The Importance of Self Care in Pregnancy and how to transition those skills into motherhood
Beginning self care habits while pregnant is essential for the overall well-being of you and your baby. Transitioning these habits into motherhood will allow you to recognize when your body and mind are asking you for rest, peace, nourishment and strength.
Honoring both your emotional and physical needs during pregnancy will create space for you to care for yourself optimally, prepare for a better birth and transition these skills into motherhood.
Yes, self care is a skill. In today’s fast-paced, busy society, we tend to forget to honor the only place we have to live for our entire existence; our body. Not only are you caring for your body and your growing baby, but you are preparing yourself and learning sustainable parenting skills. I truly believe that self care is the most important skill fundamental to healthy parenting.
Your mental and physical well-being directly affect your parenting and the health of your children. This is why self care is an amazing skill to master during pregnancy. Prioritizing one’s self only becomes more difficult as life changes.
Here are my Top 3 Tips for incorporating Self Care into a healthy habit:
Utilize Your Tribe: Early in my online BirthBody program I discuss how to build your Tribe and the team of professionals who will help you adapt both physically and mentally to this pregnancy and to motherhood. You should be utilizing their services as often as possible during these last few weeks. Taking time for your physical body, reducing pregnancy-related pain and optimizing your body for birth.
Also, Get comfortable asking for help. I like to always discuss the family and friends support network. Get very comfortable asking your partner, friends and family for help. Whether around the house, in the yard, preparing dinners, asking your partner or your parents to take older children to the park so you can nap for an hour and start finding ways to delegate tasks. Mastering delegation skills will aid in your ability to ask for help once baby arrives.
Utilize Your Mindset: Learning how to train your brain and use your body’s natural mind-strengthening resources to enhance your birthing experience and have an overall better pregnancy is key. You should dedicate 10-20 minutes each day to your mental health and mindfulness. Your brain and your mindset are you most powerful tools in pregnancy, birth, motherhood and life. Train yourself to use it to your advantage in all aspects and you will learn to overcome any obstacle that comes your way.
Optimize Your Strength: One tool I love to teach women is how to utilize daily exercises designed to prepare you body for birth. Those exercises are easy enough to do in a short time frame. So, whether you place a copy of your birthing exercises in your kitchen, your bathroom, your bedroom, just put it where it will be seen and you will be prompted to take action.
During pregnancy your emotional, physical and nutritional requirements change immensely. Being able to master and carry these skills throughout motherhood will keep you energized and at your best and all times. The more babies we have, the more we forget about self care and its’ importance to our mental and physical well-being.
So, please remember, you are important and you deserve to take the time to learn to nurture yourself, your body and your mind.
Yours in health,
Dr. Caitlin