How To Make the Most of Your Summer Vacation Time While Pregnant

Just because you’re pregnant this summer doesn’t mean you can’t make the most of every day! You need to take your vacation time and soak up the sun. Your body may be changing, but you can still show off your bump in a bikini at the pool.

Vacation days also give you an opportunity to do the work to prepare yourself and your home for the baby. Use your days off to decorate your nursery with washable rugs and designer pillows. Do your research to customize your birth plan and find the care community you need to support you on your journey toward motherhood. Here are some suggestions on how to make the most of your summer vacation time while pregnant.

Stay Comfortable in Every Stage of Pregnancy in Hatch’s Maternity Leggings

When the temperatures turn up this summer, you’ll need clothes that can help keep you cool. Maternity jeans may look cute, but those high elastic bands get sticky and uncomfortable fast on hot summer afternoons. Opt for cool and comfortable maternity leggings from Hatch that stretch with your body.

Hatch’s Ultra Soft Before, During & After Leggings are a staple every pregnant mama needs in her summer wardrobe. Their maternity leggings are made from 92% modal, a breathable and absorbent fabric, and 8% spandex for added stretch. This combination allows the leggings to gently support your bump while absorbing excess moisture to keep you cool and comfy on hot days.

These maternity leggings are cozy enough for lazy Sundays hanging on the couch but can also be worn for light exercise like yoga or dressed up to hit the town. Modal holds up better than other fabric alternatives like rayon and is better for the environment. No matter how often you wash your Hatch maternity leggings, they’ll retain stretchy softness.

Dress Up Your Maternity Leggings With Colorful Tunics for Women From Johnny Was

You can wear maternity leggings almost anywhere once you learn how to style them correctly. Dress up your maternity leggings for date night by pairing them with colorful tunics for women by Johnny Was. These long blouses are light and breezy. Plus, their flowy design will easily fit over your growing bump.

You don’t need to purchase all your clothes with your pregnancy in mind. You’ll be pregnant for nine months, after all, and you only need specially-sized clothing for half that time. Picking pieces like loose tunics for women allows you to add new clothing to your closet that you’ll wear for years rather than only a few months.

These bright and bold tunics for women from Johnny Was are enough to make any outfit. You don’t need a fancy skirt or slacks to pull off this boho chic look. You can stay in your comfy maternity leggings and let your tunic be the star of the show. Choose one of the longer tunics that buttons top to bottom. You can leave the buttons undone as your bump gets bigger for a more comfortable fit.

Hit the Beach in a Solid & Striped Bikini

Being pregnant doesn’t mean you have to miss out on all the best parts of summer. You may be growing a bump, but you can still head to the beach and enjoy the sun! In your first trimester, you won’t even be showing. There’s no reason not to show some skin in a bikini from Solid & Striped.

Their bikinis are designed to be customizable. While you can shop for sets, they offer various cuts and styles, allowing you to mix and match bikini tops and bottoms to find your perfect fit. The Solid & Striped size guide includes photos of models with all their measurements. Using this, along with your measurements, can help you better imagine what your changing body will look like in one of their stylish bikinis.

If you’re shopping for new swimwear during the early stages of your pregnancy, consider sizing up to ensure your bikini will fit the entire summer. You don’t necessarily need to buy a maternity bikini to feel fabulous in your skin. String bikinis are easy to adjust — simply tie the bottoms under your bump and show off that growing baby.

Smell Divine Wherever You Go Wearing an Editorialist Recommended Fragrance

You want to smell your best all summer, whether you and your partner are heading out for a pre-baby date night, you’re relaxing on the beach with the girls, or you’re running a few errands. Treat yourself to a new fragrance to spritz yourself each day before leaving the house.

Don’t just choose any scent. Find a scent that feels uniquely you. Scent is a powerful tool, and when you’re pregnant, you have an especially keen sense of smell. Choose a fragrance that works with your body’s natural pheromones and evokes memories of your favorite moments.

Editorialist recommends Maison Margiela’s Replica perfume dossier for all your summer fragrance needs. It features a collection of unisex fragrances that reflect specific places or memories. Give the line a try, and see which scents are best for your super-sensitive nose.

Find a Community of Caregivers at Oula Who Can Help You Come Up With a Birth Plan That Fits Your Needs

You should prioritize fun during your summer vacation, even when pregnant, but you should also use any extra time to prepare for labor. You’d certainly start training early if you were planning to run a marathon. Why not do everything you can to prepare to bring your child into the world?

Creating a birth plan can quickly become overwhelming, especially if you don’t have support. That’s why Oula offers a unique pre- and post-natal care approach. They combine obstetrics and midwifery to ensure you have a compassionate birth experience.

Oula believes that quality care and community should be available to all women. In addition to care, Oula offers birth education through office visits and online classes. You can take advantage of these during summer vacation and know you are doing everything possible to have the best birth experience possible.

