Christmas is a festive time of the year, comprised of family reunions, culinary delights and fun. However, being pregnant might bring a series of complications – you may feel tired, your hormones might make you overly emotional, or you might feel pretty bummed about having to pass on some of your favorite traditional delicacies due to safety reasons. No need to worry! We have gathered 7 tips to help you appreciate the holiday season to the fullest!

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells

Christmas songs are both cheerful and profound, and some pregnant women like to listen to them starting from October. There is absolutely no shame in that! Sometimes it is the only thing you need to lift up your mood. Lucky you, in this age of new technologies, you have several available options to treat yourself with inspiring music!

Decorate your house

Christmas is the perfect occasion to make your house shine. From the traditional Christmas tree to the snowflakes garlands, no decoration style is forbidden. Don’t hesitate to add colors to your interior and to ask for help setting everything up, because after all, you are pregnant. Don’t neglect thrift stores either where you can find beautiful and affordable ornaments to add to your collection. Lastly, if you can’t do without glitter, try to opt for biodegradable eco glitter that won’t threaten your health and the environment. 

Shop online for Christmas presents

For a majority of people, wandering around in stores for hours in order to find the perfect Christmas present is all but pleasant, especially when you decide to do it at the last minute. This particularly applies to those exhibiting baby bumps. For the sake of staying away from the rush, keep it simple and shop online! Nowadays you can even get electronic gift cards that can be sent directly to your friend of relative’s inbox in no time!

Fancy but comfy

Depending on how far along you are in your pregnancy, you may not want to wear anything too tight to celebrate Christmas Eve, or even worse – high heels (as you get further along in your pregnancy, your center of gravity changes and it becomes more challenging to keep your balance). Nonetheless, it should not mean that you can’t dress up and pamper yourself. Putting on a nice stretchy dress over a cozy pair of leggings is always a safe bet in this (or any kind) of situation.

Bring your own fancy drink to the party

As you probably already know, it is safest to not drink any alcohol at all while pregnant, as it can be damaging for the baby. On that subject, the FDA and the American Academy of Pediatrics state that no amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy. Therefore, watch out for any drinks containing alcohol, including the traditional eggnog (if it is spiked) and yes, even kombucha, as it still is a fermented beverage with a slight amount of alcohol in it. Instead, bring your own fancy non-alcoholic beverage to the party, whether you opt for sparkling water, a mocktail, or an iced tea!

Pay attention to what you eat

While it is true that there are some restrictions you should be aware of when it comes to holiday food, it doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to enjoy delicious dishes. Please refer to this article from Lifeline to know more about which foods you can go for whereas those you should avoid at dinners.

Take the time to rest

You may be tempted to do everything yourself and want to organize a family reunion from A to Z. Yet, you shouldn’t overestimate your stamina and deprive yourself from rest or sleep. There is no need to feel guilty if you can’t participate as much as you are used to every year. Delegate some tasks and relax.

Here you go! We hope that these 7 tips will help you have a wonderful Christmas.

If you want to learn more about how to best take care of yourself and baby, check out Lifeline’s other articles and services.

Resources:

https://www.baby-magazine.co.uk/enjoying-the-party-season-while-pregnant/

https://www.babycentre.co.uk/a556774/11-ways-to-enjoy-christmas-when-youre-pregnant

https://lifelinepregnancyhelp.org/holiday-eating/

By Elodie Takamiya