In our struggles to conceive we did just about everything, talked to many doctors, healthcare workers, ran every test imaginable, etc Appointment after appointment, exhausting our options (and ourselves) with the end goal of a healthy pregnancy and our own tiny baby.
Although it’s hard to believe some days, many people do succeed in getting pregnant. We get so caught up in the appointments and process that we forget about what happens once we succeed. And if I’m being honest, getting pregnant is only just the beginning. It is an experience like no other. I thought I would be more excited and relieved but I wasn’t.
Getting pregnant was such a stressful experience that once that finally happened I was so stressed about keeping this baby and keeping her healthy that it wasn’t until almost the end that I was finally able to relax a bit (maybe I’ll do more on this another day).
Pregnancy takes a huge toll on you physically and mentally and there are four things I wish I had started before pregnancy to make the transition easier:
1. Exercise
Your body takes a really big beating during pregnancy AND just as much so after baby arrives. I really regretted not getting into better shape before hand. Strengthening my legs and back especially. You tire easily and with all the shifts happening in your body your back actually starts hurting almost from day one (I totally thought this only happened at the end when your weight shifted – surprise!) And let’s not forget that you no longer have any ab support during pregnancy so back strength is REALLY important. My daughter is a year old now and I still continue to have back troubles so strengthening my back is definitely something I wish I had done more beforehand to ensure I was prepared for everything now.
2. Breathing Exercises
With all the adjustments happening, physically and hormonally, breathing can get difficult. Your lungs get smushed and let’s be real…your hormones are all over the map. Learning to take big, deep breathes to calm yourself down, reduce stress and avoid huffing and puffing would definitely have been something to start before. This is something that benefits everyone, pregnant or not. Also! It’s extremely helpful during labour. The more you can practice good breathing techniques the better.
3. Meal Prep
We have now converted over to doing many freezer meals and batch cooking to get through the week. We all lead busy lives and not having to worry about food and meals is a big relief. When you are tired and super busy, it’s soo easy to fall off the wagon and start eating junk food. Junk food isn’t good for your growing baby or you in this process. It is essential that you continue to nourish yourself and your little babe. Getting into the habit of making big portions to freeze and spending one afternoon meal prepping 20 meals for the freezer is one of the most valuable things to us during busy periods. When we eat poorly we suffer all around and things start to fall apart.
4. Mindset
Going along with number 2, no matter how badly you wanted this baby you will experience big mood shifts through pregnancy and postpartum as you adjust to your new life and ever changing hormones. Pregnancy is like no other time in your life where your hormones shift so rapidly (you almost feel like a teenager again) Ensuring you know how to manage these as effectively as possible will be super helpful to you (and your relationship!) Positive affirmations are a great thing for everyone to use on a daily basis. Pick ones that most resonate with you at that time in your life.
Conceiving can be come all consuming so quickly! Don’t forget to pamper yourself, nurture your relationship and take time out when needed. Believe in yourself as this is a very real possibility! The points above really, are applicable to anyone at anytime in your life. Pick one and put it into place today. Come over to the Facebook group and let me know which you are starting today.