Prepare for a Home Birth by Investing in a Transfer Master Hospital Bed

You may not want to give birth in a hospital. If you plan on having a home birth, a home hospital bed from Transfer Master could help make your birth experience much more comfortable and convenient. Many women feel more comfortable laboring at home, especially when they’ve hired an experienced midwife or doula to be by their side and coach them through the process.

Transfer Master’s hospital beds don’t look as clinical as traditional hospital beds. They’re designed to fit your decorative aesthetic while adding extra functionality. With a hospital bed, you can change positions more easily during labor and elevate your legs or torso to stay comfortable through contractions.

Hospital beds can even be helpful during the third trimester. Your mobility is much more limited those last few weeks before you give birth. An adjustable hospital bed in your home makes getting in and out of bed easier without your partner’s assistance.

Use a Squatty Potty To Make It Easier To Go #2

Pregnancy is uncomfortable enough without worrying about bloating, constipation, and hemorrhoids. Unfortunately, the above symptoms tend to walk hand in hand with growing a human. You want to enjoy your summer vacation days. The last thing you need is uncomfortable, itchy pregnancy-induced hemorrhoids putting a damper on fun summer plans.

The combination of pregnancy hormones slowing digestion and the growing baby putting pressure on the pelvic area and bowels make it difficult to fight these symptoms. What you can do is ensure you’re getting enough fiber in your diet to promote regular bowel movements and do your best to avoid straining when you sit down on the toilet.

Now, you can spend less time in the bathroom this summer and more time doing the things you love. Using a Squatty Potty can help alleviate straining. This convenient stool lifts your knees above your hips, putting your body in the ideal position for relaxing your colon, allowing for a more comfortable bowel movement.

Keep Cool on Hot Summer Nights With a hOmeLabs Window Air Conditioner

As much as you want to get out and enjoy the summer sun, pregnant women are at a higher risk for heat exposure. The CDC warns pregnant women that excess heat exposure could be linked to birth defects or other reproductive problems. When you’re pregnant, your body has to work harder to cool you down since it has to account for both you and your unborn baby.

Do everything you can to stay cool this summer. Hang by the pool with friends and take a dip when you feel your body temperature starting to rise. Sit in the shade rather than the sun and stay hydrated. Keep a water bottle with you whenever you’re on the go. On the days it’s just too hot to function, stay inside in a cool air-conditioned space.

You’ll sleep much more comfortably if you use AC to keep your bedroom cool. If you don’t have central air, a hOmeLabs window air conditioner with smart controls will help you stay comfortable all night. You can install it in your bedroom window and escape the heat in under 15 minutes.

Customize Your Nursery With a Washable Rug From Tumble

Take advantage of your hormonal urges to nest and use those summer vacation days to decorate the nursery. Build the crib your baby will dream in. Fold all their little onesies and tuck them into the brand-new bureau. Hang art on the walls and create a cozy nursery where you two will spend your days getting to know each other.

Babies are messy little creatures. They tend to spit up when they’re little, and their diapers sometimes leak. Once they become toddlers, it only intensifies. Now they can spill their drinks and toss food to their heart’s content. Use washable rugs from Tumble in the nursery, and never worry about your little one damaging the carpet.

While you’re fixing up the nursery, consider adding washable area rugs throughout your home to make clean-up a little easier. No worries if you get a bit of spit-up on your area rug. Tumble’s washable rugs are stain-proof and machine-washable. You can throw the whole carpet right into the washing machine, and it’ll come out looking good as new.

Add Designer Pillows From Z Gallerie To Make Nursing More Comfortable

Diaper changes and naps aren’t the only times you’ll spend in the nursery. This will be where you nurse your little one and strengthen the bond between mother and child. You’ll curl up in a cozy nursing chair and rock your little one to sleep multiple times daily.

Your arms may tire out fast when you’re feeding your baby for long periods, especially late at night when you’re exhausted. While you can’t keep pillows in the crib, you can use them to add decoration and convenience to your nursery.

Place a couple of Z Gallerie’s throw pillows on your nursing chair to boost your arm while you feed your baby. They have a wide variety of sizes, colors, and prints. You’ll be able to find something that fits the aesthetic of your nursery and make those late-night feedings a little more comfortable.

Enjoy Every Moment of Your Summer, Bump and All

You deserve to have a relaxing summer before your little one arrives. Use your vacation days to slow down and enjoy much-needed time by the pool in a Solid & Striped bikini. Head back inside, where your window air conditioner can keep you nice and cool when it gets too hot. Spend time online shopping for designer pillows and washable rugs to use in the nursery.

Life is about to get a whole lot crazier when that baby makes its debut. Use your time wisely, and enjoy every moment.

McClatchy newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.