Holistic pregnancy the 3rd Trimester

 

And here we are , flowing towards on the end of my 3rd trimester and preparing for the birth! Here is a look back at these last weeks. A few discomforts popped up,  the occasional indigestion and leg cramps, but that was for a couple days and then is disappeared. I have had aches and pains here and there but again, nothing to serious and mostly goes away with a good Yoga class and a massage 🙂 Strangely I had sternum pain… yes you read that right. I certainly didn’t expect that. I felt it the most from 26-34 weeks and then it eased off a bit, my husband would rub that area with arnica and it was AMAZING! Which brings me to him, what a flippen amazing human he is. From the first day he has been nothing but supportive and caring and just plain incredible. Working all day and then coming home and cleaning if I have not been able to, feeding the dogs , folding laundry and sometimes cooking or buying me yummy food (: I must admit I have tried to just keep doing my normal routine but was put in my place by him and my body telling me to stop. There is a certain amount of guilt for me, feeling like I need to do more, but he lovingly reminds me Im growing a human and that is enough work to do. So thank you my love, your support and complete unconditional love for me, it lights me up and has made this pregnancy that much more blissful!

We are  so excited to meet our little boy and experience birth and the beautiful changes about to take place in our family. We have been preparing in many different ways. Physically, mentally emotionally, and then there is all the baby and house stuff that I had long lists for. Again thanks my love, ticking off the boxes as each weekend goes by. My nesting has for sure kicked in. It feels good to get everything you can ‘prepared’. But mostly I have tried to keep my mind in a positive space. Listening to birth affirmations and reading positive birth storied makes a big difference from all the horror stories you hear around you. People love to tell their stories and I get that, but am amazed at what comes out of peoples mouths, so keeping positivity around you is so important!

Nutrition

I have still been enjoying a lot of fruit and smoothies this trimester and Im sure that is due to the very hot summer we have had. I have been feeling like a lot more sweet foods as well, so this has been a bit of a challenge, I try to turn to fresh dates, date balls and dried fruit as sweet snacks. I have also focused on keeping my plant fat intake high, avocado, flax oil, hemp and chia seeds . Baby is building his beautiful brain and needs all he can get.

These last few weeks I have also been focusing on getting in extra kale as it is high in Vitamin K , this will give baby more for when he is born. A few weeks ago I got a cold, not fun… but we got through it.  I took extra vitamin C and drank lots of fresh juice, rested as much as I could and that seemed to do the trick after a few days.

Yoga

I have noticed the most changes in my body this trimester of course, which has changed my practice. I am moving much slower and adjusting poses and flows more. Resting when I need, most importantly. When I teach my classes I do more verbal queuing than demonstrating the flows .  It has improved my teaching skills for sure. In my own practice I have been focusing on squats, keeping my hips open and just really focusing on my breath and connecting to my body and what feels good. Finding some quite in my mind and connecting to our baby.

I have had some leg cramps and some general aches and pains in my back and hips, and without yoga Im not sure what I would do. It helps to keep everything open and my blood moving. My husband has been rubbing my legs before bed which helps so much. And if I can recommend anything that you should make a priority during your pregnancy that is prenatal Yoga and get yourself a prenatal massage! Its so worth it and you deserve it, you and your baby will benefit so much from this. And you get to lie on your tummy as there is a hole in the bed! How coo! I feel such a release when I go, and feel so nurtured by my massage therapist, she is incredible. If your in the Upper Highway area, go see her. Kirsten from Nurtured. 0732803860.

I have also found using a foam roller really beneficial for my lower back/glutes and coccyx. As well as my hips now towards the pregnancy have been very achy at night . During the day when I am sitting I use my birth ball which is so much more comfy than chairs and I bounce away while doing work I need on my computer. Walking is always great as well when you have the energy, I keep them pretty short and slow and just take my time, but I always feel good after and gets my blood moving, got to keep active so we can prepare for the physical strength needed during labour! In saying all of this do what feels best for you and don’t push yourself. The shape you were in before you fell pregnant makes a huge difference, thats why I recommend starting a Yoga practice before as well as walking and following a healthy plant based diet. SO much happens in those first weeks of pregnancy, so to have your body thriving before will not only be amazing for baby but for you and help you just flow through pregnancy with ease and joy (:

 

 

Emotional Wellbeing

We decided to take a hypno-birthing course, and I so recommend you do if interested. It has made us feel so much more calm and emotionally prepared for the birth and the changes about to take place. Not that you can ever be fully prepared! But it has for sure helped ease some anxieties. We did out course with the amazing Callen from Gentle Welcome. With this I have been listening to positive Birth affirmations, doing relaxation techniques and just staying as positive as I can about birth. Keeping in that space is so important, releasing fears and anxieties you have before the birth. I have also made a birth board with positive affirmations and images to keep me going during the labour. I have also created a playlist of my favorite music. I may do a post in the near future of ways to prepare for birth and postpartum care. (after my birth, when I can add more advice and let you know how it all goes )

We have also been reading to baby as recommended in our course, this helps with bonding by hearing our and connecting to our voices. There has been research done that baby later on in life favors the stories you read in the womb! Quite amazing. 

Books

hypnobirthing – Marie Mongan

 

 

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