Janine Gard: The ups and downs of pregnancy

A mother-to-be 'glows' during pregnancy.

Janine Gard is a diploma qualified birth educator and founder of Bellies to Babies. She has taught more than 2900 parents to feel confident, informed, supported and prepared. This week Janine talks about the ups and downs of being pregnant.

Ahhhh, the joys of being pregnant!! You've probably heard this statement at some stage and been told to 'enjoy the journey'. This advice it tossed around too frequently in many of life's situations, but it's particularly true for the 40ish weeks you'll spend with your baby growing inside you.

Of course, the 'rosy glow' of pregnancy can sometimes be pushed away with the less pleasant symptoms of pregnancy but let's look at this miracle of nature from a positive angle this week.

Naps, yes naps, you can and you must! Naps are a great excuse to snuggle down under a warm blanket and have a wee bit of time for yourself. It takes a lot of energy to grow your baby so cherish this time, it will be a while before you can do it again. If you can't sleep during the day, make some time to put your feet up, maybe a hot chocolate in hand and a great movie ready to roll.

Dreams during pregnancy can be wild, vivid and intense. Some women can experience an increase in nightmares and dreams that involve anxiety but most pregnant women experience powerful, intensely emotional dreams with very clear imagery, unlike normal dreams which can be hazy. This is due to an increase in hormonal activity, namely estrogen and progesterone. Dreams can help you process information and better understand your emotions and are quite normal.

You eat healthier, drink more water and carefully read and re-read ingredient labels and consider per-prepared foods a little more. Pregnancy is a great opportunity to develop or enhance sound nutrition and healthy habits for the rest of your life.

Eating well is linked to good fetal brain development, a healthy birth weight and may help you with morning sickness, fatigue and staying well as you are more susceptible to certain infections and illnesses during pregnancy due to a lowered immunity.

The extra attention you will get from everyone is an added bonus, such as extra foot rubs from your partner, friends and family may check in with you more often, co-workers might bring you little presents such as a bottle of water, an afternoon snack or offer a shoulder massage or two. This makes you feel good and in turn will make them feel better for helping you = win/win!!

A fantastic beauty package is also included during pregnancy. Extra hormones, increased blood circulation and an increase in your metabolism is responsible for your hair to grow faster, thicker and silkier and nails growing faster and longer although some women will find they are also brittle and dry and break often.

Relish in your lavish locks now, your 'good hair days' will stop once you deliver your wee bundle as the normal hair loss that's suppressed during pregnancy will resume with vengeance.

Shopping ... who needs an excuse anyway? Here you have the perfect reason to do a bit of late night online shopping for a tiny human you haven't met yet.

Perfect tiny clothes in every style and colour option you can imagine, also deciding whether you are going to have a 'theme' for your baby's room that may require new, up-cycled or borrowed furniture and don't get me started on all the adorable decorations and decor that is available. Just don't leave the special clothes for a special occasion, your wee one will grow super fast and you don't want to miss an opportunity to wear that dress that you couldn't resist!

Nursery rhymes, lullabies and songs you may have sung or had sung to you when you were growing up will become another focus. You may need to spend immeasurable amounts of time re-acquainting yourself with these again. Wanting to sing these to your wee one is understandable, they will bring back fond memories that you will want to share. Google will be your friend, helping you become familiar with these. Twinkle, twinkle, little star ...

And last but not least, pregnancy brain, yes it's real! But, here's the deal, you can use it to your advantage ... Forgot to bring a shared lunch into work ... That's okay – you're pregnant. Want to sit and day dream, of course you do, you're pregnant ... Nap during the day, we've already mentioned this is a good thing! It seems normal 'eye-brow' raising behaviour is excusable when you're pregnant ... Make it work for you on the odd occasion, but don't take advantage.

■ For information about antenatal classes near you, check out From Bellies to Babies www.hbantenatal-classes.co.nz or phone 022 637 0624. I'd love you to join me, Sign up today!

Medical disclaimer: This page is for educational and informational purposes only and may not be construed as medical advice. The information is not intended to replace medical advice offered by physicians.