I always associated a bucket list with a series of grand activities that one hoped to accomplish within a lifetime — think major goals, such as seeing the 7 Wonders of the World or trekking the Inca Trail to Machu Pichu. While the concept sounds amazing I know I would never be that ambitious…so needless to say I never made a bucket list.
But what about a pregnancy bucket list, things you want to see and do before your baby arrives? Something less aspirational (think: no mountains to climb) yet equally rewarding (a little pampering during month nine). For no other reason than your life is about to change completely, in a wonderful way, and this would be an opportunity to spoil yourself a bit before your baby arrives.
Now I’m not saying this list has to include life-changing activities — after all, we are pregnant, you have to keep any physical limitations in mind. I wasn’t looking to compete in a decathlon or enter a hot dog eating contest before I got pregnant, so that certainly wasn’t of interest to now that I was. Instead I kept it simple yet special.
I created a list of activities that were meaningful to me and those I loved, and some things I enjoy doing now but knew would be temporarily put on hold after my son arrived. I looked at this as a chance to indulge a little, boost my morale and help me to feel like the best version of myself that I could as I started motherhood — happy, strong and fulfilled.
It was just some simple things, but they have made all the difference in my spirit. I knew I would begin motherhood with no regrets no matter what, now I am also feeling more relaxed and accomplished. And — dare I say it — ready for my son to arrive!
1. Weekend with my mom. It’s not a bad thing, but I know that when my son is born the relationship I have with my mom will be slightly different. I expect the time we spend together to be focused more so on him, and our phone calls will probably center on his bowel movements and bath time — at least for the next few months! We took a weekend to be mother and daughter, just the two of us.
2. Weekend with my girlfriends. There is nothing like some uninterrupted girl time, and it will be a while before I can claim my share again. We watched TV, we slept in and we ate far too much food. We had a blast!
3. Dinner at a nice restaurant. I know my husband and I won't be able to dine out with our son anytime soon, let alone visit a restaurant alone (hello, breastfeeding and pumping!). We dressed up and went out to eat decadent food, it was a small thing but we enjoyed it immensely.
4. Manicure & pedicure. I can’t believe all the trips to the nail salon that I previously took for granted. Not only do I appreciate any form of pampering tenfold now that I’m pregnant and everything aches, but I was put on bedrest and it hasn’t even a option for weeks now. After a very strong nonstress test my doctor approved me for a one-hour bedrest respite at the nail salon and I almost cried tears of joy. My self-esteem soared with those simple coats of nail polish.
5. Staycation with my husband. Many people take “babymoons” to exotic destinations, sadly the Zika virus squashed our plans. Instead we spent a weekend at a local hotel in San Francisco and removed ourselves from our daily life and nursery/baby prep, and just enjoyed being us two before we became three. And, as a bonus our hotel had Drybar hair dryers, so I was able to perfect my home blowout...which was almost like a pre-delivery bucket list item in itself since I will be responsible for doing that myself from now on. So thank you, Hyatt Centric! (And yes, I excitedly took pictures of the hair dryer to show my friends, and not the view. Oops.)
6. Treat myself. My focus has been completely on my son since the day I saw that positive pregnancy test. I have been so busy preparing for his arrival and subsequent needs that I overlooked my own (like every single mother… ever!). I bought myself a few feel good items, from foot cream to bath oil and new makeup. I wanted to to pamper myself while I still have enough free time to luxuriate in a (lukewarm) bubble bath!
7. Celebrate my husband. I always say that my husband has been the unsung hero of my pregnancy. He takes care of me, he makes sure our pantry is stocked with any possible food I may crave and he practically sliced off a finger installing our car seat. Yet the focus has been squarely on me and our son only, and I wanted to change that if just for one day. I threw a party for two where I ordered his favorite dinner (I can’t cook while on bed rest) and gave him a present to show my appreciation for all he does for our family.
Photo credit: Becky Vieira
Did you make a pre-delivery bucket list? What did you do before your baby arrived?
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