During pregnancy you will go through change on all levels of your being
more rapidly than at any other time in your adult life. The only other time
your body and mind changed so swiftly and dramatically is when you were
in your mother’s womb and during the first few years of your infancy and
toddlerhood.
First pregnancy is a rite of passage, which takes you from the Maiden
phase in your life to that of the Mother. Once this passage has
occurred you will never be the same again, both in body and mind.
For some women the dawning realization as the pregnancy progresses
that they are facing a major milestone in life, closing some doors and
opening others, takes a lot of emotional and mental letting go and
can be accompanied by regret, fear and doubt. These reservations
will, in turn, trigger a lack of ease, leading to a number of classic
pregnancy symptoms, such as morning sickness, discomfort and
even aches and pains.
If this seems to be the case with you, it is highly recommended that
you talk over some of your concerns with a professional practitioner
specializing in a natural birthing approach, such as your yoga
instructor.
Unpacking these concerns often simply involves recognizing that
this is a major transition in your life that needs to be acknowledged.
Many women find it useful to ritualize or mark this process with a
special occasion with a loved person in their life, in recognition of
the significance of this rite of passage. Setting aside a special time
like this to focus on the importance of this transition in your life
can help you to embark on this new phase from a position of
awareness and joyous anticipation rather than feeling unsure
about an uncertain future filled with unknowns, and regret over
leaving a known and comfortable past behind.
By simply talking over what it means to you to shed the past you
have known and to look into a future that is new and probably
quite scary for you can bring to the surface fears and
apprehensions that might otherwise stay buried, causing
lack of ease. Through this simple process, many women
discover that symptoms they were experiencing either
reduce in severity or simply disappear in the atmosphere
of aware expectancy that can follow such a process.
That is not to say that all symptoms are in the mind! The
body has a momentous job to do in the next short nine
months and will accomplish the task as well as well as
possible given the state of health at the time of conception.
That is why it is far better to plan a pregnancy to follow a
period of consciously nurturing and supporting the body
to a state of optimum good health. The healthier your
body is at the time of conception, the healthier your
pregnancy will be. After all it has a lot of work to do
and many changes to accommodate a new life.
Hormones mediate these changes and on the physical
level they bring about an increase in blood volume by
up to 100% to allow for placental and foetal blood
circulation and an increase in heart rate, liver metabolism,
respiration and digestion and assimilation. All of these
organ systems support maternal functioning but also
provide the flow of the life force, by way of nourishment,
oxygen and detoxification, into the growing baby via
the umbilicus.
Hormones also mediate changes on the mental level for the
new mum literally by actually altering the brain structure
functionally and irreversibly, forever, to prepare her for
motherhood. These changes, initially mediated by the
hormones of pregnancy, are further activated during the
birthing process and then reinforced by the bonding process
and by daily physical closeness between mother and baby in
early infancy and baby years.
In fact, during pregnancy the ‘brain morphing’ process involves
clipping off some of the neural pathways of Maidenhood that
will no longer be utilized. In the weeks just prior to birth,
reshaping the brain to a ‘Mummy brain’ occurs by adding
new neural-chemical pathways, constructing large networks
of maternal circuits in a process known as ‘nesting’.
Researchers tell us that a ‘Mummy brain’ is larger, more
competent and has in-built mechanisms to increase
risk-taking, grant courage and be more ‘on alert’.
In this way, Nature ensures that the new mother will be
not only physically prepared for the task ahead of her,
but also mentally prepped to ensure the best possible
survival chances for the incoming baby.
On the emotional level too big changes are taking place
in the Mummy-to-be, again mediated by the powerful
effects of hormones. Intending mothers often feel a
high degree of apprehension and fear that the baby
may not be healthy or that they may not be able to
manage the birth or motherhood. These fears are
entirely normal and are a part of the preparation
process that Nature has programmed into pregnancy
to ensure that the mother is prepared.
As discussed above, late pregnancy brings much
relief to the fears typical of the early stages, through
brain changes that alter the neuro-chemical pathways
bringing courage and an ‘on-alert’ readiness to face
the unknown with agility and fearlessness. Many
of the distressing emotional states of earlier days
of pregnancy dissolve with this late stage brain
re-structuring.
And what about baby and emotions? Because Mother
and baby are sharing the same body they are also
encapsulated in the same energy field. Emotions are
shared too – what the mother feels the baby feels
also, not on the conscious level, but as an energy
flow, which directly affects the delicate growing
organs systems of the baby. In fact, the mother’s
emotions become part of the baby’s subconscious
reality, embedded at the cellular level as the baby
lays down her physical structure. In effect, the baby
is like a sponge, soaking up the mother’s emotional
ups and downs as a kind of energetic ancestral map
for the future. It is now recognized that we carry not
only the physical characteristics of our parents, but
also the emotional tendencies, particularly of our
mother. So it is evident that the mother’s demeanor
during pregnancy has a profound influence of
shaping the baby’s personality for life.
Pregnancy can be stressful – any time we are forced
to go through major change registers as stress on the
human BodyMind….and as we have seen pregnancy
involves lightning-speed changes and being catapulted
into a new life style, situation and depth of complexity
with your current intimate relationship. The key to
riding the wave of change with relative ease is to
stay healthy physically, emotionally and mentally.
You can control your physical health through yoga and
other gentle exercise, consciously eating well and
getting plenty of sleep.
As far as your mental and emotional wellbeing is concerned,
this is where women are challenged to let go of control
and go with the flow, trusting that what Nature has
programmed into baby-making processes will ensure
the evolution of the species, not its devolution. Billions
of women ahead of you have taken this journey – and
survived. You need to be aware that encoded deep in
the inner recesses of your being is faultless programming
designed by Nature to ensure the best possible birthing
outcome for you and your baby.
So here are a few tips on how to navigate pregnancy for
the best outcome for you and your baby:
Listen to your intuition – it is your best guidance system
and it is personally tailored to your own needs ad those
of the baby you are making. YOU know best, even
though you may never have done this amazing thing before.
Be selective from whom you take advice. There will be
many offering you advice and in many cases it will be
laced with fear, as women usually like to share their
’horror’ stories. Because fear is so infectious and you
are exceedingly vulnerable when pregnant, make a
decision to listen only to those who affirm your
ability to know what is best for yourself, even your
doctor and midwife.
Inform yourself with positive stories around pregnancy
and birthing and mix with people who have an
optimistic outlook.
Seek help to calm your emotional fears if you feel
they are out of hand – your baby will be calmer and
healthier if you cn mange to treat your emotional ups
and downs with a pinch of salt rather than over-
dramatising them.
And remember, you will get your body back so rather
than bemoaning its expansion, marvel at its flexibility
and adaptability and enjoy the experience…….
