You Can Still Go to "Happy Hour"

(My best girls and I at my 29th birthday dinner out; I was 8 months pregnant)

Ladies, don’t deprive yourself of your normal social gatherings just because you’re knocked up. I know it is not as fun drinking a virgin pina colada or soda water with a lime, but it’s okay, you can do it. Instead of staying home because you feel fat, huge, nothing fits, you’re too tired, and all those other fun pregnancy woe’s, just get up off the couch, or make the time in your busy schedule to meet up with the girls, or call some of them, or one of them, and set up a get-together.

One of my very favorite things to do is sushi happy hour… I LOVE my sushi and have missed that tuna sashimi! But I still go to out for sushi… I order a California Roll or veggies rolls, or (cooked) shrimp rolls, and sit there with my “cocktail” (soda water with a splash of cranberry and a lime is great) and thoroughly enjoy my social time. Whatever is your pleasure, keep up with it. Just modify! If you are an avid coffee drinker, and used to meet your friend(s) for coffee, or sit at Starbucks with your laptop, don’t stop just because you can’t crack yourself off on quad venti whatever’s.

Keep meeting your girlfriends or friends, keep going on a Saturday morning with your sister or hubby, and just get yourself some decaf, or a nice chai latte, or tea latte… there are lots of options, including hot chocolate or hot cider.

You’ll enjoy your book, conversation or internet surfing just as much, I promise you.If this is a closet issue, “nothing fits”, “I look fat in everything”, “I feel gross”, then you need to just suck it up and purchase some cute maternity clothes, OR you’d be surprised how cute you can make a pair of yoga pants look with a long sleeved t-shirt, a jacket and scarf, or in the summer, a long maxi or sundress with some comfy sandals. You can do this!!!

You will feel so much better if you just get out of your house and maintain your normal social activities, I promise! I’ve even been to bars for parties… It’s not a total joy ride being the sober Sally, but at the end of the night you feel like you didn’t miss out, and that’s the most important thing. You have to keep your spirits up!

For those of you who have been waiting your whole life for pregnancy and are thoroughly enjoying every aspect of being pregnant, including staying home and sitting on the couch with your tub of ice cream or whatever, more power to you! That is perfectly fine. The point is to stay happy and excited about what you are going through, even when you don’t feel great all the time.