17 August 2026 · Veronica Chi
Business & Product Director · Mum of two
Self-Care During Pregnancy
Self-care in pregnancy has been thoroughly colonised by the spa industry, which is a shame, because the things that actually make a pregnancy more bearable are mostly unglamorous and free. This is a practical guide rather than a medical one — we make baby textiles, not clinical recommendations. Anything here that touches on symptoms, medication or exercise should be checked with your midwife, obstetrician or doctor, who knows your pregnancy specifically.
What changes in each trimester?
The demands are different enough that a single routine will not carry you through. In the first trimester the dominant problems are nausea and a fatigue that is genuinely unlike ordinary tiredness. The second is usually the most functional stretch — energy returns, the bump is not yet limiting — and it is the right window for anything that needs doing. The third brings weight, heat, breathlessness, reflux and increasingly interrupted sleep.
- First trimester — eat small and often, keep something plain within reach of the bed, and sleep whenever the opportunity appears. Fighting the fatigue does not work.
- Second trimester — build the movement habit now, book the appointments, prepare the practical things while you have the capacity.
- Third trimester — manage heat and swelling, shorten your ambitions for the day, and prioritise the sleep positions that let you stay asleep.
How do you sleep while pregnant?
From the second half of pregnancy onward, guidance in most countries is to settle to sleep on your side rather than flat on your back, because lying supine can compress the vena cava and reduce blood flow. Waking up on your back is not a crisis — turn over and go back to sleep. Ask your own care team what applies to you.
- A pillow between the knees keeps the hips and lower back aligned and is the single most effective change most people make.
- A second pillow under the bump takes the drag off the abdominal muscles in the third trimester.
- Propping the upper body slightly helps reflux, which becomes common as the stomach is compressed.
- Keep the room cool. Pregnancy raises core temperature and metabolic rate, so a room that was comfortable before will often be too warm now — aim for the lower end of comfortable, roughly 16–20°C (61–68°F).
- Use breathable bedding and sleepwear. Fabrics that move moisture away from the skin — bamboo, loosely woven cotton, linen — make overheating and night sweats considerably less disruptive than dense synthetics.
How much should you move?
Most guidance for uncomplicated pregnancies suggests around 150 minutes of moderate activity a week — walking, swimming, stationary cycling, prenatal yoga or strength work — spread across the week rather than concentrated. Swimming is particularly useful late on, because the water takes the weight off joints and helps with swelling. If you exercised before pregnancy you can usually continue in modified form; if you did not, this is not the moment to start something strenuous.
The test most care teams use is the talk test: if you can hold a conversation while moving, the intensity is reasonable. Stop and seek advice for chest pain, calf pain or swelling, dizziness, contractions, fluid loss or bleeding. Any exercise plan in pregnancy should be cleared with your own care team, particularly if you have a condition or a complication.
What about skin, and what about heat?
Pregnancy skin changes are mostly hormonal and mostly temporary: darkened patches, a line down the abdomen, greater sun sensitivity, itching as skin stretches. Sunscreen helps with the pigmentation changes. A plain, fragrance-free moisturiser helps with the itching. No cream reliably prevents stretch marks — genetics and the rate of stretching dominate — so treat that entire product category with scepticism.
Heat deserves its own paragraph, because it is uncomfortable in every climate and genuinely limiting in hot, humid ones. Pregnancy raises your baseline temperature and increases blood volume, so you will overheat sooner than you used to. Prolonged deliberate overheating — hot tubs, saunas, very hot baths — is generally advised against, particularly in the first trimester. Practical management: loose single layers in breathable fabric, cool water on wrists and the back of the neck, movement scheduled for the coolest part of the day, and consistent fluid intake. Persistent swelling in the hands and face, as distinct from ordinary ankle swelling, should be reported rather than managed at home.
How do you look after the mental load?
Pregnancy generates an enormous amount of invisible administration — appointments, decisions, forms, logistics, other people's opinions — and it lands disproportionately on the pregnant person. Anxiety in pregnancy is common and under-discussed, and it is not a character flaw.
- Write the mental load down and hand pieces of it away. A task nobody else knows about cannot be shared.
- Set a policy on advice. 'We are following our midwife's guidance' ends most unsolicited conversations without a fight.
- Limit the searching. Symptom-checking at night reliably makes everything worse and almost never produces useful information.
- Protect one thing that is not about the pregnancy. A pregnancy that has consumed every conversation and every hour is exhausting in a way that has nothing to do with the physical part.
- Tell your care team about persistent anxiety or low mood. Antenatal depression is real, common and treatable, and treating it in pregnancy is better than waiting until after.
When should you stop managing it at home?
Some things are not self-care problems. Contact your midwife, doctor or maternity unit straight away — not at the next appointment — for vaginal bleeding, fluid loss, severe or persistent abdominal pain, a severe headache with visual disturbance, sudden swelling of the face or hands, a fever, painful or reduced urination, or any reduction or change in your baby's movements after you have started feeling them. Reduced movement in particular should always be checked immediately, at any hour, and it is never a nuisance to ask.
Everything else in this article is an attempt to make an unusually demanding nine months more comfortable. It is not a standard to live up to. Some weeks the entire self-care plan is going to bed early, and that is a complete answer.
Questions parents ask
What is the best sleeping position during pregnancy?
From the second half of pregnancy, guidance in most countries is to settle to sleep on your side rather than on your back, since lying flat can reduce blood flow. A pillow between the knees and one under the bump makes side sleeping considerably more comfortable. Ask your own midwife or doctor what applies to you.
How much exercise is safe during pregnancy?
For uncomplicated pregnancies, around 150 minutes of moderate activity a week is commonly recommended — walking, swimming, stationary cycling or prenatal yoga. If you can hold a conversation while moving, the intensity is usually reasonable. Clear any plan with your care team first.
How can I stay cool while pregnant in a hot climate?
Wear loose single layers in breathable fabrics, keep fluids up, schedule activity for the coolest part of the day, and use cool water on the wrists and neck. Avoid prolonged deliberate overheating such as saunas or very hot baths, especially in the first trimester. Report sudden swelling of the face or hands rather than managing it at home.
Can creams prevent stretch marks?
No cream reliably prevents them. Whether you get stretch marks is driven largely by genetics and how quickly skin stretches. Moisturiser can help with the itching that accompanies stretching, which is a reasonable thing to want on its own.
When should I contact my midwife urgently in pregnancy?
Straight away for bleeding, fluid loss, severe abdominal pain, a severe headache with visual changes, sudden swelling of the face or hands, fever, or any reduction or change in your baby's movements once you have started feeling them. Reduced movement should always be checked immediately, at any hour.