While it’s natural to feel a little concerned about the changes that are about to happen to you and your body during pregnancy, it’s vitally important to keep a positive spirit. Even though some changes may not go according to your expectations, you may still find ways to feel attractive.
If you are wondering how to look attractive while pregnant despite continuous size changes and your ankles getting bigger day after day, in this article, you will find several practical tips to enjoy your pregnant body.
“Let us make pregnancy an occasion when we appreciate our female bodies.”
Merete Leonhardt-Lupa
1) A Sound Mind In a Sound Body
The well-known Latin saying “Mens sana in corpore sano”, meaning “A sound mind in a sound body”, would be an excellent pregnancy motto.
It has already been scientifically proven that there is a strong link between physical exercise and mental equilibrium. Moreover, being in good shape will benefit your looks before and after pregnancy and provide a better condition for your baby.
Scared to gain a little weight? You can start exercising. Need to take your mind off something and stretch a little? Try yoga.
Keeping fit will allow you to feel attractive while pregnant, and there are several ways to do it.
1.1) Exercise
First and foremost, you can get yourself into a new habit of exercising. A good training session at least twice a week is not only energizing but also gets your blood flow back to normal. Take a half an hour walk in the park or attend a water aerobics class.
Pregnant women can also do group dance or try cardio workouts. Typically, most pregnancy exercises can be done as long as you are extra careful and follow common safety rules.
And, as a bonus, if you take up some prenatal group activity, you can get in good with other soon-to-be moms. This way, you will get fit and won’t have to feel alone with your pregnancy as you can get advice from your new acquaintances.
Related: Best Pregnancy & Antenatal Exercises safe for all Trimesters (and for easier labor!)
1.2) Do Yoga
If you weren’t a big fan of exercise before pregnancy, it might not seem easy to start once you’re carrying a baby. And yet, if you still feel like putting a little effort into being active, you may consider doing yoga. Prenatal yoga is an approach that encourages stretching, mental centering, and focused breathing.
In addition, prenatal yoga helps pregnant women improve their sleep, reduce stress and anxiety, increase flexibility and endurance of muscles needed for childbirth. Not to mentions it helps decrease lower back pain, nausea, heartburn, headaches, and shortness of breath. All in all, yoga is a go-to way to keep your body and mind fit and healthy that contributes to that inner and outer pregnancy glow.
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1.3) Watch Your Posture
If you’ve already faced that terrible back pain, you know what an important role posture plays during pregnancy. When you have to carry the weight of your growing baby, your back suffers a lot.
Thus, to keep your body in alignment, you may follow these simple rules:
- Try not to lie on your back, especially in late pregnancy, as it presses the weight of the heavy uterus on the large blood vessels in your belly;
- Use special pregnancy pillows to have support behind your back, between your legs, and under your belly;
- Try not to slump or slouch while sitting; it’s better to use a sturdy chair with low-back support;
- Try not to cross your legs while seated as it can affect circulation; and
- It’s better not to stand for long periods and vary your position now and then.
Good posture helps pregnant women look and feel better and prevents the discomforts of pregnancy.
Related: How to use a Pregnancy Pillow for Back Pain
2) Get Enough Vitamins and Sleep
Never underestimate the effects of a sufficient amount of vitamins and sleep on your skin. A gentle moisturizer, a balanced diet, and 7-9 hours of sleep a night may do wonders.
The author of Feed Your Face, Dr. Jessica Wu, emphasizes the importance of a healthy diet for great complexion during pregnancy. So, if your pregnancy hormones make it hard for you to feel pretty while pregnant, causing skin problems, here are some things you may try in your diet:
- For melasma, you should get enough folate and zinc (beans and nuts);
- To prevent stretch marks, your food must contain high protein (lean beef, fish, eggs, milk, cottage cheese), which is also essential for your baby’s brain development;
- Tackling acne and rashes, you should seek foods rich in omega-3s (walnuts, chia seeds, fish, lean beef); and
- To avoid eczema and dry skin, your diet should include probiotics (Greek yogurt, pickles, kimchi, kombucha, some types of cheese like mozzarella, Gouda, cheddar).
