Conscious Pregnancy

By Amber L"Estrange, Photo by BT-Images

What could be a greater gift to your child than a strong foundation of vital health, starting in the womb?

​Pregnancy is many different things to many different people. Some swear it was the best time of their life, others find it to be an unclimbable mountain. The one thing all us mothers have in common during these transformative and precious 9 months, is that our bodies are the source of growth and sustenance for our developing humans. We really do have a responsibility to be mindful about keeping our body temple as clean as possible and stocked up with A-grade fuel, so that our guest gets the most out of their stay. 

We humans are mental, physical, emotional, energetic and spiritual beings, and all these aspects should be considered when creating another human from our very own cells..

Food
The food we consume becomes a part of our blood which circulates nutrients, oxygen and hormones through the body, protecting and regulating our systems. An organic, medicinal diet can help your energy levels, mood, state of mind, immunity, strength and overall functioning to be as vital as possible. 

We each have unique biochemical make-ups and each respond differently to different foods. You have to know for yourself what foods are medicine for your body and what foods are poison. 

Some ideas to support you making the healthy choice are:

• Only eat organic
• Only eat whole foods (from the earth, not packaged or processed)
• Find some vitamins and supplements that suit your system to ensure baby is getting the full support they need to develop and be healthy. 
• Listen to your body and read between the lines. You may be craving cake, but perhaps what your body really is asking for is some good sugar from fruit? Or if you're craving french fries, perhaps you need some good complex carbohydrates (like rice, quinoa, or vegetables).
• Only keep healthy snacks and food in the house, and go food shopping with an intentional list of medicine foods
• Have organized and prepared healthy meals and snacks ready to go, so when a craving hits, the easiest thing to grab is the best choice possible. 

The Mind
Have you ever noticed that you may be carrying around your mother's fear of rejection? Or perhaps You have this unshakable grief that you intuitively feel is linked to your mother's broken heart? I believe that we not only pass down our physical DNA to our children, but our emotional energy patterns too.

When I fell pregnant, I felt a sudden urgency to heal my deep emotional wounds and make amends with people in my life who I had emotional blockages with. I know this was my intuitive self preparing me for my child and pushing me to not only grow and heal, but also create a positive, fertile ground to grow a whole-as-can-be little human. The concept of passing on broken parts of myself to my little miracle was a big wake up call to face my pain and release any negative energy in my heart and mind. 

Some ways to begin clearing out  negative mind chatter/belief systems/emotional blockages/fears or heartache are….

Acceptance- when we sincerely accept something (or someone) for what it is, we allow it to be energetically released from our being, and we are free of it. Understanding that everything is exactly as it should be, that there is a divine plan at work, and that things are not personal can be helpful.
Some supportive mantras may be:

• I accept myself, my body, my situation, my life, my history. 
• I accept people and circumstances that have caused me to feel pain
• I accept my strengths and my weaknesses 
• I accept my mother
• I accept my father
• I accept the love relationships currently in my life an those that have passed
• I accept LOVE into my heart
• I accept abundance and health
• I accept my greatness

 
Forgiveness- Once we sincerely accept something as it is and realize it is not personal, we can then open to genuinely forgive ourself or another. Weather it be calling the person you need to find closure with, a guided meditation or a session with a healer, seeking closure with emotional issues or people you may have extradited from your life is key to healing. 

Self-Love- Fully loving yourself as you are right now. This is only possible with full self-acceptance. The vibration of love heals, and this is the vibration you want to pass down to your baby and have them bathing in daily. 

Meditation- Quieting the mind and allowing space for old emotional debris to surface for healing. Meditation is a powerful place to watch what thoughts are dominating your mind and make a mindful choice to redirect them to a new, positive and empowering thought. Using guided meditation to practice self love, find acceptance and forgiveness is a powerful tool. 

Seek help- Sometimes emotional baggage is just too big and deep for us to handle alone. Reaching out for help, finding a healer or therapist that can help you navigate your way to wholeness can be a good idea. 


Exercise
Finding what exercise/movement is best for YOU during the different stages of your pregnancy is great way to support you and the baby feeling good and staying healthy. So many changes are physically taking place with your body that walking, yoga, stretching and dancing can keep it supple and strong.. these are attributes you will be calling on when it comes time for birthing!!!

Slow and peaceful activities that get you in a Zen space and stretch you out are great for pregnancy and birthing. Here are some exercise ideas that are great for pregnant women:

• Bellydance classes (or any kind of dance) 
• Yoga/Chi Qong (or any kind of mindful stretching and energy flow)
•  Swimming (this offers full body exercise without putting extra pressure on your joints)
• Walking (the later you are in pregnancy, this also helps to bring the baby down into a good birthing position)

Add whatever makes your body feel GREAT to this list and schedule it in weekly. 

Relationships
Make an effort to clear any drama in your home or major relationships so you can sail through pregnancy and send warm, welcoming vibes to baby. Emotional stress affects the body and nervous system deeply. If you are continuously battling stress during your pregnancy, chances are, the baby is feeling it too. 

Some ways to set yourself up for success in relationships may be..

• Couple's therapy
• Having a list of resources you can turn to when you need to destress (music, exercise, meditation, a friend)
• Request specific actions/reactions form your partner to avoid setting your triggers off (ex. I feel ignored when you are on your phone instead of connecting with me. Maybe we could designate a certain time to use your phone, like while I am making dinner?)
• Find a conflict resolution that works for you (ex. I need time to cool off before discussing the problem) and making sure both parties are aware of this.
• Slow down, relax and savor your days so you are less likely to be stressed (if possible)

With this approach to pregnancy you are doing all you possibly can to give your babe the best head start in life. 
Have you any ideas about having a mindful pregnancy? Let us know in the comment box below!