NPR did a story the other day letting folks know about the possible dangers of choosing to have your baby early. Some women might chose to have their baby early due to physical discomfort. Others because of jobs or family arrival. What caught my attention most about the article was the mention that due dates can be as much as two weeks off. So, if you're told you're due on April 1st and schedule an induction 2 weeks prior to that, but the due date was 2 weeks off, you could potentially have a baby who is a month early. "That could never happen!", you might be thinking to yourself. However, it sort of happened to a client of mine. She was told her due date was June 28th. When she was at 42 weeks she went in for an ultrasound. She was then told because of her menstrual cycle and the measurements of the baby, her due date should have been July 21st. That's three weeks off. Imagine if she had decided to induce two weeks early? That's five weeks early. The NPR article shows the difference between a 35-week brain versus the 39-40-week brain. It weighs only 2/3 the weight at 35 weeks!
I have given birth to three babies. Two in the summer. One in late fall. I know what it is to be uncomfortable. I know what it is to want to meet the living, breathing baby inside my belly who kicks me at night, gives me heartburn and makes me feel an insurmountable love. The best and most wonderful gift you could give your baby and yourself is to endure for a little while longer and let your baby develop fully and come into this world the way he or she is meant to, in his or her own time.
*This is my advice to healthy mamas with healthy babies/fetuses. I am not a medical professional. Of course, if there are health risks or emergency situations, my advice is null and void.*
Showing posts with label Relax. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Relax. Show all posts
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Reiki
I started attending reiki
sessions a couple of months ago. I was very skeptical. While I believe in things and people having energy - I can definitely feel tension in a room, or complete and utter love - I had a hard time wrapping my brain around someone changing my energy with their hands hovering above my body. It seemed too "new age" for me. A friend of mine is a reiki master and offered me a session. I walked in his home in a bad shape. I had taken ill the day before. I was sore and yucky feeling. It hurt to bend over or even move. I laid down on the table. There was lovely dim lighting and light music playing. I closed my eyes and let my other senses do the rest. I was told that I might feel something heat or tingling sensations in different areas. I felt a lot of heat and tingling in my right thigh and my belly. I could feel the energy flowing from his hand to my head, or vice verse, while it hovered above me. It was surreal. Lucky for my friendship, he threw in a back massage to get out some knots. I was there for almost about an hour and a half. When I stood up I anticipated the pain that had been haunting me all day. Nope. I could barely feel a little sensation in my lower back. The rest was gone. I was amazed and sold. I am now a lover of reiki.
sessions a couple of months ago. I was very skeptical. While I believe in things and people having energy - I can definitely feel tension in a room, or complete and utter love - I had a hard time wrapping my brain around someone changing my energy with their hands hovering above my body. It seemed too "new age" for me. A friend of mine is a reiki master and offered me a session. I walked in his home in a bad shape. I had taken ill the day before. I was sore and yucky feeling. It hurt to bend over or even move. I laid down on the table. There was lovely dim lighting and light music playing. I closed my eyes and let my other senses do the rest. I was told that I might feel something heat or tingling sensations in different areas. I felt a lot of heat and tingling in my right thigh and my belly. I could feel the energy flowing from his hand to my head, or vice verse, while it hovered above me. It was surreal. Lucky for my friendship, he threw in a back massage to get out some knots. I was there for almost about an hour and a half. When I stood up I anticipated the pain that had been haunting me all day. Nope. I could barely feel a little sensation in my lower back. The rest was gone. I was amazed and sold. I am now a lover of reiki. Benefits for the expectant mama
Reiki has been known to do the following -
Relieved stress, nausea, exhaustion and morning sickness.
Improved the quality of sleep, especially in later pregnancy.
Relieved pain from swelling and achiness.
Claims have been made that reiki has shortened labor and delivery times.
Reiki has also been known to help with postpartum depression.
Reiki can also be very soothing for babies, as well as children.
Regular treatments of Reiki during pregnancy will help the mother’s and the baby’s body maintain its natural balance, chemical and physiological.
*Again, I am not a doctor or midwife. Please consult your caregiver when making treatment decisions.
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Pregnant Mamas Breathe. ~Helene Rose
I found this today and wanted to pass it on...
Encourage a blissful, relaxed pregnancy for a healthier Mama & Baby.
Close your eyes and imagine a pregnant mama in your mind’s eye.
Take a few moments for the image of her body and her location to come into focus.
Now take a closer look and observe what she is doing and how she may be feeling.
Most of us see a beautiful, blissful, peaceful mama relaxing in her home or nurturing environment. Unfortunately, many mamas do not or cannot allow themselves the space to relax and rest. Instead, they continue the pace of their pre-conception lifestyle and quite possibly at the expense of their health and well-being.
