Laila Ali, 7-months pregnant with a baby boy, tells us that pregnancy is not all about the woman; it really should be a bonding time for the mother and father-to-be. Couples should take advantage of this special time, before the arrival of the little one, to enjoy each other’s company.
Although she claims to be no expert on this topic, Laila shares tips from her own pregnancy experience:
Exercize together: Working out together or just taking long walks is a good time to talk and bond with each other. Not only does it make you feel better by releasing endorphins, but exercise can also relieve many pregnancy-related complaints such as back-aches, constipation, blood flow, relieve stress and anxiety, and help you sleep better at night. It will also help you control your weight gain, thus helping you regain your pre-pregnancy body quicker after you give birth.
Massage: When your body aches all over and your feet are particularly sore, make your husband a real partner in the experience. Ok, so maybe this one is really all about you. But really, I’m sure he’s happy to do anything he can to make you more comfortable! In addition to relieving tension, especially back pain, massage has a variety of other benefits. It can improve circulation throughout the body, reduce swelling in the legs and feet, and aids relaxation. As a side benefit, you can also use this time to bond with your husband… unless you’ve already fallen asleep!
Register and Decorate: Although you might think his interest in decorating the nursery or registering for baby gifts minimal, he might enjoy being included in discussing the color scheme and picking out baby clothes (at least sometimes). After all, let’s hope he’ll be spending lots of time in baby’s room too! And if he doesn’t have an opinion about crib sheets, maybe he’d like to test-drive a few rocking chairs.
Baby-moon: Honeymoons are nice, but the newest vacation is a baby-moon. You’ll have to avoid the hot tubs and river rafting adventures, but a chance to get away together (even if you don’t go far from home) will be a memorable experience. Let’s face it, once baby arrives, your lives will be changed forever and it that couple bonding time will be much harder to orchestrate.
Name that Baby: Choosing a name for your child can be an emotional time, especially if you want to name after a loved one. If you don’t know where to start, get some baby-naming books (or search the internet) and sit down together to discuss which names you like. Use this time to relax and have fun!
Here you can watch as Laila Ali shares her favorite maternity tips for mom and dad with Maggie Rodriguez.