Your body is undergoing a lot of change and has been working very hard for months. Now is the time to pamper yourself with luxurious lotions and splurge on massages and professional pedicures (you could give yourself one at home, if you could reach your feet). You can even dye your hair, although to be on the safe side you should choose a henna or vegetable-based dye – at least until after your first trimester – or consider a treatment such as highlighting that doesn’t come in direct contact with your scalp. Keep your skin looking as nice as possible with a good cleanser and moisturizer and the occasional facial. Make an effort to look your best every day, even if sometimes you feel that effort is completely futile. If you normally wear makeup, keep on wearing it. And resist the urge to laze around in sweatpants all the time.
Accentuate the positive.
No matter how wretched you think you look, chances are there’s one feature that still looks great. For me, it was my breasts: once mere mosquito-bite-sized A-cups, they blossomed into a full C during pregnancy. Yes, they sagged a bit, but it was nothing a good underwire couldn’t remedy. Therefore I took full advantage by buying pretty bras (you’ll need several during pregnancy, anyway) and wearing shirts that showed a touch of my new cleavage. If your legs are still nicely curvy, and the weather permits, highlight them with a cute maternity dress, a touch of self-tanner and some slightly shimmery lotion. Or if you’ve been blessed with that great pregnancy hair the books all rave about, flatter your face with a cute cut or a new style. There’s surely something about yourself that you still think is cute, so flaunt it!