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20 Ways For Pregnant Moms To Indulge

"This is definitely the right time in a woman's life for self-care and pampering."

Pregnant women need to treat themselves sometimes. Pregnancy can be an uncomfortable experience, and a few safe and healthy indulgences now and then make it easier to handle the changes, from morning sickness to swollen ankles. When moms-to-be choose the right indulgences, they'll pamper themselves the same way that pregnant celebs do.

Some indulgences on the list cost more than others, but some are free. Women who are expecting babies should check out every entry on the list, to see which indulgences will be perfect for them. Every pregnant woman has a different experience. Some continue working until very late in the pregnancies. Others have more freedom to rest and relax. Some women have other kids to care for while they are pregnant, which is hard work, but fulfilling. There's not one perfect way to move through a pregnancy. However, most pregnant women can find time for indulgences once in a while, at least (and they should).

Just eating mindfully and getting more sleep should bring big benefits, but there is more that expectant Moms can do to take good care of themselves. This is definitely the right time in a woman's life for self-care and pampering. When a mom-to-be focuses on doing things that make her feel good, she'll be doing the right thing.

20 Fancy Salads And Smoothies Are Healthy and Delicious

Celeb moms like Miranda Kerr believe in the power of clean diets during pregnancy. They indulge in green smoothies and fancy salads to make sure that their unborn babies are getting all of the nutrients that they need. Eating well also helps them to keep their energy up.

If you're more of a fast food person, now is the ideal time to revamp your eating habits. Choosing a clean diet, with more dark, leafy greens and delicious, filling "superfood" smoothies, will help you to meet the challenges of pregnancy. While many celeb Moms are vegetarians, Miranda isn't, but she does balance her proteins with plenty of salads and smoothies.

19 Flat Shoes From Great Designers Are Easy to Walk In

If you love buying shoes, don't stop indulging when you're expecting a baby. While many celeb Moms, such as Blake Lively, keep wearing high heels until they give birth, these types of shoes aren't always practical choices. If you need to walk a lot, rather than stepping from a sleek Town Car into a fancy condo or restaurant, why not invest in chic flat shoes, such as loafers from J.P. Tods? Ballet flats are another fun and comfortable option.

Flat shoes can be very elegant, and there'll be less chance of a slip-and-fall while you're wearing them. Pair them with pants, skirts or dresses to give your feet and lower back a break.

18 Cute Maternity Outfits Will Boost Confidence

Maternity clothes have come a long way. Women are now able to express their personal style, thanks to high-end, mid-priced and budget options. Topshop offers stylish maternity wear that is fashionable, without costing an arm and a leg. Most big fashion retailers at all price points have amazing options for pregnant women.

Some celeb moms-to-be prefer to buy larger sizes of "regular" clothes, rather than maternity wear. This may be an option for you. Buying a cool floral dress for parties and a few simple separates for daytime, from decent brands or designers, will be an indulgence that pays off, because it will give you confidence as your body changes.

17 Extra Sleep Is What Moms-to-be Deserve

Pregnant women don't just deserve more sleep...they need it! Growing a baby requires plenty of energy. This is why moms-to-be get so very tired. You may not realize that your heart is working overtime while you're pregnant, but it's true. It's putting in four to five times the amount of work, to move blood around your body and the body of your unborn baby. During the three trimesters, the kidneys work harder to, to get rid of waste. Also, hormone shifts trigger fatigue.

With all of this going on, it's no wonder that pregnant women want to sleep more often. Indulge yourself with frequent naps and by sleeping longer at night.

16 Grab Mocktails From Restaurants

You might miss your nightly glass of red wine or occasional cocktail while you're expecting. This is quite common. To make up for what you're missing, order delicious mocktails when you go out. Mocktails often taste amazing, especially when they're made by skilled mixologists. Some are so tasty, it's hard to notice what's missing.

Whether you choose a frozen margarita mocktail, or any other kind of mocktail, you'll find that your cold bevie is a nice indulgence. If you don't want to pay for mocktails at restaurants, mix up your own at home. Mocktails with fresh, healthy ingredients will be best for you.

