There so so many expectations when you fall pregnant. Everyone around you will mostly be excited and expect you to be too but what if you’re feeling anxious or stressed? Please rest assured this is a completely understandable way to feel. It is you carrying this precious new cargo after all and don’t you know it. There are many ways we can help you deal with stress and anxiety during your pregnancy and beyond, but the most important thing for you to remember is you’re not alone.
Be Gentle On Yourself
First of all, as holistic health care providers, we want you to be gentle with yourself. Don’t beat yourself up if you’re just not feeling it yet because there is plenty of time for you to get used to the idea. It’s common to feel this sense of overwhelm or detachment so just take it easy, do some nice deep breathing, and stop trying to be the perfect mum-to-be.
Deep breathing and gentle exercise at this time work a treat for calming our nervous system so take some time out and find a quiet place to breathe as well as pick an exercise you enjoy to help relieve anxiety as well as help you keep fit.
Trust in Nature
If you’re freaking out about nourishing your baby and giving childbirth the good news is your body is naturally designed for the job. Of course, that doesn’t take away all those little panic attacks or anxiety moments as your body goes through phenomenal change but one of the best things you can do is open up about how you’re feeling.
You’re naturopath and other professionals can give you lots of advice and explain what is happening to you and your baby at every stage so your stress during pregnancy is decreased.
Make time for emotional support as well as physical support and it really will make the world of difference.
We highly recommend the Bach Flower remedies our our beautiful calm drops to help with having a sense of calm and relief. They can also help you boost your tolerance if you’re feeling particularly irritable (don’t worry, this too is perfectly normal), they help with giving you back a greater sense of control as you go through some major changes as well as helping you with those runaway thoughts and worries. Believe us, there is something there for everyone.
Physiological Changes Can Cause Stress Too
Yes, we all know that lots of women suffer from morning sickness, heartburn, and the constant need to go to the toilet but that doesn’t mean it’s not upsetting. Some days you can handle it all and others you just can’t.
Try and drink plenty of water or recommended juices from your naturopath to prevent urinary tract infection, keep using your pelvic floor muscles when you can but you’re not expected to be a gymnast! Just do what you can to alleviate stress during pregnancy and give yourself a big pat on the back. Focus on what you are doing right.
Remember eating whole foods is highly beneficial for you and your baby because they are filled with natural vitamins, minerals, and anti-oxidants, and are free from additives and artificial substances. Of course, if you can eat organic as much as possible because of the health benefits for you and your baby we highly recommend you do.
Keep up with your prenatal supplements because they keep you on top of things and in peak health as once again your body is going through a tremendous lot and with baby on board you need all these wonderful nutrients so you can thrive.
It really is going to be ok. Even though logically we know our bodies were designed for pregnancy sometimes it doesn’t mean we don’t feel stressed and anxious. Holistic health really is the way to go for all healthcare situations and in particular for any challenging period of your life where you need the whole body, mind, and spirit care approach.
We believe this because every day we see stressed-out new mums-to-be come in, get listened to with no judgment, and walk out the door armed with all the right tools to help with stress during pregnancy and a whole tool kit packed with holistic health goodies. Visit www.nourishenaturalhealth.co.nz today for your professional and specialized holistic health care that’ll take care of the whole of you (and your baby too!).
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