Nobody will argue that pregnancy is beautiful. After all, you’re growing another human inside of you! While some pregnant women have that amazing glow on the outside, they aren’t always feeling great on the inside. For starters, there is the morning sickness, heartburn, and stretch marks. Not to mention the need to pee every five minutes as your pregnancy progresses. Towards the end of it all, you can barely squeeze into your maternity clothes.

For those reasons (and many, many others), it’s important to pamper yourself during pregnancy – you deserve it! How do you know what is safe for you or the baby? Are prenatal massages healthy? What about a manicure or pedicure? What if you want to dye your hair while pregnant? With harsh chemicals being present in so many different products, it’s hard to know what’s safe and what isn’t. If you want to spoil yourself without all the uncertainty, here are five ways for the natural minded mom to pamper herself during pregnancy:

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Prenatal Massage

Growing another human is a lot of hard work, and a prenatal massage is a great way to alleviate those aches and pains. According to the American Pregnancy Association, “massage therapy performed during pregnancy can reduce anxiety, decrease symptoms of depression, relieve muscle aches and joint pains, and improve labor outcomes and newborn health.”

However, there are a few things to consider to ensure that your prenatal massage is as safe as possible. First, make sure you tell your massage therapist about your pregnancy and make sure they are a certified prenatal massage therapist. This means that they have experience working with pregnant women and will ensure that you are in the correct position and given the appropriate techniques. Keep in mind that they may not treat you while you are in your first trimester because some practices believe that the risk of miscarriage is higher.

If you’re considering a prenatal massage, be sure to call your health insurance provider. Your coverage may include a few sessions, and it might not cost you much!

Soak Your Feet

Pregnancy can put a lot of stress on your feet due to the extra weight. It’s not uncommon to experience swollen ankles and feet because of the extra fluid your body is retaining. A wonderful way to pamper yourself during pregnancy is to soak your feet! Use a foot bath if you have one, otherwise the tub will work just fine. Try putting down a layer of pebbles and use an eco-friendly foot soak for an even more spa-like experience. Make sure to keep the water below 100 degrees to ensure that you don’t over heat. Try to do this every night if you have the time – it will help your tired and swollen feet feel relaxed while improving blood circulation.

Slather On The Lotion

Another amazing part of pregnancy is the ability of your belly skin to stretch quickly to accomondate your growing baby. As amazing as it is, it doesn’t make it any less uncomfortable. Because of the quick stretching, many pregnant women complain about itchy skin. Rubbing some lotion on your belly can help keep it smooth and reduce the itch. Don’t forget to slather some on your breasts, too, since they are also growing.

Make sure you are choosing natural, chemical-free lotions to keep both you and your baby safe. This body butter is designed to help fight stretch marks and restore elasticity to dry, itchy skin. Another product you could try is coconut oil. As one of nature’s most potent oils, it soothes, moisturizes, treats, and nourishes. Either of these products are a relaxing and safe way to pamper yourself during pregnancy.

Prenatal Yoga

Prenatal yoga is another way to pamper yourself during pregnancy. It can be very beneficial in relieving many of those pregnancy induced aches and pains. According to Mind Body Green, “prenatal yoga can help alleviate the pressure the lower back is under during the shift in gravity. By stretching the upper leg muscles and the lower back, tension will begin to release. Partnered with the smart abdominal work, your body will feel less pain as it goes through the journey of pregnancy.” Not only is it great for relaxing and reducing aches and pains, it can also help you prepare for delivery by helping you learn to breathe as well as strengthening your pelvic floor muscles.

Get Your House Cleaned

If you’re anything like me, a clean house makes you happy. If you’ve tried cleaning while eight months pregnant, you know it’s no easy feat. When you’re pregnant people are always asking what they can help with, and it’s hard to come up with something for them to do. Well, one of the ways they can be useful is by helping to clean your home!

Not only will it be safer for baby to be brought back to a clean home, but hopefully it will help you relax when you have a newborn. Nobody wants to stress about how the cleaning will get done. If you can’t imagine your mom or friends cleaning your house, you can always hire a house cleaner to come in and do a deep clean before baby arrives. Just make sure they are using cleaner without harsh chemicals. Your best bet is to provide them with your own supplies – we love Dapple Baby products that are safe for the whole family.

Between a prenatal massage and a relaxing foot soak, there are so many ways to pamper yourself during pregnancy. These five guilt-free ideas will allow you to relax without worrying about unwanted chemicals!

What is your favorite way to relax during pregnancy?