✓ Lighter with the belly

TO THE SUPER WITH THE LIST

Is carrying shopping bags increasingly tiring? You need a weekly plan, so you don't have to lift too much weight in single days. For weekly grocery shopping, go to the grocery store with someone who can help you on a designated day of the week. Or have your shopping delivered to your home. To carry fruit and vegetables from the market or other fresh products effortlessly, use the shopping trolley. Remember: when you need to tidy things up, put your shopping bags on a chair so you don't have to bend over.

FIVE MEALS A DAY

There is not much room left to breathe deeply, when the baby in the last weeks of pregnancy pushes from below against the diaphragm. To help with shortness of breath, eat small amounts five times throughout the day often and do not exert too much physical effort.

WATER GIVES RELIEF

Overcome laziness: go swimming regularly, preferably with a friend or your partner; so you will be more motivated. It is not necessary to take an aqua gym course for pregnant women, you just need to swim calmly to feel the relief of the water. A tip from the midwife for those who easily catch vaginal fungal infections in the pool: before going into the water apply a tampon soaked in olive oil.

CUSHION BETWEEN THE KNEES

A little trick with a big effect, when you can no longer sleep on your back or on your back? Lie on your side, place a small pillow between your ankles and a small pillow between your knees. In this way you release the fatigue. If you suffer from heaviness in the legs, raise the foot end of the mattress slightly, using some books or a blanket. This way the blood will circulate more easily.

Do you see yourself swollen in the morning? It is the fault of the accumulation of fluids, a typical phenomenon of pregnancy. The cold has a decongestant effect: apply a cold tea bag (chamomile or peppermint) to the eyelids for 2-3 minutes. And then ... stay in bed a little longer!

FIRST BIRTH IN THE ARM

"Mom, in your arms!" The little ones do not care that the belly has become big, indeed in recent weeks the first-born want to be held a lot in their arms. How to do? Have the child climb into a chair and then pick him up. In general, try to lift everything (not just your baby) correctly, keeping your back as straight as possible.

BEWARE OF THE POSTURE

It is now difficult to walk correctly because you feel like you are falling forward due to the belly. But it is worth giving at least a try: lightly squeeze your buttocks and push your pelvis a little forward. Imagine your belly on your pelvis like an egg in its egg cup. This unloads the spine. If you have to stand for a long time, lean somewhere or support yourself with one hand and keep your feet slightly apart. Wearing shoes with cushioning soles is also good for your spine.

NO TO TIGHT CLOTHES

For a long time, you could continue to dress in normal trousers and skirts, inserting rubber parts or leaving the zipper open. But in the last weeks before giving birth it will no longer be possible: maternity clothes are a must. Purchase a pair or two of maternity trousers or skirts. The legs, which often swell, also need freedom. If you use knee socks, choose models with soft and wide elastics, which do not tighten.

ANTI-FOLD TRICKS

Bending over is not at all pleasant, the belly is always bulky. A help is given by long objects, for example shoe horns and long-handled shovels. Very practical is the floor mop, which can be wrung out from the standing position. And if by any chance you can't avoid getting close to the floor, then get on your knees. It is much better for the back. To get up, the best position is on all fours.

AN EXERCISE FOR THE BACK

With this exercise, in case of shortness of breath, you take in more air and give your back a break: get on all fours, knees apart at hips, hands at shoulder height. Loll your head and arch your back, just like cats do. Breathe in. As you exhale, slowly raise your head and lower your back like cows. Repeat the exercise several times, until your back feels completely relaxed.

DO NOT SLIP INTO THE TUB

Bathing is relaxing, but the danger of slipping and falling increases with the size of the belly. So it's best to buy a non-slip plastic bath mat; then you can also use it for your baby, when he wants to stand up in the tub. A handle on the wall gives security: today for you, tomorrow for your baby.

DYNAMIC POSITION EVEN SITTING

How you do it? When sitting try to change your position, lie comfortably backwards and after a while straighten your back again. Buy a fitball (later also suitable for the child's gymnastics, to play, to let off steam) and support your legs by raising them as often as possible, in order to unload the weight. If you work long hours at your desk, buy a small footstool and move your toes and heels up and down in turn. In this way, the calf muscles pump blood towards the heart.

TRICKS TO DO HOME WORK

Some jobs can only be done standing up: for example washing dishes or hanging clothes. If bending over the sink becomes tiring, wash the dishes in a plastic basin next to the sink. And place the ready-to-hang laundry basket on a chair or table. This height difference is good for your back.