My new BFF: the swimming pool

The swimming pool has fast become my BFF this summer. Well, I suppose I shouldn't say Best Friend Forever...it should be BFWP-Best Friend While Pregnant. And it's not just because the temperature outside has been hovering in the upper nineties with humidity the last few days, although that does play a definite part. It's really because a swimming pool is the only thing that allows me to achieve a pain-free state now heading into week 25 of this pregnancy.

I'm not sure exactly what week it was that I realized my body suddenly felt like it had aged about 60 years in the span of a few days, but it was probably sometime over our vacation a few weeks ago when I had some major belly poppage. The sad thing though is that I don't remember feeling like this until about week 30 with Jack. I'm not quite to the miserable, is-this-over-yet feeling, but it's definitely a little uncomfortable now with lower back pain and sore hip joints!

Anyway, the pool is so wonderful for pregnant women because of a little thing called buoyancy, which basically means my back gets a break from holding up my belly and the water does all the rest for me. It really does almost feel like I'm not even pregnant anymore to feel the relief in my joints, and gives me hope that I will return to a pain-free state here in a few months. At least this pain is all worth it in the end!

What was your favorite way to relieve stress and/or pain during pregnancy?