Motherhood can do strange things to us. It can turn our once seemingly calm and almost perfect world upside down and inside out, bringing forth a side (both beautiful and sometimes ugly part) of us that we never knew existed.

Where once we might have put ourselves first and foremost, motherhood will surely change that. Our children and families will come first. Their safety, happiness and wellbeing will take the number one spot in our lives. Gone will be the days of partying weekends with our besties or impromptu romantic getaways with our beau.

Things like pampering oneself and shopping sprees will be a thing of the past. We'll be so caught up with the latest story books and pink tutus for our little ones we won't even give a second glance at that unsightly looking grey hair sprouting from behind our ears. Or simply put, we will be too darn tired to care.

So ladies, if the baby's due date seems to be getting closer, then make sure to live a little before plunging into the world of motherhood (don't worry, it's not so that bad. It fact motherhood is a beautiful thing and a whole new adventure. It's just that it will be a very very different world). So here are some activities that I truly thinks that we ladies should take on before the little one comes out to rock our world.

15 Go For Pampering Facials

They say the eyes are the windows to our soul  I'd say our face is the epitome of our well being. That is why many women spend thousands each year just to stop father clock from tinkering with their face.

And if you didn't already know, bearing a child or two and raising them will not only take a toll on your mind, body and soul, it can add years  and years of unwanted wrinkles, sagging skin and eye bags to your face. So before the little bun pops out from the oven, make sure you prep your skin. Lord knows these facials can aid in slowing the aging process.

So go ahead, book a facial at your favourite spa, better yet, buy a whole facial package on skin firming, eye bag treatment and neck massages. Go as often as you can before your due date. Enjoy the aromatic smell of the facial masks, the soothing feel of the masseur and the end results, soft, supple and glowing skin that would make you the envy of everyone.

14 Get A Mani Pedi Or Two

And as if pampering yourself with facials isn't enough, go for pedicures and manicures too. Unless you have a backup team willing to help look after your baby while you head out for a pedi and mani session, you might be better off getting your nails trimmed and cleaned up before officially becoming a mum.

Once you become one, you'll be spending more time trimming your little one's nails than your own. And even if you did color your nails, there will always be the nagging feeling of whether the chemicals will leach off into the little ones.

Also, chances are, the the perfectly filed French manicures would probably chip and break from having to pump milk, sterilizing the bottles, cleaning up the poo and vomit and washing the baby's clothes. So yeah, break your piggy bank and head to the nearest nail salon asap. Yes, now. What are you waiting for?

You'll regret it for the rest of your life if you don't....I swear it in the name of that wailing mother sitting on the supermarket floor sobbing and looking at her once fine hands while her kids crawl all over her and messing with her once fine hair.

13 Go On A Trip With The BFFs

Remember when you were still in high school and you and your best friends swore that you would travel the world together? And when you started working you all took whatever available vouchers on world travels? Well, why not do it now? Sure, scaling Mount Everest and  hiking in the Himalaya might not be so suitable for an expectant lady, but no one said you can't travel to less physically challenging places.

Go, book the next available flight and spend a week just exploring a whole new place like Peter Jackson's Hobbiton village in New Zealand or trying out authentic sushi on kaiten belts in Japan.  You probably won't be able to travel in style ( or in peace) for the next few years ( or decade). If foreign countries are out of your budget, why not plan a short trip out of town.

The Niagara falls or a weekend in Las Vegas rolling dice perhaps? Anywhere with your besties should be fun. You can snap photos of your ballooning belly at each new location and tell your future child that he or she actually went there already (that way you won't have to bring them there again mwahahaha). How's that for saving money?

12 Go On A Romantic Weekend Getaway

Better yet, plan a romantic getaway with your loved one before three becomes a crowd. How does a weekend of spa, massage and authentic Balinese food in the secluded resorts of Ubud and Seminyak in Bali sound? Or maybe a trip up north to the cooler places of the country?

The point of this whole getaway is for the both of you to relax and unwind. Reminisce the old days of courtship when the world revolved around just the two of you. By the time the little one comes out, there will be little to no time for the two of you to get cozy. Gone will be the days of cuddling on the sofa watching the raindrops on the windowsill or strolling in the garden, let alone going on a romantic vacation.

So go, shop! Get your butt off the chair and book the next available flight somewhere. The more exotic the better. Or if you're the type who prefers cutesy places then why not go to Disneyland? The little one in the belly will be able to feel your excitement and enjoy the fuzzy sounds of Disney's classic songs.

