Something I wrote last week... This week I'm 39 weeks, measuring 48 and trying to read this list every day. :)
Right at this moment I'm 38 weeks pregnant with our 8th child, measuring a whopping 45 weeks and feeling huge, grumpy and sore. So while laying in bed, wishing for coffee, this morning I had this idea for a article. So here you go. 15 things to beat the late pregnancy crankies.
1. Chocolate. With or without guilt. If you must have it with guilt wait until after you've felt it melt on your tongue, enjoying the full richness of it and try not to let the guilt last more then .02 seconds.
2. Coffee. Coffee and chocolate are also a great mix. I try to limit my coffee to a cup in the morning (actually a mocha) and half a cup in the afternoon. But I try to enjoy every single sip.
3. A bath. Now your thinking: she has 7 kids how on earth does she have time to relax in a bath? I'm lucky :) my husband is home every morning until noon and I'm a night owl so after the kids go to bed is prime bath time. Get a good book, a glass of cold tea or water and relax for 40 minutes or so. I use Epsom salts in my baths and something about them just makes it feel like I'm spoiling myself.
4. Tea. I don't really like warm drinks but if you do you can just make yours hot. I like my tea cold. So I brew a jug of it at a time, adding honey while it's hot, and then ice cubes and cold water and stick it in the fridge and it's ready every time I need a break. I rarely swig tea on the go. I much prefer to get my glass of tea, sit with my feet up, and sip it while I plan my day, mark school work, watch kids play or chat with my husband. (Oh and I should add I drink a red raspberry leaf tea mixture throughout my pregnancy's. I mix my own dry tea mix, Rrl, cinnamon chunks, alfalfa leaves, rose hip chunks, and nettle.)
5. Deep breaths. Seriously. Take a deep breath, hold it for a bit, and let it all out. Do this until your eyes blur or your no longer cranky...or you pass out ;) No really, anyone who's been in pain can attest to the healing feeling of endorphins. A couple nice big breaths in a row can bring some of those wonderful endorphins out to calm your body and reduce your crankiness levels if anything at all is causing you pain or discomfort.
6. Have a snack. I haven't mentioned chocolate in a while but it's a very important part of snack time. Mommies snack time that is. Kids can have fruit or something. Chocolate chips and salt and vinegar chips. Almonds with a couple of chunks of chocolate mixed in. Oh there are none chocolate snacks too but when momma is cranky the chocolate ones go over the very best!
7. Tylenol. If your in pain and the crankies are stemming from that pain it's totally worth it to take a couple Tylenol and take a break from the pain and the crankies. My doctor says I can take it 4 times a day. I try for only once or twice during the day as I normally will need some to get any sort of decent sleep at this point and sleep is important in keeping the crankies at bay.
8. Sleep. Sleep is important. Sleep helps you not to kill people. Notice I said HELPS! Those of you with raging homicial urges may need more help then a couple of good hours of sleep. ;) Just joking, but really sleep is super important. Right now between the baby kicking, my kidneys working almost solely at night and my sore hips/ back I'm up every 45 minutes to a hour and a half. One night last week I slept a four hour stretch. It was amazing! Last night my longest stretch was a hour and a half. This is what I jokingly refer to as 'the baby is training me' and honestly I get better sleep after the baby is born then the 2 months before. No joke. Have a nap, heck have two. Close your eyes for 5 minutes on the couch and relax while your kids, if you have any, play on the floor or whatever. Totally worth every second.
9. Water. Drink more. Pee more. Drink more. I think you get the picture! Water is amazing in pregnancy. It loosens all the tight parts and lubs up all the cranky parts. It can take away headaches and Braxton hicks contractions. It can help with swelling and give you energy. Drink. More. Water.
10. Protein. I eat a handful of nuts every morning before my morning coffee. I can't list the reasons why but if I miss it my body doesn't like me for the rest of the day. Protein is important for so many things in growing a tiny human. Google it. It's amazing. I know it's often the very very last thing on your yummy things to eat list while pregnant but eat it anyway. I don't eat crackers for morning sickness, I eat protein. It works 10 times better. Do it. Your body will love you for it.
11. Find a good book to read. Something you can really sink into and disappear for a bit. Add some tea or chocolate and you've got a incredible way to drown those crankies for a bit.
12. Get active. Go for a walk, tickle a small or large child, go hang up the laundry or window shopping. Sometimes just the change in location can do amazing things to kick those crankies outta sight.
13. Work on a project. This article is one for me :) I also have a crochet baby blanket I'm making. Something to keep your hands/head busy.
14. Watch a show. I just finished House and just started White Collar on Netflix. I watch on my iPad in bed in the evenings or when my littles are napping with headphones. Sometimes I even mix this with numbers 6 and 4. And a couple times with number 3 :)
15. Make a list. A thankful list. Make one everyday if necessary. Keep a book. Date the entry's they are great to come back to later!
And last but not least take a chill pill. Take two they are small :) You won't be pregnant forever. No one has been yet! Eventually the baby will be born and a whole new period of life will start up and this will all be a distant memory.
