Whether you’re a mum-to-be or a mum-already-on-the-clock, we could all use a little pampering every now and then. So I put together the ultimate list of blissful treats, including a few you can enjoy while pregnant.
Pregnancy is exciting, between the nesting instinct kicking in and those baby kicks reminding you there’s a tiny human in there. But amidst the endless lists of things you apparently need before they arrive, let’s not forget about the one who’s been carrying the actual load. You.
It’s time to hit pause on the nursery decorating frenzy and treat yourself to a proper moment of indulgence. Below is what I’m calling the Maternity Bliss List, your companion for the next little while. From skincare treats to floating in a tank like a human dumpling, this is curated with love so you can put your swollen feet up and pick a few to book in before your bundle of joy makes their grand entrance.
Pre-natal Massage
A massage tailored specifically to pregnant bodies, focused on relieving tension, reducing swelling and helping you actually relax. Pregnancy massage is different to a regular one because the masseuse avoids pressure points that can bring on early labour, and most places have a special bed so you can lie face down, bump and all. I would have paid by the hour just for that bed alone.
Try Pure Bliss Mama.
Maternity Facials
Gentle, pregnancy-safe facials that deal with the hormonal skin changes nobody warns you about. You lie back, someone else does the work, and you get up looking like you’ve slept eight hours even though you have not.
Try Akta.
Prenatal Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care during pregnancy helps with the musculoskeletal changes that come with growing an entire human, easing things like back pain and pelvic pressure through gentle adjustments. A well aligned pelvis can also make labour itself a smoother process.
“We believe every baby deserves to be checked to ensure optimum function from the beginning. We want to provide the opportunity for the best start in life.” Alistair and Christine Lang, Your Body Works.
Pregnancy Pilates Classes
These classes are genuinely brilliant for expectant mums. They keep you moving safely, strengthen the muscles you’ll actually use during labour and delivery, and help with posture and back pain as your body shifts and changes shape weekly.
Try the pregnancy pilates classes at Be In Blossom.
Pregnancy Belly Casting
Getting a belly cast made is genuinely a laugh. Gather a few loved ones, get messy and walk away with a slightly ridiculous, completely treasured keepsake celebrating the fact that you grew an actual person inside your body.
Try Cast A Memory.
Lash Lift
One of my personal favourite treatments, pregnant or not. You lie back for half an hour while someone permanently curls your lashes into a lush shape. Add a tint and you’ve got gorgeous lashes for up to six weeks without lifting a mascara wand.
Try Harmony Beauty.
Spray Tan
I always feel more glamorous with a tan on, and I’m firmly Team Fake Tan over real sun exposure. During pregnancy there were entire sections of my body the tanning mitt could not reach anymore, so standing in a tent while someone else sprays on a pregnancy-safe, holiday-scented tan was an absolute treat.
Message Alex at Mindful Beaute Everton Park, find them on Facebook.
Pregnancy Nutrition Counselling
Having a naturopath in your corner during pregnancy is like having a clued-in friend on speed dial. Personalised advice on what your body actually needs, without the guilt trip, just practical support for keeping both you and bub well nourished.
Message Nadia Shaw on 0431 198 684, based in Keperra.
Head To Toe Pampering
Sometimes you want the lot. The Total Escape package gives you a shoulder and scalp massage, an express facial and a foot exfoliant, all while reclining on an electronically adjustable bed that does most of the work for you.
Try Harmony Beauty at The Gap.
House Cleaning Service
You know nesting has properly kicked in when you find yourself cleaning the inside of your washing machine. That’s exactly how my own labour started, if you can believe it. If you’d rather put your feet up than scrub the grout, the team at Staib Cleaning will come through and make your whole house glisten using natural products with no harsh chemicals.
Find them on Facebook.
Pregnancy Belly Painting
Fun, creative sessions where you get your bump painted up like the work of art it actually is. Get it photographed properly, even if it’s just a mate with a decent phone camera, because a painted bump is not something you want living only in your memory.
Try Adorn Face Art.
Float Therapy
Floating in a warm pool of Epsom salt water in total darkness sounds intense until you try it, and then it becomes the thing you recommend to literally every pregnant person you meet. Your body goes weightless, your brain finally stops doing seventeen things at once, and you come out feeling like a slightly different, much calmer person.
Try City Cave.
Pick One, Or Pick Them All
Self-care during pregnancy isn’t a luxury, it’s closer to a necessity, especially during a stretch of life that asks this much of your body. Whether you book in a massage, a facial or an afternoon floating in the dark, each one is a small reminder to look after the person doing all the growing.
Pick a few from this list, book them in before your due date sneaks up on you, and enjoy every single bit of the pampering. You’ve earned it.
Brisbane Family Life 