Pregnancy is the most beautiful experience you can have as a woman. However, weight gain, hair changes, skin problems, lack of sleep, etc… will have you feeling anything but beautiful. My first trimester was a bit rough due to morning sickness and I slowly started losing myself and my confidence. I wanted to share some tips that helped me get back to feeling like my self and make my pregnancy more enjoyable.

Embrace the magic that is motherhood. YOU ARE CREATING A HUMAN! A whole human, like eyes, toes, heart, lungs, brain…all of that growing and developing inside of you. Stop and really reflect on that; if it doesn’t make you feel like some sort of super natural being/super hero nothing will. You are magical mama!

Death to comparison.There is no one size fit all standard of beauty when it comes to pregnancy. Some of us have flawless skin while others seem to revert back to teenage acne days. Some of us show almost immediately while others have the “perfect little bump” at 39 weeks. Your pregnancy won’t look like anyone else’s because it’s yours. Keep your focus on the health of your growing little bean and remind yourself that your experience is unique to you and you alone. Also, ditch the scale unless you’re at a doctors appointments; the scale is not your friend.

If you are a mama that experiences some of the negative side effects during pregnancy keep reminding yourself that it’s only temporary but your little blessing is a lifetime of love and joy.

Continue your best #selfcare practices.

Don’t stop taking care of yourself. If you were going to the gym, beauty shop, nail shop or day spa pre-pregnancy then keep going. In fact, you should probably do it more often. Finding more ways to unwind will help make the pregnancy more enjoyable and allow you to keep feeling like yourself. This will also help you to prioritize making time for yourself once your little babe has arrived. You can’t take care of everyone else without first taking care of you!

Join a mommy-to-be group (have a support system). Nothing makes you feel better than knowing that you are not alone. Joining a mommy group can be a great way to find a #bumpmate that will likely turn into a new friend. It’s helps to have someone who knows what you’re going through while you’re going through it. Let’s face it “I remember those days”, “hang in there” or “it’ll get better” does nothing for you when you’ve spent the better half of the morning puking your face off.

Style your bump. If you’ve been following my pregnancy journey then you know this one is major for me. I firmly believe in the look good/feel good mantra. There are a number of shops and boutiques that allow you to keep your bump “on trend”, without breaking the bank. Trust me there will be enough days postpartum, where all you can find the energy for is a nursing bra and leggings. Put the energy into keeping it cute, it’ll definitely add some pep to your step. Besides a few random compliments never hurt anyone!

**Bonus Tip: clean out your closet and temporarily put away things that you can no longer fit. Walking into your closet every morning and being reminded of all the things you’ve out grown will shatter any ego. Spare yourself! **

Anyone have tricks of their own to keep their confidence up during pregnancy? I’d love to hear about them, drop me a line! Check out more motherhood content!

XOXO-Tina