What worked really well for me : Pregnancy Edition
I wrote this a month before baby came!
Just a glimpse into all the things that I did consistently throughout
pregnancy that helped me feel my best. Enjoy.
While everyones experience is SO different and there is no way to know if it’ll be good or bad, I wanted to put together a few things that I have done during my pregnancy that I believe have helped make my experience the best it could be. I feel like the whole world looks at you so differently when they know your pregnant and theres a lot of things that I think are said or believed in that are not necessary. You become this delicate vessel to the world— which yes, is so sweet and really endearing, but keeping up with me and tuning in with what I feel is best as I navigate week by week has been essential. EVERYONE has an opinion. But all women have to navigate it on their own, doing what feels right and best for baby. Here are a few things that have worked really well for me that might help you go against the grain, check in with what YOU feel is right, and take the best care through the journey. You have to take care of you first, even once babe gets here <3
lets begin.
1. Staying intuitive with how much to eat / am I eating enough?
“You’re eating for two!” Can I tell you something? NO YOU ARE NOT. I have not used this excuse once during this time on purpose. Most people assume, you’re eating for two, you need to eat double what you normally do. No you do not. Baby is not the same size of you, baby does not have the same size stomach as you!! Stay intuitive. Eat until you’re about 3/4 full and reassess. I ate very small meals alllll day in first trimester, but as baby has grown, I eat 2-3 meals a day and usually my eyes are bigger than my stomach! She’s taking up a lot of my food room! Stay intuitive.
2. Just Keep Moving.
I have only felt physically tired on the days that I am not moving. Yes a rest day is essential!!! I am all about listening to the body, but one thing that I have noticed is that if I lounge around my house for 1-2 days in a row, I am more tight, more achy than if I got in some movement. I have kept up teaching and taking an additional class (teaching 4, taking 1) my whole pregnancy, and as I show up to do the physical work, yes it has changed and theres some things I cannot do anymore, but theres always a way to modify. You can go slow, you can honor you, you can keep your body flexible and strong. Even if you just have 20 minutes, I swear its been my saving grace!!
I think about the women in Haiti who carry the 5 gallon buckets of water on their heads, these women don’t slow down when they get pregnant, our bodies are strong and capable.
(adding on to this now 3 months postpartum) I know for a fact that moving regularly helped me feel good all the way up to labor, and I know for a fact that it helped me feel physically okay during labor and delivery.
3. Listening to cravings.
“Don’t eat lunch meat, medium steak, goat cheese, insert more here”
There are several rules around what you’re allowed to eat these days, based on so many random studies of small groups of people that might have some correlation to something. When I first got pregnant, I was CRAVING grilled bread, a fried egg, good ol turkey lunch meat and mustard. People were telling me “you’re not supposed to eat lunch meat!!!!” * cue eye roll * I think our bodies tell us what we need and it’s important to listen. Not restrict. Bodies are intelligent and as long as you are buying quality product to put into the body, it will respond as it should. We are thinking too far into this as a culture. Eat wholesome foods, listen to your cravings. Eat what makes you feel good in your body.
If you’re craving chocolate you might need magnesium, if you’re craving lunch meat you might need more protein, if you’re craving strawberries you might be having a girl ;)
4. Legs up the wall more nights than not
I was told this, but (eye roll!) how much could it really do for my body?! Let me tell you its been a nightly ritual that I swear by. So much water retention throughout the day while pregnant, you are toting around a LOT of extra fluids. I typically get my legs up a wall for at least 20 minutes at night. As I have gotten further into pregnancy, a pillow under my low back feels great too. Ill put a show on so I don’t think about the time, or use it as a time to meditate. (lets be real, I choose the show option way more often lol).
5. Gua Sha for depuffing the face
I swear by this when I am not pregnant! The rose quartz stone helps decrease inflammation in the skin, so after a mask or just cleansing my face after a long day, I help my lymph system by using the gua sha to increase the circulation. Get your set here, and check out youtube to learn all the tricks.
I am all about finding what works best for you and then making time to do the things you need to do.
enjoy xo
