A master at chilling, this entrepreneur, and founder of relaxation destination, Chillhouse is readying herself for motherhood.  Cool as can be, Cyndi is taking a balanced approach to pregnancy (naturally) guided by her intuition. Here, she shares her plans for incorporating her baby boy into her daily work life, clean-ish beauty routine, carbs, and wellness hacks, of course! @cyndiramirez

Feeling good overall, especially now that I’m in my second trimester and the nausea has subsided.

Boy!

We have been together for years and knew that we always wanted to start a family, but between building our businesses and life we were never quite ready until now. So, when we finally decided to try, it took a minute but gratefully was reasonably quick in the grand scheme of things. To our surprise, we found out when we were traveling! It was actually my husband that noticed-slash-mentioned to me that my period was late, and, wow, was he right! I was, in fact, very late and very pregnant.

Before becoming pregnant, I was terrified of pregnancy because I have a very, very real fear of throwing up. Like, legit. I wasn’t nervous about actually ‘having a baby,’ but rather the idea of pregnancy scared me. Over the years, I’ve heard so many horror stories of women continually being sick for months. Now that I’m in my second trimester, most of the nausea has passed and I’m feeling much better. I’m finally able to relax and enjoy being pregnant.

Very carby. All the carbs. But also healthy and balanced. I’ve shifted my mindset from the way I used to think about every little thing I ate and whether or not it would make me gain weight. I’ve let go of the worry, and instead, I’m going with my intuition and gut.

Plus, I used to be a total carnivore, and now I’m eating less meat. In the past, I would have ordered a full steak or roast chicken as my entrée, but instead I’m opting for veggies (with carbs, of course). I’m mostly having meat or chicken when it’s less the main event and rather mixed in with pasta, on top of salads, or part of a soup.

In general, we plan to bring our son into our world. For me, that starts with maternity leave. Just after he’s born, I will take a few weeks off from work to focus on him with no distractions, such as email or phone (or as little as possible!). I’m looking forward to simply enjoying our new little fam. After that, I plan to bring him to the office as much as possible. Obviously, there will be times I can’t bring him to work or on investor meetings, but for the most part, I will have him with me. He’s going to roll with my life — it will be business as usual, plus one more!

Interestingly I was nervous about telling our investors and potential investors  because I thought it might make me seem less invested or available, which is not the case, but was a concern of mine. My husband and I talked a lot about when we should go public with the news — especially as I’m the type that likes to share and be very transparent. I wanted just to put it out there from the get-go. That said, once we decided to share the news with our investors, the feedback has been nothing but positive! In fact, to my surprise, it’s been beneficial in creating a framework around timing.

I’ve done a few prenatal massages, I need to do more. Considering I’m in the business of massages, you’d think I’d be getting them all the time. However,  between adjusting to the pregnancy, waiting to hit second trimester (can only do massages after your first) and running my business, I haven’t had all that much time.

Outside of that, I’ve been getting regular pedicures and manicures. On that note, I will share a little PSA for all the expecting mamas out there…when going for pedicures, make sure to let your pedicurist know that you’re pregnant if you’re not visibly showing. You want to make sure they don’t massage your ankles or any of the pressure points that could activate labor. That would not be good. Unless, of course, you’re at the end and hoping to trigger.

Other then that my wellness routine has stayed the same with a few minor adjustments, but not a total overhaul. I’m still taking baths, just not as hot or for as long. Plus I’m not putting CBD in the tub, and instead, I’m using Epsom salt.

Mainly I listen to what feels right for my body versus what other people tell me to do as everyone’s experience is different. What works for some doesn’t work for all.

Oh, and I’m a big fan of candles, they’re always burning.

Cuddling my dog, Rocky, who is sadly getting older. I’m trying to spend as much time loving him as possible. He’s been having seizures recently, which breaks my heart. In fact, I’m a little concerned about bringing the baby home as I’m worried about introducing too much change in his fragile state.

I’ve made some modifications, similar to my wellness. I’m not using retinol, but have not eliminated much else. As long as I make choices that feel right for the baby and me, I believe the body is capable of processing most toxins. It’s best not to get worked up about it every ingredient or things we ingest.

Ideally, I would love to breastfeed. Since I own my business, I have more flexibility in my schedule, and plan to bring him to work with me. Hopefully this will make breastfeeding easier as he’ll be with me most of the time.

Major accessories! I love pieces that highlight my face such as big earrings, chunky jewelry, and colorful sunglasses! I’ve been really into pieces that draw attention to my face versus my changing body.

I’m fortunate to have incredible women around me that I trust to lean on for support. Plus, amazing friends like Sarah Larson Levy, founder of Y7, who is pregnant at the same time and going through it together!

Also, I read the book Expecting Better early on and continue to refer to it on the regular. I flip through the chapters when I have specific questions.

Through this experience, I’ve learned to be easier on myself and my body overall. I’m grateful for the daily reminders this pregnancy provides while growing my little babe.