Pregnancy is very complex. Many changes occur in women’s bodies when she is pregnant. The months before birth represent an opportunity for overall personal growth and development.
Here are some practical things you can do to make the most of this truly transformative time:
- Try to spend a few minutes in a quiet place every day. It helps to connect with your baby and to appreciate the miracle that your body is performing right now. Allow your worries to drift away.
- Think about all the miraculous processes that are taking place within your own body during this time. Accept your body the way it is.
- Talk to other mothers who have made this journey before you. Ask them to share their best advice about pregnancy, birth, and early motherhood and ask them to recommend the most helpful tips.
- Adopt a learning mindset. Welcome to the fact that you feel like you still have so much to learn about the journey ahead. Let that trigger hunger for new knowledge about birth, babies, and beyond.
During this period, women should be stress-free and practicing mindfulness can help her actually.
What is Mindfulness?
According to Tracy Donegan, a medically-trained midwife in Ireland Mindfulness is the simple act of “paying attention, on purpose, without judgment.” Some might say that it is similar to meditation, yes it is but mindfulness is a bit simpler and informal. It often happens in the form of breath awareness, focused concentration and simple sitting.
Mindfulness helps in:
- Reducing stress
- Boosting positive feelings
- Preventing premature birth
- Promoting healthy development
Practice mindfulness: Learn what it means to be mindful—and introduce the elements of mindfulness into your life as a pregnant woman and, eventually, a new mother. Being mindful involves.
- Being fully present at the moment as opposed to obsessing about the past or worrying about the future.
- Being non-judgmental accepting and having realistic expectations of yourself and others.
- Being emotionally aware of your own needs and the needs of others.
- Managing your own emotions which reduces the likelihood that you will overreact when you are frustrated while increasing the likelihood that you will act with your big-picture values and goals in mind.
- Practicing compassion for yourself and others which keeps your focus on the process of parenting over the long-term.
