I asked my cousin her experience of being pregnant and she had a long list of things to say that I couldn’t help but hear her wonderful experience that she shared with me. Hearing all this got me interested and I thought of sharing her tips that she adopted during her pregnancy.
Pregnancy is a journey – a stage in life that naturally has a clear painful ending and a pleasant beginning. This is a time of joy! But somehow, not every pregnant woman feels joyful, wonderful, or beautiful during their pregnancy – or definitely not all through pregnancy. In fact, for some women, pregnancy is downright difficult. For others, like many things in life, pregnancy has its ups and downs. And still for many women, it seems to last a lifetime. It’s not until they have their baby in arms that they say things like, “I can’t believe she/he is here already!” or, “My pregnancy flew by!” It doesn’t take long to forget the many moments during pregnancy that seemed to drag on and on.
Instead of wishing for this journey to speed up, rather why not focus on enjoying the best feeling of being pregnant by slowing it down! Move through your pregnancy with intention and mindfulness; enjoy every moment.
In everyday life, slow living means cooking food with unprocessed “real” ingredients, doing one task at a time to completion, starting the morning with three deep breaths, or truly listening to another person without trying to formulate an immediate response. In a similar way, during pregnancy, slow living would seem much the same, but could also comprise of many activities that would help quiet your anxiety and allow you to fully experience and relish the short span of time.
Here’s what you’ve got to do:
GUIDANCE TO SLOW LIVING
1) Take a long, slow deep breath (or two), place your hand on your belly, and give a positive message to your baby (aloud or silently). Do this each morning before you leave your bed.
2) Learn to make friends with the bathroom. Don’t get upset with yet another visit to this room, practice slowing down and appreciate your body for the hard work it is doing. Do this task like you are gratefully taking care of your body’s needs, just like you would nourish a starving stomach.
3) Take a long, slow drink of water and feel the sensation of the cool water enter your mouth, slide down your throat, and in your belly. Visualize that with each drink, you are not only hydrating your body, but nourishing your baby inside. Drink water throughout the day without forcefully refilling your bottle or cup to gulp it down as a ‘job.’ Do it with love for both of you.
4) To help your body physically feel healthier, take a regular prenatal yoga class. This will also stimulate a mind-body connection and conscious awareness.
5) Make it a point to spend five minutes daily to sit quietly, alone with your baby. Feel connected with your baby by placing your hands on your belly. Slowly close your eyes and breathe gradually. Imagine seeing your baby, touching your baby, and sending love to your baby.
6) Prepare one meal a day from scratch, using ingredients that are unprocessed or minimally processed, and that you can eat without the presence of any electronics. Relish every bite of your meal and imagine the nourishment you are providing to your baby with this meal.
7) ‘Me-Time’ is very important during pregnancy. Get a good massage or pedicure; it could even be a slow walk outside, a cup of hot tea, a long bath or shower or even a phone call to a good friend.
8) Create a diary during pregnancy for a keepsake you will always treasure. The act of writing is in itself a process of slowing down and chronicling your experience and thoughts.
9) Finally, very important, share this time of joy with your husband – it should help build an even stronger bond between both of you as you get ready to welcome into the world a bundle of joy which is also a sign of your love for each other.
So ladies, what kinds of things do you already do to live “slowly” during life or in pregnancy?
Indeed, it’s the best feeling ever!