15 Indulge In Pretty Underthings

Beyoncé posed in pretty underthings while she was expecting her twins, Sir and Rumi. She went for ultra-feminine underthings which made her look like a total goddess. You can do the same, whether your want a pregnant boudoir photo shoot or not. Many trusted retailers offer very attractive underthings to pregnant clientele.

Beyoncé chose pieces from Agent Provocateur, which is a high-end label, but there are plenty of choices at different price points. Once you give birth, you may need to wear a nursing undergarment that isn't really the prettiest unmentionable around. So, you should treat yourself to pretty underthings all through your pregnancy.

14 Prenatal Massages Will Feel So Good

Prenatal massages are a lot like regular massages, in that they help to relax tensed-up muscles, soothe sore areas, enhance mobility and boost circulation. Prenatal massage will make you feel great and this why it's a pregnancy indulgence that you should try out. Choose a qualified massage therapist who knows how to adjust his or her message techniques to suit your stage of pregnancy and general health. When you're pregnant, your center of gravity shifts. This puts a strain on the abs, shoulders, neck and back. When you treat yourself to a prenatal massage, a massage therapist will make you feel better.

13 Go for Organic Manicures and Pedicures

Some pregnant women prefer to avoid the chemicals in typical nail enamels. They go for organic manicures and pedicures which don't have the chemical downside. If you're looking for a fun pregnancy indulgence, you should be able to find a salon that offers organic "mani-pedis".  If that sounds too expensive, look for organic nail polish, treat yourself to a bottle, and then do your own nails at home.

You might need a little help with your toes if your baby bump is sizable!

Zoya and Suncoat are two nail polish brands that are toxin-free, and there are other brands with the same features. Shop around for nail polish and then have a little fun!

12 Change Your Haircut a Little Bit

Pregnant women who make small adjustments to their typical hairstyles during pregnancy often improve their appearance. So, it may be time for you to book a cut and blow-dry at a cool local hair salon. Hair tends to get very thick during pregnancy, due to hormone changes. Some women get their hair thinned out a bit to make it more manageable. Others go a little shorter to give their faces a lift.

During pregnancy, you may not always look radiant. You may look tired sometimes. The right haircut will be flattering and make you look more alive. Also, your face shape will change during pregnancy. The right haircut will flatter your rounder facial contours.

11 Rub Oil On Your Bump To Prevent Marks

A daily self-massage with a pure and natural skin oil will help you to prevent stretch marks. While some women will get these marks anyway, even when they self-massage with oil, others strongly believe that applying oil to their bellies daily keeps stretch marks at bay.

It's worth a try, isn't it?

Getting rid of stretch marks is way harder than preventing them from forming. Bio-Oil is one of the most popular skin oils for pregnancy self-massage, but you'll have tons of options to choose from. In general, pure and organic oils which are safe for pregnant women are the best choices.

10 Go For Leg and Bikini Waxes

If you're used to waxing your legs and bikini area,  you don't need to stop because you're pregnant. However, you should be aware that some women in their third trimesters find bikini waxes to be more painful than they usually are.

For trimesters one and two, bikini waxes should be safe and feel much like they normally do.

The glossy-smooth look of waxed legs is always attractive. Plus, waxing the legs will slow down regrowth, because leg hair is pulled out right from the roots. Whether you choose leg waxing and a bikini wax, or just one of these beauty treatments, is really up to you.

9 Enjoy a Little Dark Chocolate Daily

Dark chocolate tastes amazing. It's rich, it isn't too sweet and it has a silky-smooth mouth feel. If you love dark chocolate, you don't need to give it up while you're expecting. Just go for the organic stuff and eat small quantities.

Women shouldn't go too wild with sugar while they're pregnant (including high-sugar fruit juices) because of the risk of gestational diabetes. When you choose dark chocolate that isn't too processed, and just have a bite or two for dessert, you will find that it's good for your unborn baby. Women who indulge in this type of chocolate are much less likely to suffer from preeclampsia.

8 Take Gentle Walks in Pretty Places

Going for a gentle walk out in nature, or anywhere else that makes you happy, even if it's a local mall, will soothe you, help to banish water retention and boost your overall fitness. If you're walking outdoors and you're very pregnant, it's best to have a buddy along, especially if the area you walk in is remote and there aren't usually many people around. Naturally, you shouldn't be walking anywhere that has hazards. The area should be very safe.

