PREGNANCY
Falling pregnant is one of the most special times you’ll ever experience. Receiving the right support means getting through those nine months in the best possible way.
It also means being ready for what happens during delivery and preparing for what’s to come postpartum.
Learning from those who have gone before us, you’ll want to be ready! Let us guide you on your journey.
Every Mama Matters!
Congratulations on your pregnancy!
Pregnancy can be an incredible time in a women’s life, yet that doesn’t mean it is always a bed of rose petals. In pregnancy we are letting go of an old life, an old way of being to be open to new possibilities.
Our first pregnancy is a completely new experience and we have no idea of what to expect. This explains the success of the book “What to expect”. We are so curious about the changes we will experience, of what is normal and what to look out for. Every day our body changes, as our belly grows, knowing that our life will never be the same again. All of a sudden, we are taking on a responsibility of a child, we become a mother. Our attitudes will change, our values will change, our outlook will change.
Every time we are pregnant, whether it is our first, third or fifth pregnancy, a change to us happens. Every pregnancy is different. No two pregnancies are the same. No child is the same, the way we parent will change. We are at different stages of our lives with each pregnancy, whether we are a first-time mum or a second time, or third time mum, we are not the same person, and our experience will be different. This is all magical. And so bloody difficult. It will shape us in a way we never would have expected.
What we need to do is take the highs and the lows in our stride and to build up resilience to do so. We start this during our pregnancy.
Pregnancy is approximately nine months of our lives. It requires a massive adjustment. All of a sudden, we are having to think about what we are eating, is it safe, are we eating enough – after all we are now eating for two). We have numerous prenatal checkups with doctors and / or midwives. We are planning for the new life we are going to have – making space in our home, in our life and in our family. It is an extraordinary time. For some it may be a massive adjustment, not expecting to be pregnant, for others it may have been a long-held wish after experiencing years of difficulty to fall pregnant. Each and every one is a unique experience. Pregnancy can be a challenging time for many.
The impact of pregnancy on our body
While pregnancy can be a challenging time, it is a completely natural state for our bodies. Our bodies are designed to become pregnant and to go through birth. However, it has become so medicalised in our modern society. While our medical professionals have our best interests in mind, we have been taken away from the natural experience it is.
“The care for the mother-to-be needs is more than just check ups, eating or avoiding certain foods, avoiding alcohol, nicotine, drugs and chemicals. It is also about turning inward. About finding a serene and calming space. IT is about accessing that place that is free of stress, worries, and anxiety. It is this space that will allow the mother-to-be to find her intuition, wisdom and strength as well as humility to learn from those that have come before us.”
There are amazing women, wisdom and birth keepers, healers and medicine and culture traditions that can teach us and guide us during the incredible journey towards motherhood.
Yet we are often lost in the daily stressors of work, the chaos in the world around us, and this is something we need to step away from to see the beauty and magic of pregnancy and what it is allowing us to become.
Pregnancy can be a time of incredible healing for us, not only physically, but also emotionally and spiritually.
Empowering your pregnancy
It is so easy to become overwhelmed, and confused with all the information that is directed towards you when you are pregnant. The long list of what to do and what not to do! Unsolicited advice from meaningful friends, family members and even strangers.
This can especially be the case if we have experienced infertility, fertility treatments and pregnancy loss. We can experience anxiety, fear and stress, with the worry that what we do or don’t do can lead to pregnancy loss.
Acknowledging the gift of motherhood.
Pregnancy is also a time of healing for us. To find out more, get tips on pregnancy in your inbox and be the first to know about our self care courses on pregnancy, sign up for our newsletter.
Every mama matters
Nurture your health
Are you living in pain and discomfort?
Pregnancy is indeed a magic time, and it can be painless and pleasant experience that develops the bond with your loved one even stronger.
Pregnancy can also be fraught with pain, discomfort, anxiety and run away emotions. Are you feeling exhausted and sick, wishing it was all over? Do you wonder how pregnancy could be this bad!?!? Are there many physical ailments and emotional roller coasters that are affecting your life quality and possibly even your relationship?
Pregnancy is not a disease. It is a biological process that our bodies are designed to do naturally. If you are in pain, or discomfort, anxious or depressed, it is your body’s way of telling you it needs some attention.
It is frustrating being told there is nothing to be done, that you just have to put up with it and it will resolve after birth. It is just a part of pregnancy. However there are simple and gentle techniques that may help improve your health and well-being during pregnancy. You don’t need to put up with the pain and discomfort, the whirlwind of emotions, exhaustion and the myriad of other conditions.
Using a number of tools from the wisdom of oriental therapies, and teachings from wise women from traditional societies, treatments involve simple and gentle techniques to help promote health and ease during pregnancy.
The first trimester
In Classical Chinese medicine, pregnancy is considered a spiritual action. It is advised to often partake in prayer and contemplation while being surrounded by things of beauty and pleasantry. Immerse yourself with relaxing music, beautiful art, nature and pleasant contented thoughts. Avoid violent and aggressive scenes.
In the guidelines of what to eat and how to live, the energetics of flavours of food and emotions play a part.
Sour flavour is contracting and containing. The embryo will be nestling into the wall of your uterus and we help contain it by the sour flavour. For example fresh lemon juice squeezed into water.
Sleep often, in a peaceful and quiet environment, to allow the embryo to have a strong anchor. Avoid strenuous activity. Exercise gently with walks, stretches and daily chores.
Usually around 6 weeks morning sickness begins. Include acupressure on PC 6, SP 4 and moxa CV 12. Ask for point location and moxa directions for these points.
The second trimester
In the second trimester, your fetus is now receiving nourishment from the placenta. It is the time to enjoy your pregnancy, eating nourishing soups and being serene and peaceful. Go for walks in nature, do gentle exercises and breathing techniques. Fill your world with harmonious thoughts and feelings.
The third trimester
Our body begins to take on the strain of the growing fetus and we can often feel pain or discomfort. In the third trimester practice gentle stretching practices such as prenatal yoga, swimming and walking out in nature.
In the third trimester, begin to prepare your body for birth and experience pain relief with massage and acupressure. Learn acupressure points for pain relief during birth and start to prepare for postpartum by preparing meals and snacks and then freezing them, ask and organise your support from friends, family or professionals for the first 6 weeks after birth, your postpartum period to help with recovery and healing from pregnancy and birth.
The fourth trimester
This is the golden month. The time for bonding and healing and recovery. Traditionally, new mothers would receive a lot of support from family members and community to help with healing, recovery and adjusting to the new demands of motherhood.
Now new mothers struggle with exhaustion, isolation, anxiety and depression. At Every Mama Matters, we want to help bring back the tradition of women feeling supported and nurtured during the magical time after birth. To teach and inform how you can heal your body and build the resources to heal, recovery and look after your new family member.