eating good food with him and talking about things that aren’t work and the kids.
Im also a big reader and love getting lost in a good book.
I've been making it a point to get a pedicure every couple weeks. I'm lacking this week. I've been itching to go to a day spa called Glen Ivy just to go float in their lounge pool and lather myself up in clay mud, maybe a prenatal massage...hmmm...Happy Mother to be Day to me?
I have to admit, I'm really bad at treating myself right now. My usual go-to things are off limits like whiskey or a very particular massage at a spa near by. The massage isn't a relaxing type, it's more just this side of torture because they really get into all the knots. If you've ever gone through astym in physical therapy, it's just short of that. So, not recommended for pregnant ladies.
And normally I'm a bath person, but right now it seems revolting for some reason. I can't explain it.
Perhaps some really good ice cream and a pedicure will do the trick.
Also, always snacks. All you people are making me crave ice cream even though it’s like -15 and snowy outside!
For me it's morning meditation, and taking the time to make real cups of tea throughout the day.
I did totally splurge during my holiday break before New Year’s and got a facial at Burke Williams. Not a regular thing for me and it was my first time there but it was so nice! They also give a complimentary pregnancy spa bath and it was at the perfect temperature with a plate of fruit ready for me. Felt like a queen!
I need to get better at reading! Lately I’ve been all about the Real Housewives, zoning out and enjoying my Halo Top. Lol
I definitely took it up a notch in the self-care department recently. I was feeling so frumpy lately from being pp from DS, so H and I did a little shopping this weekend and I got some maternity shirts that actually fit. Then I got a manicure and did a little shopping at Sephora. This is my second winter on the east coast (grew up in SoCal), and my skin is not having it. Dry mixed with pregnancy hormones is not pretty. I went to Sephora to talk about my foundation and the lovely woman there taught me all about my skincare regimen. I bought a few things and am SO excited! My skin felt instantly different in all the best ways.
Going forward, I'm going to try and do little things to make myself feel good this pregnancy. Manicures/pedicures, maybe prenatal massages. Definitely baths and good books!
@noideawhatshesdoing good ice cream sounds amazing right now!
I would also love a prenatal massage like yesterday.
edited because I dropped my phone.
Since turning 30 I’m really putting skin care at the top of my priority list.
Everyone, remember, it’s almost Valentine’s Day! You can ask your SO to get you a certificate to your favorite spa or salon if they ask what you want for a present. That’s what I did for Christmas and what I’ll be doing for my birthday next month (:
@zombiehoohaa @kissableviv Glen Ivy is my jam! I've never been there while pregnant but have friends and family who have gone, you just have to stay out of the hot pools. I have been dreaming about going there and lying on one of the floating bean bag chairs. Definitely on my pre-baby bucket list once it warms up a little bit.
ETA- as soon as I get one though id love for him to use his- he works super hard and deserves it too!
Part of my salary goes into my own "discretionary" account, which is what I use for my self care and random things I can't help but buying online for myself or DD. Yesterday I bought some adorable Valentine's gifts for her to take to school from a local crafter for only $1.20 each!
My relaxation is watching a good tv show or reading a good book with some buttery popcorn, wrapped in my preggo pillow. Ahhhhh its glorious!
Yes to all the little treats that make us feel good! I've kept up my hair, mani/pedis and waxing, it gives me a boost of feeling pretty that I really like. Also, I dislike the idea that as moms we don't matter or we should come last. I love my kid so much and of course I put her needs ahead of mine but that doesn't mean my wants/needs don't matter or that I don't get to enjoy life.
A fun idea to share with you guys, after I gave birth to DD my hubby surprised me with a gift certificate for a full spa day. I think I made the appointment when I was 5 weeks pp and it was sooo amazing to get pampered. Kind of the perfect treat for a new mom.
Floatation therapy provides a remarkable way to calm the mind, relax the body and amplify the spirit. The experience involves lying on your back in an enclosed float pod, which is filled with 200 gallons of water heated to skin temperature, infused with 1,200 lbs of pharmaceutical grade Epsom salt. This incredible amount of Epsom salt provides effortless buoyancy of the body. Some of the anti-gravity benefits are decompression of the spine, elimination of pressure points on the body, and efficient blood flow which produces natural dopamine levels and lowers cortisol. Once comfortably relaxed in the water, the sensation of where the water begins and your body ends are integrated into one, leaving you feeling euphoric.
@zg49 I have a plantar wart too--mine has gotten VERY painful, so I've been trying to freeze it off with an OTC kit, so we'll see, but I feel your pain! Have you tried going to a doctor?