11 Valentine's Day Gifts Pregnant Women Really Want
1. Breakfast in bed—made by my hubby!
"I would love nothing more as a Valentine's Day gift than my own in-room meal delivered by my husband complete with fresh-squeezed orange juice, warm coffee and gluten-free pastries. It's a much better fit this year than getting dolled up for a fancy dinner in the city!"
—Lisa Binderow
2. A housekeeper
"Daily household chores were hard to tackle before pregnancy, but now it's more physically, emotionally and mentally challenging. Even those of us who like doing everything ourselves (so it's done right!) will do just about anything to catch a break from cleaning the bathroom and floors, doing the dishes and dusting. After a long day of work and hitting the gym (if we can muster up the energy), the last thing we want to do is come home to a messy house. So dish up the money, fellas, and make your lady happy by getting her a helping hand for Valentine's Day."
—Vanessa Carr
3. All the potatoes
"I'm not normally a big fan of potatoes, but when I was pregnant I couldn't get enough—I'd willingly vacuum up potato pancakes cold from the package and eat potato chips for breakfast. Men: While it may not seem romantic, start the day by cooking up your lady a breakfast of potato pancakes in bed, send her to work with her favorite potato chips and rustle up a great potato-rich dinner like cottage pie or roast chicken with all the trimmings. She and Baby will thank you."
—Lisa Williams
4. My husband to take care of dinner—for once
"All throughout pregnancy I've tried to stay normal, which meant keeping up with my pre-pregnancy workouts and maintaining my household chores, like cleaning and cooking. But this Valentine's Day, I'd love for my husband to simply handle dinner—for him to plan something, prep it, cook it and clean up afterwards. Even though the only thing he can really make is pasta, and he needs to be reminded that you have to wash the bottom of pans, I'll take it. Dessert is clearly implied in all this, too."
—Stefanie Shuman-Schwartz
5. A good night's sleep
"Whether it's baby's constant dancing on my bladder, the weight of my uterus pressing down or delivery anxiety that's getting the best of me, what I want almost more than anything else is a night of uninterrupted rest. I might not be able to control all these pesky pregnancy side effects that are keeping me up all night, but I certainly wouldn't turn my nose up at getting full permission to sleep a solid eight hours straight without any other interruptions!"
—Denise Stern
6. Anything that has nothing to do with pregnancy
"Listen, my life will soon be consumed by this baby, so I want to feel like myself this last, baby-free Valentine's Day. Get me jewelry, get me a massage, get me dinner to my favorite cheap falafel place—it doesn't matter as long as it has nothing to do with pregnancy. Oh, and get me Tums for my heartburn. A big bag of Tums."
—Stephanie Manganelli
7. My husband to stop complaining about his cold
"Yes, I get it—he's sick—but guess what? I have the same cold, same symptoms, and same issues breathing, along with acid reflux, hip pain, and the inability to tie my own shoes. All the while, I continue to work full time, make dinner, do the laundry and stay up with our son—who also has the same cold. So, in addition to his inability to complain, I'd like a masseuse to follow me around all day, consistently massaging my lower back. The only time this person would stop would be while they're fetching me antacids or using the restroom. Happy Valentine's Day indeed."
—Gretchen TeBockhorst
8. A pregnancy pamper session
"When I was pregnant, especially towards the end, all I wanted was to sit back, relax and have my feet and legs massaged! All the pressure from carrying a baby takes a damper on your poor feet and legs, but once I sat in that pedicure seat it was like I had died and gone to heaven! It helped me relax and made pregnancy more manageable, especially when I was diagnosed with mild preeclampsia and had to be taken out of work a month early! On top of the pampering, I craved Oreos and peanut butter! Maybe that was the reason my feet were also so swollen!"
9. A glass of cabernet—and some laundry
"While all I really want for Valentine's Day is a healthy baby, my 11-months-sober self wouldn't mind if my little one came just a few days early so I could enjoy my favorite San Luis Obispo County red wine filled to the brim in my oversized crystal glass. Oh, and all the laundry in the house to be folded and put away. Oh, and pick up a box of those breast milk test strips, 'cause I'll need them!"
- Amanda Freick
10. To create a vision board for our future
"I'd swap a swanky, romantic night on the town for an intimate vision-board session by candlelight with my partner. The chance to create a two-part roadmap of our future together including our dream life as parents and how we'll protect our relationship as lovers would be a dream. Plus, there's nothing that gets the oxytocin flowing during pregnancy like feeling intimately connected to your beloved."
—Sandie Luna
11. A good robe and some comfy PJs
"When you're pregnant, you have to get out of bed constantly, either to pee or because you're simply uncomfortable. Instead of throwing on your high school sweatpants and a giant hoodie, it's nice to have a soft, cute and (dare I say it) even sexy outfit to wear to bed that's functional and doesn't make you feel like a total whale."
—Randee Braham
