Pregnancy Self Care

“Self care is not self indulgence its self preservation“. (Audre Lorde)

Self care looks like different things to different women depending on what stage of life plays a factor. During pregnancy self care can look like everything from a warm bath with some candles, an afternoon nap, a yummy nutritious meal, a cheat day takeaway, meditation, a long walk, a foot pack or a face mask.

As women we have a tendency to go full speed and sometimes don’t know when to slow things down. Well, if you are pregnant then take some time out for yourself before your precious bundle arrives. Growing a baby is hard work and you need time to recharge sometimes, so make sure you are not pushing yourself too hard to keep up with the expectations of others.

Pregnancy can be a whirlwind of emotions so allow yourself to feel mama and be gentle on yourself!

Here are some self care recommendations below:

1. The art of massage is magical – It is proven to help reduce stress, promote relaxation and release tensions in the mind and body.

2. Pre-natal Yoga – Even if you have never mediated before, now is a good of a time as any to start. Pre natal yoga helps strengthen a woman's pelvic floor whilst easing tension and stress. There are plenty of apps for example Yoggy: Pregnancy Yoga Workouts or Follow @prenatalyogacenter on Instagram.

3. Meditation / Mindfulness – Even as little as 10 minutes a day of meditation has proven to have benefits to clear the mind, reduce anxiety and stress and help relaxation. Again many free apps available one of our favourites is Balance App which is free to download you can also follow them on Instagram @balance for free live meditations.

4. Take time out - Listen to your favourite song, have a dance around the kitchen, read a chapter of a book or binge watch you best series, light some candles, take a warm bath with some magnesium salts.

5. Eat healthy - Well balanced meals, this is even more important during pregnancy as your body is working twice as hard. Although it is okay to have the occasional treat in moderation.

6. Date nights – Now date nights might feel like a thing of the past with Covid and a baby on the horizon but use this as an opportunity to have date nights at home or in the garden. Take it in turns to organise, eg. cooking a nice dinner, movie night, theme night, massage night or games night.

7. Get outdoors – Exercise is essential in pregnancy and a walk in the fresh air has many other benefits. A stroll with nature helps the mind to relax, fresh air in your lungs and counts towards your daily step count.

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