Christmas Shopping for Those Special Pregnant Women by Lee Trask/Infertility Blogger: at DailyStrength Doctors and Advisors

Lee Trask is an advocate for women dealing with issues of infertility and miscarriage. Having struggled through more than six years of infertility, three miscarriages, and high-risk pregnancy, she is now happy raising her two…

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Christmas Shopping for Those Special Pregnant Women

Posted in Pregnancy by Lee Trask on Dec 21, 2011

If you haven’t finished your holiday shopping yet, it’s not too late to grab a few crazy items for your pregnant wife, partner, or best girlfriend. Some of these are fairly personal, so I wouldn’t recommend giving them to the random co-worker, just because she’s pregnant and you pulled her name in the Secret Santa gift exchange, though!

- Pregnancy Massage: Different than a regular massage: certain pressure points need to be avoided during pregnancy, and some therapists actually have special pillows to allow the belly to be “suspended”.

I remember my first pregnancy massage. The therapist built a nest, basically, for me to lie face down. It suspended my body in a way that my belly was free and safe, and the feeling was incredible. It felt so great to have the pressure off my back and spine, that I told her she didn’t even need to massage me: just let me lay there for a hour.

- Holo Maternity Raft: Variation on the above. This is a raft that can be used in the pool or on a bed that allows the belly to hang free while Mom to be is on her stomach. SOOO nice.

- Belly Baby Groin Bands: When your baby becomes heavy, and the weight of your uterus, and placenta, plus baby starts to feel the pull of gravity, it can feel like “everything is going to fall out.” This undergarment (sort of like a mommy jock strap,) creates an elastic support for the pubic area.

- Maternity Support Belt: I actually swore by this late in my pregnancy. It looks like a weight lifting belt, or a back support belt that warehouse workers wear. It helps lift and support a heavy belly, relieving back pain. I loved mine.

- Perineal massage oil: Used during labor to soften the area between the vaginal opening and the anus to keep it from tearing or needing to be cut (episiotomy,) this oil is the favorite of midwives and doulas. There are organic versions, oils made of Vitamin E oil, scented, and unscented. Who knew that this would be a great stocking stuffer?