By a Los Angeles Birth Doula
Rainy days in Los Angeles are rare, and every time they come, they change the city’s pace. The freeways slow down, people step back from rushing, and suddenly even our famously sunny city feels like a place that asks us to rest. For pregnant women, this shift can be a gift — a natural invitation to pause, nurture, and prepare for baby in ways that don’t require going anywhere at all.
From a doula’s perspective, rainy days are powerful opportunities to listen to your body, protect your peace, and make space for gentle productivity. Here are some cozy activities, wellness practices, and feel-good rituals that pregnant women can safely enjoy at home — whether you’re early in pregnancy or waiting for those first contractions.
1. Create a Cozy Nesting Zone
Rain helps the body naturally turn inward. Take advantage by:
- Rearranging the baby corner or nursery
- Washing and folding baby clothes
- Setting up your feeding or pumping station
- Adding pillows to your favorite resting spot
- Placing a journal, snacks, water, and tissues nearby
This isn’t just preparation — it’s emotional grounding.
2. Do Gentle Stretching or Prenatal Yoga Indoors
Movement is still important even if the sky is gray. A few options:
- Put on a prenatal yoga video (YouTube has many free ones)
- Focus on deep hip opening stretches
- Practice cat-cow to keep the spine mobile
- Use the rain as a breath rhythm — inhale, exhale, listen
Keeping the body open makes labor smoother and supports circulation.
3. Pour a Warm (Pregnancy-Safe) Tea & Journal
Rainy days are perfect for warming from the inside out. Safe teas include:
- Ginger
- Peppermint
- Rooibos
- Raspberry leaf (2nd & 3rd trimester only)
While you sip, try journaling prompts like:
- What am I grateful for today?
- What kind of birth experience do I want?
- How have I grown during pregnancy?
This is emotional self-care — and it matters just as much as physical health.
4. Watch Birth Videos or Breastfeeding Basics Online
Education is empowerment — and learning can absolutely be done in pajamas.
Topics to explore:
- What contractions really look like
- How partners can support in labor
- Early breastfeeding latching techniques
- What to pack in your hospital bag
- Comfort measures for labor
Rain outside = knowledge flowing in.
5. Practice Mindful Baby Bonding
Close your eyes. Put both hands on your belly. And try:
- Talking to your baby
- Rubbing belly oil in slow circles
- Playing music — classical, affirmations, or even Beyoncé
- Saying out loud: “I am safe, my baby is safe, we can rest.”
Pregnancy is a relationship — nourish it.
6. Warm Bath or Shower Steam Ritual
Water helps the nervous system relax — and on a rainy day, it’s magic.
Try:
- Warm shower on tight shoulders
- Low lights, candles, soft music
- Belly oil afterward to seal in warmth
Avoid very hot water, but let yourself soak in comfort and release tension.
7. Rainy Day Meal Prep for Postpartum
You don’t need to stand for hours — this can be slow and gentle.
Doula-favorite foods to batch prep:
- Lentil soup
- Oatmeal muffins
- Veggie chili
- Stewed fruit for digestion
- Bone broth or plant-based broth
Cook now, freeze for later — this is postpartum gold.
8. Do a Breathing or Meditation Session
There are so many ways to calm the nervous system:
- Pregnant-friendly guided meditation apps
- Breathing in for 4, out for 6
- Laying on your left side and counting baby kicks
- Using rain sounds as a backdrop
- Saying a birth affirmation on every exhale
This helps with stress, sleep, and birth readiness.
9. Start a Birth Playlist or Rainy Day Music Mix
Music is powerful during pregnancy — it can lower stress, reduce blood pressure, boost mood, and even create early bonding through sound.
Today is the perfect day to:
- Make a birth playlist for labor
- Choose songs for pushing
- Pick music for calm postpartum nights
- Create a soothing lullaby playlist for baby
- Add rain sounds, nature tracks, or soft beats
Bonus: Baby can hear and respond to music in the womb — especially after 24 weeks.
10. Allow Yourself to Do Nothing & Be Still
Pregnancy is hard work — even when you’re resting.
Let the rain be permission to:
- Stay in comfortable clothes
- Skip the errands
- Curl up under a blanket
- Watch a comfort show
- Fall asleep early
- Turn off your phone
You are growing life. Rest is productive.
Final Doula Thoughts
Rain in Los Angeles never stays long — and neither does pregnancy. These quiet days matter. They’re invitations from nature to slow down, nurture your spirit, and prepare for the new chapter ahead.
Whether you spend the day stretching, cooking, learning, or simply breathing… know that you are doing exactly what you need for both you and your baby.
Let the rain fall — and let yourself soften into it.
Your body knows what it’s doing. Your baby feels your peace.
And you deserve this calm before the birth.
