Hobbies are important for everyone to have, and they shouldn’t have to stop when you get pregnant! In fact, prioritizing self-care and doing things that you enjoy during pregnancy and after your baby arrives are essential to maintaining positive mental health and avoiding burnout. We’ve compiled a list of easy hobbies that require little cost and are totally safe to pick up during pregnancy:
#1: Gardening
Gardening can happen anywhere, even in places where space is limited! Whether it’s a big plot of land, or a small pot of herbs on a windowsill, gardening can bear so much fruit (quite literally). Look up some plants that thrive in your area, or think about what produce you eat or cook with most often.
#2: Houseplants
Along a very similar line as gardening is having houseplants. Houseplants are even more low maintenance than a garden, and keeping a couple around helps brighten up a room and bring life into your home. Consider getting different types of plants that suit the type of lighting that your house has.
#3: Writing
Sitting down to start writing can seem daunting, but it doesn’t have to be a big commitment. You can look up different writing prompts, and let your imagination run wild. It is a great way to get creative and daydream for a little while.
#4: Painting
Painting, like writing, can be whatever you want it to be. You can still make something beautiful even if you aren’t artistic! Try attending a local community painting class, or look up a tutorial on Youtube. Whatever it is, there are so many resources to learn from.
#5: Cooking and Baking
Now, you may want to save this hobby for the second and third trimester, due to the food aversions that may come with the first trimester. Cooking and baking can be a really fun process, depending on your outlook on it. Both can seem like a chore with the wrong attitude. However, if you focus on finding fun, new recipes to try, it may help to make cooking and baking something you look forward to, and even consider a hobby. Plus, you get the reward of good food when you are finished!
#6: Reading
Reading can be started any time, and anywhere. All it requires is a book, and a comfortable place to sit. Read what you enjoy. If you don’t know what you enjoy, the classics are a good place to start. If a book has been loved for many years, there is probably a good reason behind it. Don’t be intimidated by trying to finish a book, but rather enjoy each reading session for its own sake.
#7: Embroidery
Embroidery can be a hobby that is often overlooked. The tools are not very expensive, and a quick YouTube tutorial can often be enough to get started. This hobby is artistic, calming, but also very functional. Embroidering can be a great way to spice up some clothing items that have been sitting in the back of your closet!
#8: Knitting and Crochet
These two hobbies are either considered the most relaxing, or the most frustrating hobbies to start. Pushing through the learning curve of these hobbies is essential to making them work. Once the basics are learned, the repetitive motion, and the reward of seeing progress in your project are enough to keep anyone engaged!
#9: Journaling
Similarly to writing, you can start a journal. Journaling is a great way to document your life, or even more specific, document your pregnancy. Include little quirks that you might forget later on, like food aversions or cravings. You can even write letters to your baby for them to read in the future!
#10: Nature Walks
Finding new places around you to go for nature walks can be a great way to get some outdoor time. It is also a great way to get some steps in! Going for a walk at your own pace is a great way to clear your mind and keep you active during the later weeks of pregnancy.
There are so many things you can still enjoy when you are pregnant, you just have to look for them! Find something you love that helps you relax, whatever it may be. Plus, hobbies are something that you can share with your little one when they arrive, so really hone in on something that you truly enjoy.
