Parenting while pregnant can be quite challenging for the best moms out there. In this post, you will find 9 tips to make this season more enjoyable.
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Learning that you are having another child may be both exciting and unsettling, particularly if you are already a parent of one kid. Experiencing pregnancy-related symptoms such as exhaustion, nausea, and “pregnancy brain” might exacerbate the difficulty of raising an older child or children. Parenting while pregnant can be a breeze as you continue to be the incredible parent you already are with a little planning and the correct attitude.
You might also like to read our post about eating well during pregnancy.
I am currently pregnant with my second child midway through pregnancy and I have a 5-year-old daughter. After asking for advice from other experienced moms, combining with my own experience, here are 9 tips for expectant mothers:
1. Prepare Your Child(ren) for the New Sibling
First, as soon as you’re at ease, begin talking about the upcoming baby with your children. Involve them by letting them feel your belly, showing them pictures from the ultrasound, and having age-appropriate conversations about names. Read picture books for kids about growing up to be a big brother or sister. This book is a good example. Control expectations by letting them know that initially, they will need to be patient and kind with the infant. To make them feel included, let them choose stuff for the nursery and new baby.
2. Parenting While Pregnant: Ask for Help and Accept It
Don’t try to power through pregnancy while doing everything for your kids like you’re used to. Now is the time to ask for and graciously accept help from your partner, relatives, friends, or a mothers’ helper/part-time sitter. Line up someone trustworthy you can call when you need a break. Take them up on offers of meals, childcare, or doing a load of laundry. Taking time for self-care like naps is crucial when you’re pregnant and caring for little ones.
3. Parenting While Pregnant: Simplify as Much as Possible
Examine your family’s schedule and responsibilities honestly, and begin making cuts now, before the kid is born. If necessary, temporarily cut back on extracurricular activities. On days when you have more energy, prepare meals or rotate simpler meals. Maintaining a basic level of cleanliness is more feasible than obsessing over having a perfectly clean home. For now, your older kids can assist with age-appropriate chores and relax your standards a little.
4. Schedule a One-on-One Time
Parenting while pregnant does not mean leaving your older kids by themselves. Set aside time each week for a scheduled one-on-one time with your current child(ren) to help them feel unique and comfortable in their bond. Have a special movie night, take them on a big child outing, or allow them to stay up a bit later to read bedtime stories. During this moment, give them your whole attention and ignore any other distractions. Think about scheduling a special time to spend with just the two of you for a fun ritual kids can look forward to.
5. Parenting While Pregnant: Explain Your Needs
Depending on the kids’ ages, you might have to explain to them why Mom can’t roughhouse as much as usual, needs to sleep more, or hasn’t been feeling well. Inform them in plain language that being pregnant has some restrictions, such as making you fatigued easily, but that it is not their fault. Asking kids to help with simpler tasks when you need a break will involve them.
For example, I’ve reached the point in pregnancy where it is really challenging to pick anything from the floor (and apparently, everything falls down more easily!). So I have asked my daughter that from now on, everything that is on the floor needs to be picked up by her. And she also became my “don’t-let things-lay-around-on-the-floor-police”. 😉
6. Take Them Along When You Can
Take advantage of taking kids with you to doctor’s appointments and errand runs whenever you can, rather than always leaving them with a sitter. Choose a low-key trip where they may participate in this phase of getting ready for the baby. They will also spend valuable time in the waiting area or in the car with you. Grab the opportunity to talk about their new sibling or anything else they’re thinking about.
7. Connect Through Activities
On days when you’re feeling low on energy, spend time doing quiet activities together like coloring, puzzle assembly, reading aloud, or tossing a beach inflatable ball indoors. The one-on-one time and bonding experience is more significant than the activity itself.
My daughter loves to get tons of books from the local public library and whenever I need a break to rest, we just lay on top of my bed surrounded by some books and we read and laugh until I feel more energized to continue with our activities or until it is bathtime before bed. She really feels loved and loves to snuggle in with mama. She gets both the love from books and gains new knowledge as she gets one-on-one quality time with mommy and physical touch as we lean against each other and hug to read the same book together.
8. Be Patient With Yourself
Parenting while pregnant won’t be flawless because this season will bring about a lot of adjustments on top of your current commitments. When you run out of patience, be kind to yourself and keep expressing what you need. Avoid going overboard, tweak your perfect plan every three months if necessary, and concentrate on spending quality time with your children. You’re preparing your family for success when your newest member enters the world by being aware of their needs, adjusting expectations, and providing for them now.
9. Include Your Older One(s) in Something Special
I am currently pregnant with our second child and have included our oldest in the pregnancy week-by-week photos and videos. In my first pregnancy, I had a tripod always ready with the camera so I could shoot my week-by-week video of pregnancy transformation. I only had time to edit the video 5 years later, but that’s ok. 🙂
Now that I am in my second pregnancy, I also want this child to have a video of mommy’s pregnancy transformation. But I’ve decided to call for the help of my 5 year old. She is happily being my camera girl when we do the weekly video of me just wearing the same clothes and walking from side to side in front of the same wall.
To make it even more interesting, both of us picked a dress that will fit us until the end of pregnancy (me an elastic one and her a size bigger because she is a tall girl that grows so fast) and we are taking a weekly picture with the help of a phone tripod and my phone’s timer. The picture has us in the same position, with the same clothes and objects (she is holding her favorite stuffed animal with the same hand), and my 5 year old is kissing my belly. As my belly grows, it will be fun to see the transformation. When the baby is born we will take the final picture of the sequence with me holding the baby at the level of my belly, where my daughter will be able to give him/her a kiss. 🙂
Then we will edit the pictures into a sequence, having fun as we see the transformation we went through to welcome this new baby into our home!
Conclusion
This post was all about parenting while pregnant. At the end of the day, there’s no perfect formula for parenting while pregnant. Every family’s situation and needs are different. The key is prioritizing your own wellbeing, asking for help when you need it, adjusting expectations, and making quality time for your existing children. With preparation, patience and self-compassion, you’ve got this! Enjoy every hug and unique experience you can throughout this brief season. Before you know it, your newest member will complete your family. When you’re documenting those first priceless moments between siblings, the difficulties will fade into the background. Trust the process, follow your maternal instincts, and savor the beauty of this journey at every turn.
We’d love to hear any advice or hacks to make this transition from other parents who have been there! Leave a comment below to share your wisdom.
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