Now that daddy took over Sofia's nighttime routine I finally, after two years, have time to unwind slowly before going to bed. And I can finally do early too.
It has been life changing and you better believe that I will soak in every night of it until the end of my pregnancy... because tick tock, this relaxing mommy time is coming to an end soon with the new baby's arrival!
So what do I do during this self-care time?
1. Do my nighttime skincare routine, linked step by step here.
2. Plug in my phone far away from my bed and leave it there until the next morning.
3. Get in my bed and sit next to my nightstand, where I have my rose quartz stone, which opens the heart at all levels to promote love, self-love, friendship, deep inner healing and feelings of peace. It is for harmony in relationships, including the one with yourself, and unconditional love.
4. Turn on only the nightstand light so lights are low and lid a relax-scented candle.
5. Diffuse lavender essential oil which is safe during pregnancy (best to skip all essential oils in the first trimester, but ALWAYS ask your doctor), this essential oil is relaxing and great for better sleep, anxiety and stress relief and pain management. It also has antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. I love this pure lavender essential oil. And this oil diffuser.
6. I read a relaxing book. I try to stay away from work-related topics and instead focus on self-improvement books that can open my eyes, expand my mind, teach me breathing or meditating techniques, for example. Right now I am freshening up on Hypnobirthing, a method of managing pain and anxiety during childbirth, involving therapeutic relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing and visualization. Perfect to prep my mind for my second epidural-free birth. The mind is so powerful and was my top pain management tool with Sofia's birth! Buy book here.
7. As I read the book, I sip on my magnesium, or chamomile/ginger tea mixed with magnesium. Magnesium is great before bed because it plays a role in supporting deep, restorative sleep, and reduces stress and anxiety. It also relaxes your muscles to reduce cramps or spasms. And it's great during pregnancy as it may be able to reduce fetal growth restriction and pre‐eclampsia, and increase birth weight, among many other benefits. I buy this powder linked here and mix it with a cup of water.
I used to do all of this, but quick and way less relaxed. And the whole setting definitely helps enhance the routine benefits!