My sister who is currently pregnant with her second baby, messaged me this morning asking for suggestions to get out the house for a couple of hours.
I rewound my mindset to 6 years ago, when I was in the same position. I was pregnant, I had an 18 month old. The weather had been rubbish for days on end and to be quite honest I was so fed up of being in the house looking at the same four walls.
I would be immediately Googling ideas to get out, but it was always resulted in the same old thing. Soft play, the park, swimming etc. Or going somewhere that seemed to cost a small fortune. Then I remembered.
I used to get in the car and drive to town to the supermarket. I'd pop my daughter in her pushchair and head to the supermarket cafe. I'd have a hot cup of tea and my daughter who was a toddler would munch on a tea cake or a bit of toast. All for the cost of a fiver.
I remember feeling like I had achieved one of them parenting win moments and it was from doing something so simple that I didn't find overwhelming or stressful.
So, armed with my suggestion I messaged my sister back and simply told her not to pressure herself. You don't have to be out and about in situations that just quite frankly exhausting. Simplify it! And let me tell you it worked wonders. That awful stale feeling of being cooped up had worked wonders!
Take a minute to look at the bigger picture. All you little one wants is you being there around them and a happy mum = a happy child.
I hope this helps.
Bex x