Going for a daily walk will relax you. Exercise is also so good for a pregnant woman's state of mind. Exercise releases endorphins that elevate mood.

7 Try a Prenatal Yoga Class

Are you a yoga fan? Have you felt the "yoga haze" after doing yoga poses? The Yoga haze is a sense of well-being that is wonderful. If you are a yoga lover, you don't need to stop enjoying yoga during pregnancy, but you should opt for prenatal yoga, rather than your usual yoga routine.  Use prenatal yoga classes to unwind as you connect with your body. When you practice the poses and do mindful breathing, you'll find it so relaxing. While some prenatal yoga classes aren't cheap, the good classes are well worth the money. If you've never taken yoga, now is the time to try it.

6 Invest in New Skin Care Products

Now is a great time to invest in organic skin care. While you may need to spend a little more for pure skin care products that are certified organic, you'll love pampering your skin with formulas that don't contain chemicals. Even if you don't want to go organic, you should considering buying some new skin care products while you're pregnant, because you may find that your complexion changes during pregnancy.

Some women have acne flare-ups due to hormonal shifts. Every woman has her own experience. New skin care products will help you to manage any changes. Plus, a pretty new jar or bottle of moisturizer, serum or toner will cheer you up.

5 Play Around With Makeup

When your body's changing rapidly, paying more attention to makeup will be a great way to boost self-esteem. While a woman certainly doesn't need makeup to be beautiful, and less is often more, learning new techniques with new makeup products will be fun. For example, if you're feeling tired, investing in a new bronzer and fluffy brush may be the key to looking fresh and rested on even the worst days of your pregnancy. A fun new eye shadow palette or highlighter-contour-blush palette will also be a smart buy. Some women swear by a brighter lip while they're expecting, because it draws the eye inward, away from fuller facial features.

4 Get a Soothing Facial

Whether you do a sheet mask yourself at home, while you chill out, or go see a facialist, you'll find that a facial really perks you up. A sheet mask is the easy option. Some sheet masks are very affordable and available at drugstores. Others come from high-end brands and are definitely indulgences.

With salon facials, opt for basic cleansing. Don't go for anything extreme, such as laser therapies, chemical peels or electric currents. For the safest pregnancy facial, talk to your dermatologist, if you have one.

Since we all tend to put on sheet masks or get salon facials way less frequently than we cleanse, tone and moisturize, they do feel like a treat.

3 Binge-Watch Shows That You Love

During pregnancy, downtime is important. If you've been wanting to binge-watch some shows on Netflix, Crave or Hayu (or another platform), now is the time to indulge. Grab some healthy snacks, burrow under a blanket and then hit the play button. Whether you want to binge-watch Real Housewives Of Beverly Hills, or check out something a bit more cerebral, is really up to you. What's important is to allow yourself to be swept away by a show that you really love. The Bodyguard on Netflix is a thrilling choice, but we've reached "peak TV", which means that there are more brilliant shows available than ever before. You will have so many great choices.

2 Accept Help From Others

Being pregnant doesn't always feel good. It brings mood swings, soreness, tenderness and so much more. Some women get hit with morning sickness that goes on well beyond the first trimester. If you're finding pregnancy rough, be sure to reach out. This is a time in your life when the people who care about you will enjoy helping you.

Indulge by putting pride aside and letting others do things for you.

While you may be used to being extremely independent, it's good to let go of that sometimes during pregnancy. Allow yourself to be helped. You can pay it forward later on, when your baby is older and you're in a position to help others.

1 Go Shopping for Baby Outfits

This is one of the most pleasant indulgences on the list! Shopping for adorable onesies, baby hats and baby booties is sheer joy. If you can't afford to create a big layette for your baby, don't get stressed. Just buy simpler, less expensive outfits for the baby when you do have the money. While you walk the aisles, looking at baby clothes, you'll find yourself dreaming about your baby. Will it be a boy or girl? How will being a mother feel? You'll love thinking about your baby while you shop. You'll also love getting the baby's clothes organized before he or she is born.

Sources: Babycenter.com, Vogue.com, Elle.com, InStyle.com, Parenting.com