It’s always exciting to find out are pregnant during any time of the year, but when you find out your due date is Halloween, then it becomes something special and a little bit of a struggle. Being nine months pregnant comes with some difficulties. When my 4th baby’s due date fell on Halloween, I realized I needed to be creative in preparing for it, for me and my family.
So some of questions that arose with this pregnancy were:
Are you doing to dress up?
What are you going to wear?
What can you wear?
Will I be able to walk?
Will I be able to keep up with my kids?
What will I be able to eat?
How much candy should I inhale?
Are you going to go Trick or Treating?
Where are you going Trick or Treating?
Are you going to take your kids just around the neighborhood?
What if I have the baby early?
If you have other kids, like I did, I worried about these questions because walking around nine months pregnant and chasing three kids around at dusk didn’t sound safe for anyone involved.
So here’s how I tackled Halloween and being nine months pregnant:
1. Dressing up? Just go with it!
Only once in a blue moon do you find yourself nine months pregnant on Halloween! Take advantage of the costume possibilities you have at your disposal. I realized this honor and I took my costume to the next level. The photo above from five years ago and people still talk to me about it. Don’t hold back. Think outside the box and have fun!
2. Be comfortable!
Along with above, make sure you choose something comfortable and breathable, especially your footwear. You may be out for a couple of hours and when you are nine months pregnant, two hours of walking feels like 10 hours of walking. So be prepared.
3. To eat or not to eat…
I’ll leave that up to you and your healthcare provider…but honestly, you know best how your pregnancy is going. Will you cause serious complications to your pregnancy if you eat that bag of bat-shaped Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups? Probably the best way to make a decision is to remember and realize that Halloween comes every year so if you decide to restrain yourself, you can double up next year!
4. Trunk or treat options
Nowadays, there are so many options for Halloween, compared to when I grew up. Walking the neighborhood streets was the only option, so we decided to stick with our church’s Trunk or Treat party and because the weather was rainy and cold, we had it inside the church building. So it was a safe and easy choice. No worries of running into cars or tripping on the cement, getting wet or catching a cold. Everyone was safe, dry and having fun.
5. Strollers and other movement-restricted contraptions
The thought of running after a small child while nine months pregnant gave me instant trauma and anxiety. Definitely take advantage of strollers to easily contain and push your toddlers or kids. There is no shame in pushing even a five- or six-year-old at this point. The more contained they are, the better and easier it will be for you and your partner.
6. Just keep moving!
Baby will come when he/she decides it’s time, whether it be while you are Trick or Treating or after (or if you are lucky, before!). So if you’ve reached Halloween and are still pregnant, all that walking around definitely will help move things along!
I found out I was pregnant with Juliet on Halloween. So I always think about that special day. I was in my seventh month pregnant with Emma on one Halloween and I was lucky that Jeff and I worked together at the time, so we dressed up as Juno. It was fun and hilarious. Have you seen that movie? It fit well, because I got mistaken for a teenager four times in that pregnancy! 😂 I love your costume, it’s funny!