Mothering your child begins at or even before conception! In a way, your baby is teaching you how to care for him or her by caring for yourself. Your baby is teaching you how to nurture him or her by nurturing yourself.
Pregnant mothers are constantly receiving messages from their babies, bodies, minds, and intuition about how to care and nurture themselves. The question is, can mama receive the messages? Is she quiet, calm, centered, and turning into herself and her child?
Pregnant mothers are also constantly sending messages to their child in womb through their thoughts, feelings, and emotions. When mom enjoys a yoga class with other pregnant women, she feels supported and nurtured. As a result, her baby feels supported and nurtured. When mom enjoys a relaxing massage or meditation, baby feels relaxed as well. When mom surrounds herself with positive people, messages, media, baby feels positive.
On the flip side, when mom encounters a negative birth story or criticism, and begins to feel disempowered or fearful, baby feels this as well. When mom strives to meet the pregnancy ideals of others, whether it be the beliefs of partner, doctor, or friend, she is losing touch with her own inner wisdom.
Slowing down during pregnancy results in increased satisfaction with the pregnancy experience as well as increased health and well being of mama and baby. Mama learns to tune into her own inner wisdom guiding her to a place of love and peace. How can pregnant mamas tell if they need to slow down and how can they do this?
The signs that mama may need to create space for rest and relaxation:
Trouble sleeping
Elevated Blood Pressure
Swelling
Morning sickness
Anxiety or Depression
Fear-based thoughts
Fatigue
(Although these pregnancy related discomforts may be relieved with rest and relaxation, it’s a good idea to check in with your primary care provider to avoid more serious issues.)
Encourage yourself or the pregnant mama in your life to try the following ideas for incorporating more rest and relaxation which in turn will result in a happier healthier pregnancy for mama, baby, and everyone in their lives:
1.Breathe: Remind yourself often of your breath. The more deeply you breathe and the more relaxed you are, the more oxygen flows to your baby. Upon waking, getting into your car, or even walking through the grocery store, remind yourself to breathe. Post sticky notes around your house in visible areas. Tailor sit on the floor with the your legs loosely crossed, and your body does not have to work so hard to pump oxygenated blood through your body.
2.Walk and eat slowly: Notice each step that you take and make it slow and deliberate. This brings awareness, stability, and grounded-ness to your day. Eat slowly to avoid over-filling your stomach or causing heartburn or indigestion.
3.Create a baby alter: Find a space in your home to fill with any items that remind you of your baby and that you will share with your baby when he or she is received on earth. Use this space to remind you to sit and breathe as well as to create loving dialogue with your unborn baby. Items can include candles, pictures, artifacts found in nature, sacred symbols, plants, items from your own childhood, poems, or anything else you can think of that encourage reflection of your parenting path!
4.Become aware of what causes you stress and make changes. Notice the people, places, or environments that make your body tense and your mind uneasy and eliminate these.
5.Become aware of what brings you peace and incorporate more of this in your life. Whether it be a supportive friend, journaling, uplifting music, nature, or joyful activities, incorporate more of this into your daily life to replace what you are purging.
6.Prenatal meditation & yoga. Meditation and yoga are wonderful for centering, connecting with yourself and your baby, increasing strength in body and mind for birth labor, and camaraderie with other pregnant women.
7.Energy work. Energy work like Reiki can clear blocks and pain that interfere with living in your fullest potential of health and well-being. It induces deep relaxation at the cellular level.
8.Pampering & Massage. Massage and other pampering feels great and the right hands can be quite nurturing.
9.Intuitive Birth Guidance. Receive intuitive birth guidance to discover what your baby would like you to know as her parents and create a deep bond even before the birth of your baby. It brings clarity to your parenting path.
10.Play. This is the time to treat yourself well and do what brings you joy. Find what you love to do, and do it! Know that you deserve to be honored first and foremost from yourself and to yourself. Crafts, dancing, cooking, playing in the sand… play!
Nurture and care for yourself each step in your pregnancy. Feel well and be well. Enjoy and honor your pregnancy in love, peace, and joy. Breathe! This is your life and your creation! Make it beautiful.
Helene Rose is a mother of two children. She loves to work with families along every stage of parenting as a birth mentor, professional birth doula, childbirth educator, and healer; offering love, intuitive guidance, and personalized support. She offers Mama Meditation classes at YoMama Yoga studio in Boulder, CO for prenatal mamas as well as new mamas and babies. Visit her website and email.
Encourage a blissful, relaxed pregnancy for a healthier Mama & Baby.
Close your eyes and imagine a pregnant mama in your mind’s eye.
Take a few moments for the image of her body and her location to come into focus.
Now take a closer look and observe what she is doing and how she may be feeling.
