Encourage a blissful, relaxed pregnancy for a healthier Mama & Baby.

Close your eyes and imagine a pregnant mama in your mind’s eye.
Take a few moments for the image of her body and her location to come into focus.
Now take a closer look and observe what she is doing and how she may be feeling.

Most of us see a beautiful, blissful, peaceful mama relaxing in her home or nurturing environment. Unfortunately, many mamas do not or cannot allow themselves the space to relax and rest. Instead, they continue the pace of their pre-conception lifestyle and quite possibly at the expense of their health and well-being.

Mothering your child begins at or even before conception! In a way, your baby is teaching you how to care for him or her by caring for yourself. Your baby is teaching you how to nurture him or her by nurturing yourself.

Pregnant mothers are constantly receiving messages from their babies, bodies, minds, and intuition about how to care and nurture themselves. The question is, can mama receive the messages? Is she quiet, calm, centered, and tuning into herself and her child?

Pregnant mothers are also constantly sending messages to their child in womb through their thoughts, feelings, and emotions. When mom enjoys a yoga class with other pregnant women, she feels supported and nurtured. As a result, her baby feels supported and nurtured. When mom enjoys a relaxing massage or meditation, baby feels relaxed as well. When mom surrounds herself with positive people, messages, media, baby feels positive.

On the flip side, when mom encounters a negative birth story or criticism, and begins to feel disempowered or fearful, baby feels this as well. When mom strives to meet the pregnancy ideals of others, whether it be the beliefs of partner, doctor, or friend, she is losing touch with her own inner wisdom.

Slowing down during pregnancy results in increased satisfaction with the pregnancy experience as well as increased health and well being of mama and baby. Mama learns to tune into her own inner wisdom guiding her to a place of love and peace. How can pregnant mamas tell if they need to slow down and how can they do this?
The signs that mama may need to create space for rest and relaxation:

• -Trouble sleeping
• -Elevated Blood Pressure
• -Swelling
• -Morning sickness
• -Anxiety or Depression
• -Fear-based thoughts
• -Fatigue
• (Although these pregnancy related discomforts may be relieved with rest and relaxation, it’s a good idea to check in with your primary care provider to avoid more serious issues.)

Encourage yourself or the pregnant mama in your life to try the following ideas for incorporating more rest and relaxation which in turn will result in a happier healthier pregnancy for mama, baby, and everyone in their lives:

1. Breathe: Remind yourself often of your breath. The more deeply you breathe and the more relaxed you are, the more oxygen flows to your baby. Upon waking, getting into your car, or even walking through the grocery store, remind yourself to breathe. Post sticky notes around your house in visible areas. Tailor sit on the floor with the your legs loosely crossed, and your body does not have to work so hard to pump oxygenated blood through your body.
2. Walk and eat slowly: Notice each step that you take and make it slow and deliberate. This brings awareness, stability, and grounded-ness to your day. Eat slowly to avoid over-filling your stomach or causing heartburn or indigestion.
3. Create a baby altar: Find a space in your home to fill with any items that remind you of your baby and that you will share with your baby when he or she is received on earth. Use this space to remind you to sit and breathe as well as to create loving dialogue with your unborn baby. Items can include candles, pictures, artifacts found in nature, sacred symbols, plants, items from your own childhood, poems, or anything else you can think of that encourage reflection of your parenting path!
4. Become aware of what causes you stress and make changes. Notice the people, places, or environments that make your body tense and your mind uneasy and eliminate these.
5. Become aware of what brings you peace and incorporate more of this in your life. Whether it be a supportive friend, journaling, uplifting music, nature, or joyful activities, incorporate more of this into your daily life to replace what you are purging.
6. Prenatal meditation & yoga. Meditation and yoga are wonderful for centering, connecting with yourself and your baby, increasing strength in body and mind for birth labor, and camaraderie with other pregnant women.
7. Energy healing bodywork. Energy work like Reiki can clear blocks and pain that interfere with living in your fullest potential of health and well-being. It induces deep relaxation at the cellular level.
8. Pampering & Massage. Massage and other pampering feels great and the right hands can be quite nurturing.
9. Intuitive Birth Guidance. Receive intuitive birth guidance to discover what your baby would like you to know as her parents and create a deep bond even before the birth of your baby. It brings clarity to your parenting path.
10. Play. This is the time to treat yourself well and do what brings you joy. Find what you love to do, and do it! Know that you deserve to be honored first and foremost from yourself and to yourself. Crafts, dancing, cooking, playing in the sand… play!

Nurture and care for yourself each step in your pregnancy. Feel well and be well. Enjoy and honor your pregnancy in love, peace, and joy. Breathe! This is your life and your creation! Make it beautiful.