I know, I know. One minute you’re smitten with your life, your pregnancy, and your in utero baby . . . and the next minute you’re stressed.
It’s unavoidable. Pregnancy holds hands with stress during this nine-month ramble. They exchange vows and bargain over the “what-if’s”. Pregnancy dotes on kicks, ultrasound images, nesting, and baby clothes. Stress nudges with “what-if” concerns about enough kicks, healthy prenatal markers, green choices for the nest, and safe baby clothes.
While it’s normal to jounce (yep, it’s a real word) between feeling smitten and feeling stressed, you want more smitten moments throughout your day than stressed. It’s important because stress can have a negative impact on the health and brain strength of your in utero baby.
Try this: Find what brings you to a smitten state.
How: Healthy habitudes (again, a real word) will do the trick.
Btw: Habitude means a habitual tendency or way of behaving.
The first healthy habitude is to practice self-compassion – it’s what it sounds like: be kind to yourself, give yourself compliments, forgive your mistakes, and use encouraging words with your self-talk. And of course, recognize that you are doing something miraculous – creating life – be unapologetically smitten with yourself!
The second healthy habitude is to embrace the importance of the food you eat, the importance of exercising your body, and the importance of prioritizing sleep.
The third healthy habitude is to try new things that offer you support. Use this list of suggestions to help place you in a smitten state:
- Breathe deeply – try this link for a Resonant Breathing App: Paced Breathing
- Head outdoors – nature is a transformative force
- Mini meditation – sing (eyes closed + rolled up to the third eye), click this link: Long Time Sun by White Sun
- Make lists – you won’t feel listless (haha) and list-making is a form of meditation (promotes tranquility)
- Hug and ask for hugs – dub it the cuddle cure, a warm embrace makes us feel secure
- Ask for help – we all need somebody to lee-eean on
Bottom line: Being pregnant can make you feel both smitten and vulnerable. Spend more time in a smitten state by:
- being kind to yourself,
- embracing the importance of food, exercise, and sleep;
- and getting the support you need.