11 Sing Some Karaoke

A lot of us dreamt of becoming pop stars and Grammy award winning performers when we were kids. Some of us still wish we were instead of a 9 to 5 employee who has to meet impossible deadlines and battle office politics. That dream of performing on stage to an adoring crowd will be even further from our grasps when the little one comes out.

By then, we will be singing to Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and Wheels on the Bus instead of crooning to Adele's Hello and rocking to Beyoncé's Independent Women. So take the opportunity to go scream your lungs out at a karaoke joint away from the prying eyes of strangers who might not appreciate your broken tunes.

Go to your favorite karaoke joints by yourself (if you're the shy type who's never sung aloud anywhere else besides your bathroom) or with your friends, colleagues or spouse. Drag your parents too if you want. The important thing is to have fun. The little one in your belly might even be able to learn a few beats from listening to you sing and come out to realize your dream of becoming an actual performer knew day.

10 Go On A Shopping Spree

Once the baby comes out, the only shopping you'll be doing would be diaper shopping, milk powder shopping, baby rompers and shirts or dresses shopping. The latest lingerie sale or the latest slinky green dress on the market will no longer tempt you. In fact, some of you might think it to be a waste of money, preferring to spend your hard earned money on your child instead. Such is the change that comes with motherhood.

So for now, before your mindset starts to change (wait, it hasn't changed already has it?) Go on a shopping spree for yourself. Yes, just for you alone. Splurge on makeup, dresses, designer jeans. Who cares if you might not be able to fit into them after the birth of your child? Let them be a motivation for you to get back into shape.

Then it'll be like killing two birds with one stone. You get to spend for yourself and at the same you will be preparing yourself to work out and to squeeze back into your original size 2.

9 Eat At A Favorite Posh Restaurants

You know all the posh restaurants where people done in silence and only talk in whispers? Where escargot and caviar are served in such small portions and the bill is humongous you wonder if they are pulling pranks on your eyes.

If you crave to dine like an elite before falling into the ranks of motherhood (where you'll probably only eat in day food chains and Betty's Pancake Shop for the next ten years) then quick! Go book the nearest Michelin restaurant near you. Wine and dine like the Great Gatsby while you can. Indulge your taste buds with the finest chardonnay or pinot noir while the violinist plays out Mozart's composition in the background.

Before long, all these will be but a distant memory to you as you mop the baby's vomit off the kitchen floor for the up tenth time and chew on yesterday's fries while trying to trick you toddler into eating 'that green ugly tree' which by the way is broccoli to us.

8 Reread Some Favourite Books

If you have previously bought some books or are opening up catch up on some heavy or light reading, do so now. Do not wait. Follow Nike's slogan and, 'Just do it'. You never know when the next time you'll be able to sit  down and finish a complete book without the interruptionS from your child.

It does not matter what kind of literature you dig. Who cares if you want to read up on JRR Tolkien's Lord of the Rings or the lightweight Harry Potter series? Heck, if you want to read the latest Avengers comic book series then go ahead. Even the latest People magazine will do. Just read whatever you want to read ladies.

Have fun, fill your brain with stories of fantasy worlds and celebrity gossip. What? You prefer serious literatures like, Life and Death in Shanghai and The Kite Runner? Okay, no one's stopping you from crying your eyeballs out reading them. Just have fun and relax.

Do what you feel you need to do before your life gets turned upside down and your favourite books become torn to bake paper planes and coloring pages for your little one.

7 Watch Tons Of Movies

Of you have downloaded some of your favorite dramas and movies but have yet to watch them then now would be a good time. Before you have to battle sleepless nights and zombie days, it might do you good to catch up on your favourite shows, be it the good old 'Friends' series with Ross endlessly pining for a Rachel to the latest episodes of Conan O'Brien's talk shows.

Heck, why not enjoy some golden hits like your mum's favourite Gone With the Wind  and Titanic or recent blockbusters like Assassin's Creed? The point (much like so the points before this) is to just enjoy yourself and to give yourself a break to do what you (yes you) want to do. Not what anyone else wants to do. If your spouse wants to watch Dumb and Dumber, screw him.

Watch what your want to watch. He can watch it the next time while you alternate between breastfeeding the little one and washing off the vomit from your sweatpants.

6 Spring Cleaning The House

This would be the best time to spring clean your house to prepare for the arrival of the newborn. Dust every nook and cranny, sweep away any cobwebs and chase away any lizards that have taken a liking to your home. Take it as an opportunity to exercise and to clear up all the clutter that have accumulated over the years. You might be surprised at what you find in your store room or garage. An old toy from your childhood perhaps? Or an antique player that might sell for a good price on eBay.

