Tip #1: If you want to stay comfortable, don’t get pregnant. The end. JUST KIDDING!
In all seriousness, it can be very uncomfortable toward the end of pregnancy, especially with twins. Here’s some of my tips:
(Real) Tip #1: Use a pregnancy pillow. After about 20 weeks your doctor will advise that you no longer lay on your back for long periods of time. As a back sleeper, this was a hard habit to kick. I’m on my third body pillow and I’ve finally found one that is actually comfortable, forces me to sleep on my side, and is therapeutic all in one. It’s the Snoogle body pillow.
Tip #2: Wear a support belt. I wear the Belly Bandit Upsie Belly in a medium but could probably wear a small. It takes pressure off my cervix, distributes the weight of the belly more evenly, it helps alleviate my contractions and it may even help reduce stretch marks. For mamas who aren’t quite as massive as me opt instead for the Blanqi tank top (I wear a small). It does the same things as the Upsie Belly but a little scaled down.
Tip #3: Elevate those feet, ladies! Sitting on a couch? Put your feet on the coffee table! Sitting at a restaurant table? You have to cheat a little here and put your feet on the base of the table (any elevation counts!). Your heart is working overtime to pump that extra blood through your veins so give it some help. I get light-headed if my feet go unelevated for more than an hour or two.
Tip #4: Sleep with water next to your bed and drink Natural Calm magnesium before bedtime. Because no one likes leg cramps at 2am.
Tip #5: Orthotics. Your feet will thank you. I wear them in all my tennis shoes and I recently bought Vionic Gemma Slide slippers for around my house, not the cutest but my feet feel like a million bucks.
Tip #6: See a chiropractor trained to help pregnant women (key word: ask if they are trained in The Webster Technique). They will help alleviate heartburn, help with pelvic pain, and help relieve round ligament pain. (And it’s been proven that women who see pregnancy chiropractors have a higher chance of babies who are head down, this is because the doctor helps align the pelvis and uterus so everything flows better and when this happens babies naturally go head down.)
Tip #7: My babies kick all the time and it can be uncomfortable. I don’t have any solutions to this but holding my belly seems to help but I’m sure it’s purely psychological.
Tip #8: Don’t be afraid of labor. If you are, read Ina May Gaskin’s Guide To Childbirth, or at least buy it and skim through it.
Tip #9: Overhydrate and try to urinate before you have to go so bad you can’t even breathe!
Tip #10: Putting on socks, shoes, pants, underwear. Hm, again, I can’t offer much help here. Once you can’t see the hoo-ha anymore things just get a little uhh-hemmm hairy. (To Do List: get a wax!)
Great tips!! Other thing i would say is wear comfy clothes!!!! …i was preggers 5 times and becasue i as able to stay at gime i always wire comfy clotes and wenr barefoot!!! You lookk amazing…good luck with those sweet babies.
I had twins just a few years ago and remember the anemia and how uncomfortable I was with all the extra weight. I tried every iron supplement and finally hit the jackpot with Spatone Pur-Absorb packets in my OJ. As far as staying comfortable, I made sure I walked or rode my stationary bike for at least 30-40 minutes every days. Also, I went in water as much as I could. Last piece of advice is a good massage therapist to do a maternity massage. You look amazing and I wish you and your family the best through this pregnancy and beyond.
The Chiropractor is definitely necessary when they know the right techniques. I have also found that a good massage right before an adjustment can really make a difference with how long the comfort lasts. My adjustments used to feel good for a few days but now the combo lasts a full week! Definitely scheduled them weekly now that I have hit the third trimester.
I found it interesting when you said that seeing a chiropractor will fix those with babies facing head down by realigning them. I guess I will be suggesting this to my best friend. This is because they just got home from their first ultrasound, and they found out that their baby is not in a normal position.