Telling loved ones

For many expectant parents, making that first decision to break the pregnancy news to family and friends may seem a little daunting. Some of you will be itching to shout it from the roof tops avoiding having to cover up why you cannot have that glass of wine!

However there are many occasions when women may wish to keep the news private until the end of the first trimester when the risk of a miscarriage reduces considerably. Although you may feel like you’re missing out on celebrating the big news, it is very likely that by the end of your pregnancy you would have soaked up enough joy and well wishes to last a life time.

Take a look at some of the announcement ideas that we love on Pinterest.

Organising maternity leave

There’s so much to think about once you find out you’re pregnant and it’s very tempting to focus only on baby clothes, prams and all the fun stuff and skip the boring admin bits. But you need to make sure your maternity leave is set up, which involves submitting all the required forms to your employer.

The MAT B1 form is one of those forms you don’t know you need until you suddenly need it! It’s also known as a Maternity Certificate and is the key piece of paperwork you’ll need when working out your maternity leave arrangements. You’ll need a MATB1 form if you’re employed, self-employed, working full-time or part-time, in order to claim your maternity pay and benefits, regardless of whether you’ll be claiming Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP) from your employer or Maternity Allowance (MA) from Jobcentre Plus. You’ll also need a copy of your MATB1 to claim free dental care.

The form confirms you are pregnant and names your due date. You can get it from your GP or midwife after you have been pregnant for 20 weeks. You should automatically receive it, but if you don’t, make sure to ask for it!

After you sign it, at some stage before you are 25 weeks pregnant, you’ll need to give it to your employer, so either your boss or the HR team. Don’t forget to make a copy and keep it safe in case you need it further along the line!

Enjoy your last few months of pregnancy, pamper yourself!

Your last few months is the time to start pampering yourself! Pregnancy in the last few months can take a toll on you and your body and you’re going to be too busy to find much time for yourself in the first couple of months after your baby’s arrival. Now is the perfect time for that last pamper session to spoil yourself.  Here are a few ideas:

Your feet will be really sore at this point and there is a good chance they are pretty swollen. One idea to help sooth them is a warm soak in a foot bath or tub then put your feet up. You may be able to persuade your partner for a foot rub too!

Being pregnant is one time when you don’t have to worry about your weight, now and again you need to take advantage of this.  Of course it’s still important to maintain a healthy diet throughout your pregnancy but on the odd occasion you can have that sweet treat you’ve been craving.

One thing you can’t do whilst pregnant is drink alcohol but you can still treat yourself here. Non-alcoholic mocktails are just as good, they still come in a fancy glass, garnished with fruit and they taste amazing. Take an afternoon off and find a fancy bar with one of your friends.

Once the baby arrives it will be a lot harder for you and your partner to spend that special one on one time together. Whilst you have the time you need to take the advantage of date nights – go out to the cinema or take your partner for a fancy meal. Having a strong relationship with your partner is going to be really important for when your baby arrives.

How about a spa day? You and your friends could go away for the day or the weekend and you can have someone professionally rub your feet and give you that back massage you’ve been craving. A pedicure or manicure would be a great feature too, we bet you’re struggling to touch your toes now! Most of all you will feel great afterwards.

Any of these ideas will help keep you calm and help relax you in the last few months of your pregnancy. You should never forget, mum needs looking after too!