Either way, cleaning your house is a must because unless you have hired help, your house will be turned upside down with the arrival of your baby. There won't be much time to clean up the mess with the baby crying and popping all the time. Plus you'll be so tired that you probably won't give a damn of your neighbors complain about the smell of barf or leftover food for the up tenth time. So go and clean up and make your home immaculate while you can.

5 Visit Some Relatives

While visiting your relatives whom you probably don't care much for doesn't sound very exciting, does it. Their repeated stories of how well their children are doing and how much they are earning might bore you to the brink of death, but bear in mind that maybe, just maybe you will need their advice and help in the future.

One never knows what will happen in the future. They might just turn out to be life savers who can help pitch in an hour or two to look after your little one while you attend to some emergency out of town. Never say never.

So go, buy some fruits or cakes and pay a visit to Aunt Mary who might bombard you with questions and give you unwanted advice on how to clean your silverware but she also might be a pro at shushing and soothing and crying colicky baby (seeing how she's raised like five kids in her own and is babysitting for her neighbor's chubby baby seemingly well).

4 Sleep In As Much As Possible

While the little one is still contained within your womb, you will have control over how much sleep you have (or at least you will have partial control...sometimes bouts of insomnia will kick in and other times your mind will become crystal clear after waking up for the up teenth time to clear your bladder). So do try to rest and sleep as much as possible.

Why you might ask? My dear, ask this question to any mother and they will laugh at you in your face. Sleep will be a thing of the past to mothers once the newborn is out. It won't even exist in their dictionary anymore. One week be lucky to be able to get an uninterrupted solid sleep of 3 hours a day. Sob!

So before you turn into a zombie, try to hibernate like a polar bear. There is an uphill battle coming and you will need all the energy you can generate during the last few months of pregnancy.

3 Pig Out On Chocolates And Ice Cream

Ahhhhh, chocolates and ice cream. Food to make even the grumpiest of men (and women) happy. So remember to indulge yourself with your favorite ice cream and chocolates. Yes you, not that salivating spouse of yours who right now might be making puppy eyes just so he can take a bite off that pecan butterscotch ice cream of yours.

Be it truffles, pralines, candies, choco pops....anything that will make you and your belly happy.

Of course one needs to control one's intake...pig out but to a healthy limit ok? Some people might wonder why we need to eat chocolates and ice cream during pregnancy and before giving birth?

Well, other than to satisfy your cravings, you must keep in mind that down the line, your baby will turn into a toddler with perceptive skills that can differentiate between sweet stuff and yucky greens. They will fight you for the sweet stuff. It'll be like Katniss trying to wrestle the last morsel on earth from a helpless wailing child.

2 Join Prenatal Yoga

Feel like being one with your body and soul? How about attending a few yoga sessions prior to your due date then? These yoga sessions can help your mind relax and aid in relaxing your body muscles.Or so they say...has anyone ever claimed to see Krishna while doing yoga?

Many women who frequently attend yoga classes claim that they find it easier to push during labor, so why not jump on the wagon? No harm will come to you or your baby. In fact, you will most likely benefit from all those stretching and mind relaxation sessions.

These are activities that many mothers have little time for once the little one is out, so hurry and join the latest yoga class today! Some centers even have special pre natal yoga classes just to cater for us ladies with a big bump. How's that for pampering?

1 Have As Much Nooky As Possible

Aha! Got your attention didn't it? Have as much intercourse as possible? Yep! With your ballooning boobs, having 'fun' with your spouse will be a lot more interesting. Think of all the foreplays you both can enjoy. Plus there won't be any wailing sounds of a baby in the background to dampen your spirits.

Remember, once the baby is out, the girls will eventually shrink (if you opt not to breastfeed) and most of the time will be spent attending to the little one. Plus with all the changing hormones in your body and the sleepless nights looking after the baby, getting cozy with your spouse will be the last thing on your mind.

Sleep and rest well come first and foremost for you. Intercourse? Your mind will go 'Dafuq? Are you kidding me? I just want to snooze for the next ten years!' Yep, that's what most of us will think. So go and buy those really nice scented candles and rose petals, lure your spouse to bed (or chair or wherever comfortable) and have a fun filled evening, afternoon or morning (well you get the idea) before your life becomes topsy turvy.

ReferencesParents