10 Ways to Pamper Yourself Before Baby Arrives

While it doesn't sound exciting, trust me, it will be. Because taking your baby to the supermarket will feel more difficult than trying to drive your minivan up the Himalayas. So go crazy and go down every aisle, study every label, touch every piece of fruit and read every magazine while waiting in the check-out line. Try to avoid the diaper aisle for now.

You know that saying “Nap when your baby naps”? Totally forget about it, because no one in the history of babies has ever been able to accomplish this. The saying should be revised to read, “Take a shower, eat something, change out of your pajamas and use the phone when your baby naps,” because that’s what you’ll be doing once you finally get her to sleep. Now while you still have the chance, lay your head down and sleep like nobody’s business, because it's going to be a loooooooong time before you get to sleep like that again.

Now is the time to get in some quality TV-watching uninterrupted, because the privilege of being able to sit and watch an entire season of "House of Cards" will soon be gone forever. I suggest you sit down on the couch, pop an entire barrel of popcorn and cue up Netflix, Hulu or Amazon—and if you’re feeling too guilty about watching too much TV, you can always watch the past five seasons of "Parenthood" and consider it research.

Going out isn’t impossible once you have a baby, but it’s a lot more complicated (and expensive, if you hire a sitter). The few weeks before your baby arrives is an ideal time to have a relaxing night out or even a weekend away, if you’re able to travel. Catch a movie or a play, or a quick stay in a nice hotel. It’ll be a nice break from having to concentrate only on buying baby gear, birthing classes and sterilizing things. (And don’t forget to bring along your packed hospital bag, just in case.)

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Besides the fact that a day of self-beautification will do wonders for your spirits, this may be the last time you’ll see the inside of a salon until your kids are in high school. (Just kidding. Sort of.) A few hours spent getting a mani/pedi, a haircut and a massage may feel indulgent now but may be impossible once you need to race home and feed the baby. (Or get your kid to the homecoming dance.)

Once you have a baby in tow, you’ll cry thinking about how much you miss being in a dressing room alone, or pausing in front of a store window for longer than 2.5 seconds. Take this opportunity to go to the mall and try on all the pants, put on all the sunglasses and check out every single last shade of lipstick. And dance like no one is watching, if that’s your thing.

Want to know what’s more horrifying than the shower scene in "Psycho"? Your shower scene, once there’s a new baby in the house. Because it’s kind of terrifying to hear the cries of your baby waking up just as you’re feeling the first drops of that warm soothing water and realize you won’t get to try out your new papaya body wash after all. So take that long, luxurious shower now while you can. (If you live in drought-affected areas, change this suggestion to a nice, long bath.)

A very long lunch. While taking your new little bundle of joy out to eat is a fun outing, the laws of science dictate that he’ll be screaming to be fed or need a diaper change just as your sandwich arrives. So schedule a lunch (or dinner or breakfast) date with a friend, and savor the experience of being able to thoroughly chew your food and carry on a decent conversation. (You might want to practice inhaling an entire three-course meal in five minutes, though, because that skill will come in handy.)

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Wouldn’t it be great to welcome your new baby into the house with sparkling floors and spotless grout? Even if you’ve never hired a house cleaner before, now’s a great time to do it. Sites like Handybook.com make it easy to hire a one-time housekeeper and to tailor your cleaning to your needs. If your budget allows, monthly or bi-monthly cleanings would be a lifesaver for you, too, after the baby arrives. Look at it this way—if you’re not scrubbing the toilet, it’ll free you up to spend more time with your new bundle of joy. Or take a longer shower.

Let’s face it, if it isn’t already, your phone will be your lifeline, your best friend and maybe your biggest source of entertainment once the baby gets here. You’re going to need something reliable to text your friends 50 times a day to complain about how sleep-deprived you are and to Google "how to burrito-wrap your baby." Can you do that on a flip-phone from the '90’s? No. So get yourself over to a store and buy yourself something with all the bells and whistles. (And don’t forget to get the biggest storage space for the thousands of pictures you'll be taking. Seriously. Thousands.)