Here are our Ten Top Tips on Taking Time Out during Pregnancy

It's important to take some 'me' time during any stage of your pregnancy (but I'm sure you don't need an excuse!). So, let's relax the bump (and you)..Janay from the Birth Specialists gives us ten top tips ways to chill out..


1. Take 5 minutes to put your feet up. Lie on your left side on the sofa, especially in the third trimester of your pregnancy. 
2. Go for a pregnancy massage – you will not be asked to lie on your tummy if you go to a specialists pregnancy massage parlour.
3. Book in for a wonderfully relaxing Reflexology session – your feet are meant to be the map of your body! Make sure you see a Reflexologist, who is qualified to treat pregnant women.
4. Listen to your favourite calming music. Music has the ability to transport you to a great place and time.
5. Meditation or visualisation is a brilliant way of relaxing your body. Life gets so busy and stressful that you really do need to take the time out to purposely relax.
6. Laugh out loud! Laughing released endorphins – the body's feel good hormones. Spend time with people you love, watch your favourite comedy, tickle your partner!
7. Go for a walk and get some fresh air and (hopefully) sunshine! Take time to notice the miracle of nature. When you are out in sunshine take off any glasses, sunglasses and contact lenses to all the sunlight into your eyes.
8. Take a relaxing bath or go for a gentle swim – you are buoyant in water – so a lovely way to take the weight off!
9. Breathe! We know this sounds simple but taking just 5 minutes to focus on breathing in and out deeply will give your body time to relax and repair.
10. Enjoy each moment of your pregnancy. 40 weeks go by in a flash – so take pictures, keep a diary and savour the moments.


For some great relaxation audio, specifically for women who are either pregnant or have recently become a mum, you should check out the birth specialists website. You can either choose the cd or the mp3 download version of all tracks to sooth anxiety and get you to 'switch off'. Click here to see their range of recordings.