All you need to say is 90s or 80s disco and I’m at the door ready to shake it all night long, so when my husband said he got us tickets for a 90s disco party that last weekend, I was all in. This time though it wasn’t as easy as getting dressed and hitting the door, nope, I actually had to plan the whole day ahead including nap(s) time, emptying my bladder and ensuring I had enough snacks to keep me going. Why? Because I’m three months pregnant, battling nausea and struggling to constantly hold my pee and yawns. So here are seven things to keep in mind—and to help set your expectations—when you decide to take your baby bump out dancing:

1. Nap time – if you’re still in your first trimester, then you are probably as exhausted pretty much all day long. A night out, especially clubbing in Sahel, would mean getting out of the house by midnight to start the party; the problem is when I hit 30, I started hitting the sack by 11pm at the very most. And now with a baby growing inside of me, the bed and couch always win. So in order to prepare for my big night out, I had to nap at least twice throughout the day so I’d have some energy reserve to keep me up till midnight. I had a one hour nap on the beach (more like passed out on the sand while kids enjoyed burring me in) and another one after lunch (yes, in bed this time).
2. Snacks – Baby demands a snack or a proper meal every two or three hours, otherwise baby rewards me with intense nausea and a throbbing headache. If I am to leave the house at 11:30pm and plan to dance till dawn (little did I know) then I would need to have extra snacks to keep me full till I drop and get to bed. With that plan in mind and in full force, my belly went from semi-pregnant, super bloated to a bump you’d see on a five-month pregnant woman. Which takes me to the next point:
3. Outfit – it’s no longer about looking sexy but rather what’s comfortable and loose enough not to suffocate mommy and baby; I did the smartest thing and put on my sparkly champagne top to even match that disco theme—a complete coincidence of course. I get to the party, feeling proud in my little shorts and glittery top then watched my big happy bubble burst in painful slow motion. I’m suddenly surrounded by all those sexy girls with their trendy crop tops showing their perfectly tanned flat tummies and their toned legs in sexy heels. Instant thought: “Here’s your motivation to get back in shape after you pop that baby! For now, embrace the belly and ignore those blindingly hot women!”
4. The empty hand dilemma – I was never much of a drinker or a smoker but at parties, I find myself wanting to at least hold a drink in my hand just to keep myself busy as I get my groove going. So now what? Bring on the 7up; that way, I keep my constant nausea in check and that annoying “why aren’t you drinking?” question out of sight. But I have to take it easy on the sipping, otherwise my bladder fills up in no time. Number of sodas consumed: one. Bladder check: super full.
5. Time to pee – Now that’s generally a struggle in crowded places; for that particular night, I had to fight quite the crowd as I try to make my way through to first find the nearest loo, then stand in line, then find a relatively clean toilet with no pee sprinkles all over, then squat as I struggle to convince my bladder to ignore the workout mode and just let go. The easier decision was to grow up and hold it in until I get home – not the smartest decision when you’re busy dancing trying to ignore your thoughts telling you a drop of pee will come anytime now!
6. The Dance Moves – Oh boy! I’m known for my moves; I never doubted my dance skills and I never thought I would have to, until that baby bump came into my life. It always feels like it’s in the way – despite only being three months pregnant – believe you me, it IS in the way. I had two options:
   1. Sit it down and have some dignity,
   2. Shake it and ignore comments and stares and remind myself everyone is getting drunk and won’t remember a thing anyway.

The choice I went with was clearly the second one, and I had a blast for one full hour!

7. The Bed Fantasy – At least I stayed at the club till 1am; now that’s something! Friends were walking in and I of course was walking out, already fantasizing about that comfortably seated pee followed by hugging my pillow and talking to my baby bump till I sleep, telling him or her of course that it just went to its very first disco night. While everyone is clinking their drinks and topping them up some more, I’m struggling to keep those yawns in and silently begging for some room to breathe away from the cigarette smoke. I got my Uber “arriving now” notification and was the happiest person on earth battling my way through the crowd and out the door.

I got home by 1:45am, enjoyed my pee-release on my super clean toilet seat, had my apple as I rested my palm on my baby bump, brushed my teeth, and was in bed by 2:05 with a massive smile on my face, and that buzzing sound in my ear reminding me of my clubbing accomplishment for the night, and a pregnancy nightmare to recite to my hubby in the morning. And I wouldn’t want it any other way; so high-five to all you gorgeous women with baby bumps still enjoying your days and nights in however way you choose to.