the tip to be zen pregnant

Time literally flies by: this week I am already halfway through my pregnancy! I still remember that I found the 20-week scan with Otis quite exciting, but this time I was incredibly relaxed. Fortunately, everything turned out to be perfectly fine and now that the little man is kicking away, I get daily confirmation that everything is ‘alive and kicking’ in there. That may sound strange, but it is incredibly nice to literally feel a sign of life: I remember well that I got a bit panicked if I didn't feel Otis for a day in my belly... Luckily, I have the best midwifery practice called Femme Amsterdam, where I can really go 24/7 with my questions. The scans and conversations with the midwife are very extensive and they give you the feeling that you are always heard and no question is too crazy: I find that a huge reassurance, that someone is listening to you and nothing is dismissed as unimportant. Hopefully, I can maintain this ‘relax mode’ until the delivery!

I help that ‘relax mode’ along a bit: every week I treat myself to an hour of relaxation at the Away Spa. A fresh shake, a quarter of an hour of swimming laps, and I can tackle it again! I really enjoy swimming because you don't feel that extra weight for a moment. And once a month, I add a pregnancy massage to that: some women find it terrible to be massaged during their pregnancy, but I immediately release all the tension in my body and completely enter the zen mode. Ah, you have to hang the decorations yourself anyway, but especially when you are pregnant.

Last weekend we were allowed to perform our show ‘Female Rappers’ again with Bouillabaisse at a very dear place... The Toneelacademie Maastricht opened the new school year with us! Eight years ago I graduated there and haven't been back since... We were all nervous when the first teachers walked into the room (you become that student again looking for recognition), but fortunately, everyone was incredibly enthusiastic afterwards!! We ended the evening with a lovely overnight stay at ’The Green Elephant hostel’, which has just opened its doors. Don't be misled by the name, because they have beautiful design (group) rooms with their own shower and toilet, a delicious breakfast, and in a few months, a spa will even open! The next time I go to Maastricht for a weekend with Otis and Jon, I will definitely come back here.

For a moment, I was dreading it: putting on a gala dress for the 125th anniversary of the Stadsschouwburg Amsterdam. But I am so glad I did it! It was an unforgettable evening full of beautiful stories from the past, combined with actors, singers, and dancers from the present. Of course, I am biased because I am an actress myself, but please do yourself a favor and instead of going out to dinner, go to a performance of ITA at the Stadsschouwburg: theater does not have to be as ’stiff’ as you might have imagined!