When first finding out you’re expecting, there’s a date mentioned at the initial OB appointment that is months down the road yet controls your life from then on out. Your baby’s due date quickly becomes the end point for your pregnancy countdown. You push through the tough months reminding yourself only three months to go, only three weeks left, and then finally three days, two, one…
What happens though when the due date comes, but baby is still living comfortably in your womb? Outsiders will be well aware that his or her gestational time is up, but it may unfortunately seem like no one let baby in on the big news. I’ve read that half of all pregnancies go past its due date, but when entering your tenth month of expecting you start to feel a little lonely, anxious and even a bit loony!
For those first time moms though, experiencing pregnancy overtime can truly be like a little bonus round! Life will never be the same once your little one arrives so use these extra days to your advantage. Get more done than planned and make time to be a little selfish too! Here are a few ideas to keep those moms-to-be busy when they have more time than expected to wait.
Meal Plan in Advance!
I pull recipes from my favorite magazines once they’ve been read and before tossing, and I typically stash those pulled pages in a folder to organize later. Well, now is later and I have been busy creating recipe binders filled with easy meal ideas that I can make down the road. Speaking of food, this is also a great time to stash away freezer meals as well! Make big batches of lasagna, chili and meatballs and freeze for easy comfort dinners. Make a Costco run and stock up on freezer-friendly meats, veggies like broccoli and green beans, and fruits for smoothies to make meals as easy as possible during those first months.
Keep on Nesting!
A lot of us nest throughout the entire 9 (or 10!) months of pregnancy, but still run out of time for projects by the end. Use these extra few days or weeks to finish off those little things you want done. Even though it was still technically summer, I put out my fall decorations in 80 degree weather so we can enjoy them fully once baby arrives. Organize and clean out your kitchen pantry and closets. Go through your house with boxes and either toss or donate anything you don’t use or don’t need. If you’re feeling really motivated, take on a few more large projects. Have your carpets cleaned, give your baseboards a fresh coat of paint, or go crazy like me and put in a new furnace! Once baby arrives, the focus will be on him or her and you’ll be so thankful you had those extra few days to get more accomplished.
Be Selfish!
Okay ladies, I am giving you complete and total permission to be as selfish as you’d like! Light every candle in your house, buy yourself fresh flowers, find the time for a bubble bath just because, and treat yourself to a relaxing pedicure. Feel free to go on walks, start a book that’s been on your must-read list for months, and go to bed as early as you like. This could very well be the last time, or at least for the next 18+ years, that you can truly concentrate completely on your own wants and needs. Go on as many dates with your husband during these final days as well. Focus on just the two of you and make it a point to talk about anything at all except baby for the night. Most of all though, don’t feel guilty about doing what you want during pregnancy overtime! You were expecting to have a baby to care for at this point anyways so you may as well benefit during these final days with no responsibilities and no plans.
Entering into the tenth month of pregnancy can be incredibly daunting, but it can also be like a little added bonus for carrying your little one to full term and beyond. Instead of rushing through these final days, try your best to enjoy this time to the fullest and use those unplanned extra hours to your own sweet advantage!
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