If you want to keep your skin glowing beauty – keep your diet rich in vitamins, get enough sleep, and make an appointment with a good dermatologist to select safe pregnancy skin treatments.
There are also lots of prenatal vitamins to choose from to integrate your diet and these should actually be part of your pregnancy survival kit already. I personally took Elevit prenatal vitamins, both throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding.
Related: Pregnancy Survival Kit (30+ Essentials for Mom & Dad)
Note: There are also products you will have to avoid when pregnant and not because they’re bad for your skin. Generally, you’ll have to be careful with the following things:
- Caffeine: pregnant women are typically advised to limit their caffeine intake to 200 mg per day as it has been shown to restrict fetal growth and increase the risk of low birth weight.
- Unpasteurized milk, cheese, and fruit juice: unpasteurized dairy can contain harmful bacteria, which is also true about unpasteurized juice.
- Processed junk foods: such food is typically low in nutrients and high in calories, sugar, and added fats, which is never a healthy option.
3) Treat Yourself
If you want to look hot when pregnant, you need to feel hot! And to do that, you should never hesitate to treat yourself. Give your self-esteem a quick boost by booking an appointment in a beauty salon to get your nails done or get a nice spa treatment.
You could also lift your spirit by booking a couple’s massage as you will not only benefit from the procedure itself as you will have a little romantic getaway with your beloved partner.
Do whatever can make a pregnant woman feel beautiful! Take advantage of your hair’s growth phase and try out that new hairstyle you’ve always been willing to try, or go on a long-awaited shopping spree and embrace your inner fashionista. Get yourself maternity clothes that make you feel stylish and beautiful.
These and other ideas are actually also listed in this article of fun and creative things to do while pregnant – check it out!
Do you want to feel sexy? Find yourself a set of sexy lingerie and wear it if you feel up for it. Remember, carrying a baby doesn’t make you any less hot than you’ve always been. Embrace your sexuality and buy yourself clothes and lingerie to boost your self-image. Just go for it and treat yourself!
4) Use a Night Out
If you need a reason to get out of the house – make one up! If you want to throw a party with your friends and enjoy a lovely evening out in some new fancy restaurant or have a night out with your partner – do it! It will be a good reason to take your best dress out of your closet and try out your new makeup palette.
Being pregnant doesn’t make you a prisoner of your own home, so get out and shine bright!
A little tip for partners: If you want to make your pregnant wife feel beautiful – encourage her! Let her know that she is loved and appreciated and, of course, you can’t tell her enough how beautiful she is. Ask her out to a nice restaurant, let her feel special as if it is the most romantic Valentine’s day all over again. Give her a reason to dress up and get out of the house!
5) Positive Energy Only
The last tip on how to feel attractive during pregnancy is surround yourself with loving and caring people. This way you will never have to wonder how to be beautiful while pregnant, as you will already feel that way.
Feeling loved and appreciated is the best way to concentrate on the positive things about pregnancy and not on your jeans size or almost invisible stretch marks.
Build a support group to lift your spirit and help with your struggling pregnancy self-esteem. Let your loved ones encourage you and take your mind off those minor discomforts of your pregnancy.
Spend time with your friends and family. Don’t hesitate to reach out to friends who are also pregnant to chat about how it’s going and what to expect. You don’t have to go through this period of your life alone; there are always people there to help you and support you.
How to Feel Attractive while Pregnant: Final Thoughts
Being pregnant is a special period in your life, which precedes one of the greatest miracles in the world – childbirth. So take your time to enjoy being pregnant.
Chrissy Teigen pretty much summed it all up by saying: “There is something very beautiful about being pregnant.” So don’t forget to remind yourself that you are beautiful and are doing something amazing — you’re carrying a baby.
About the Author
Natalie Maximets is a certified life transformation coach with expertise in sustainability and mindfulness and a writer at Online Divorce. She helps people overcome life challenges and build happier life.
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As a mom who has been through 2 pregnancies, I find this list so true! Personally, I made sure to take the vitamins, eat healthy and get enough sleep. These were key for me to feeling great throughout my whole pregnancy!