As a chiropractor I am here to help you feel empowered, to let you know you have things you can do to help you feel more confident during your pregnancy and delivery and postpartum. (Sometimes the postpartum is forgotten for mom and yet too is so important. We will save that for another day)
Remember your body is created and designed for pregnancy. A crucial key for your healthiest pregnancy is keeping physical, mental/emotional, nutritional stress at a minimum. Do all you can to keep your parasympathetic nerve system, “the chill out nerve system,” engaged.
How you ask?
Work on breathing – daily do some deep breathing to trigger your vagus nerve. Breathe in through the nose nice and slow and take the breath if you can all the way to your pelvic floor. If you can’t right away start taking the breathe to your mid chest, focus then on lower ribs, then belly button, then pelvic floor. This goal is something to help you focus solely on your breathe. When you exhale breath out through the mouth. Reverse the breath from your lowest point up through the chest out the throat then mouth. Have your shoulders relaxed, palms facing up.
Get outside and go for a slow walk. If you have not walked in forever your walk may be 10 minutes and you may do it 1-2 or maybe three short walks. The key is to walk disconnected. Not talking on your phone or scrolling or texting. Turn off your brain and enjoy the scenery.
Do something creative – creativity triggers a different part of your brain to help you unwind. It could be doodling, painting, a colouring book from the dollar store, making cards to family for the holidays. It can be anything.
Nutrition wise. Make sure you are drinking water to stay hydrated as your blood volume increases huge the first trimester. This can make you feel short of breathe sometimes until your body adjusts to it. Keep your veggies going in and lean protein. Perhaps try a plant based protein powder. Try avoid sugar or food that transitions to glucose as soon as you eat it as it encourages inflammation and can make you feel sluggish
Biggest one is trust your body – don’t read all the things that can go wrong as it plants those thoughts. Focus on miracle of pregnancy and know that you and baby were made for this moment to work together. Baby will control the start of delivery and let you know what you and your body needs to do when it comes time.
TRUST YOURSELF!
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