Most of us see a beautiful, blissful, peaceful mama relaxing in her home or nurturing environment. Unfortunately, many mamas do not or cannot allow themselves the space to relax and rest. Instead, they continue the pace of their pre-conception lifestyle and quite possibly at the expense of their health and well-being.
Mothering your child begins at or even before conception! In a way, your baby is teaching you how to care for him or her by caring for yourself. Your baby is teaching you how to nurture him or her by nurturing yourself.
Pregnant mothers are constantly receiving messages from their babies, bodies, minds, and intuition about how to care and nurture themselves. The question is, can mama receive the messages? Is she quiet, calm, centered, and turning into herself and her child?
Pregnant mothers are also constantly sending messages to their child in womb through their thoughts, feelings, and emotions. When mom enjoys a yoga class with other pregnant women, she feels supported and nurtured. As a result, her baby feels supported and nurtured. When mom enjoys a relaxing massage or meditation, baby feels relaxed as well. When mom surrounds herself with positive people, messages, media, baby feels positive.
On the flip side, when mom encounters a negative birth story or criticism, and begins to feel disempowered or fearful, baby feels this as well. When mom strives to meet the pregnancy ideals of others, whether it be the beliefs of partner, doctor, or friend, she is losing touch with her own inner wisdom.
Slowing down during pregnancy results in increased satisfaction with the pregnancy experience as well as increased health and well being of mama and baby. Mama learns to tune into her own inner wisdom guiding her to a place of love and peace. How can pregnant mamas tell if they need to slow down and how can they do this?
The signs that mama may need to create space for rest and relaxation:
Trouble sleeping
Elevated Blood Pressure
Swelling
Morning sickness
Anxiety or Depression
Fear-based thoughts
Fatigue
(Although these pregnancy related discomforts may be relieved with rest and relaxation, it’s a good idea to check in with your primary care provider to avoid more serious issues.)
Encourage yourself or the pregnant mama in your life to try the following ideas for incorporating more rest and relaxation which in turn will result in a happier healthier pregnancy for mama, baby, and everyone in their lives:
1.Breathe: Remind yourself often of your breath. The more deeply you breathe and the more relaxed you are, the more oxygen flows to your baby. Upon waking, getting into your car, or even walking through the grocery store, remind yourself to breathe. Post sticky notes around your house in visible areas. Tailor sit on the floor with the your legs loosely crossed, and your body does not have to work so hard to pump oxygenated blood through your body.
2.Walk and eat slowly: Notice each step that you take and make it slow and deliberate. This brings awareness, stability, and grounded-ness to your day. Eat slowly to avoid over-filling your stomach or causing heartburn or indigestion.
3.Create a baby alter: Find a space in your home to fill with any items that remind you of your baby and that you will share with your baby when he or she is received on earth. Use this space to remind you to sit and breathe as well as to create loving dialogue with your unborn baby. Items can include candles, pictures, artifacts found in nature, sacred symbols, plants, items from your own childhood, poems, or anything else you can think of that encourage reflection of your parenting path!
4.Become aware of what causes you stress and make changes. Notice the people, places, or environments that make your body tense and your mind uneasy and eliminate these.
5.Become aware of what brings you peace and incorporate more of this in your life. Whether it be a supportive friend, journaling, uplifting music, nature, or joyful activities, incorporate more of this into your daily life to replace what you are purging.
6.Prenatal meditation & yoga. Meditation and yoga are wonderful for centering, connecting with yourself and your baby, increasing strength in body and mind for birth labor, and camaraderie with other pregnant women.
7.Energy work. Energy work like Reiki can clear blocks and pain that interfere with living in your fullest potential of health and well-being. It induces deep relaxation at the cellular level.
8.Pampering & Massage. Massage and other pampering feels great and the right hands can be quite nurturing.
9.Intuitive Birth Guidance. Receive intuitive birth guidance to discover what your baby would like you to know as her parents and create a deep bond even before the birth of your baby. It brings clarity to your parenting path.
10.Play. This is the time to treat yourself well and do what brings you joy. Find what you love to do, and do it! Know that you deserve to be honored first and foremost from yourself and to yourself. Crafts, dancing, cooking, playing in the sand… play!
Nurture and care for yourself each step in your pregnancy. Feel well and be well. Enjoy and honor your pregnancy in love, peace, and joy. Breathe! This is your life and your creation! Make it beautiful.
Helene Rose is a mother of two children. She loves to work with families along every stage of parenting as a birth mentor, professional birth doula, childbirth educator, and healer; offering love, intuitive guidance, and personalized support. She offers Mama Meditation classes at YoMama Yoga studio in Boulder, CO for prenatal mamas as well as new mamas and babies. Visit her website and email.
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