Whether your pregnancy was a total surprise or very much longed and planned for, it is completely natural to have moments where you feel like you have a lot on your mind. It’s also normal to feel a little bit overwhelmed by the never-ending “to do list” you have for before the baby arrives!
I have one more thing to add to that list mumma, but do not worry because this one is just for you! I want you to give yourself the gift of pregnancy relaxation.
Why is relaxation important during pregnancy?
Relaxation during pregnancy is so important. It has been shown to greatly enhance the connection between mother and baby and it can help to promote bonding even before your little one arrives.
As your pregnancy progresses you might find that a full night’s sleep is a little bit harder to come by. Incorporating relaxation techniques into your everyday life has been shown to improve quality of sleep and general well-being.
The mind-body connection is so incredible, relaxation during pregnancy can help you harness that connection. It has been shown to reduce physical tension from within your body during pregnancy and labour. Relaxation is a lifelong skill, and one that will serve you particularly well when navigating the first few months of motherhood.
What pregnancy relaxation methods do mums recommend?
With all of this in mind, I asked some of the mums in my classes what they found helped them to relax during their pregnancies. There were a few responses that came out as clear winners!
Water power
Lots of mums said they loved nothing more than a warm bath whilst listening to their hypnobirthing tracks or an audio book. Adding essential oils such as lavender to the water can be a great way of building a positive association of the scent with a time that you felt totally relaxed and comfortable. This can be a fantastic comfort measure that many mums find useful during their labour and birth.
Water seemed to be a really helpful tool in relaxation as many others said that aqua-natal classes or just a simple swim in their local pool really helped them to take some time for themselves. If you are starting to feel a little bit ache-y or uncomfortable as your bump grows, then water can have a wonderful way of making you feel weightless and allowing you to rest your muscles.
Pregnancy reflexology
Pregnancy reflexology is another beautiful way of treating yourself to something special that can have a positive effect on both your physical and emotional well-being.
I spoke to Nicola, the owner of Feel Lifted Reflexology who offers maternity reflexology. She explained that ‘along with being an incredibly relaxing experience, reflexology has been shown to be excellent in treating conditions commonly associated with pregnancy such as fatigue, nausea, headaches and backaches. Maternity reflexology works to harmonise the whole being in preparation for birth, gently encouraging the body to go into labour naturally when the time comes and balancing the body in the postnatal period.’
Mindfulness
Mindfulness and visualisation are both lovely ways of incorporating relaxation into your day. They allow a dedicated time for you to relax your mind and let go of any worries that might be running through it, whether that’s about your baby’s birth or about how you might cope with the needs of a newborn.
One of my favourite visualisations from our Relax with Bump pregnancy relaxation sessions is ‘imagine holding your baby, skin to skin, eye to eye, heart to heart. You have nothing to fear. You already have everything you need. Right now. Right here.’
It is such a privilege and a pleasure to guide mums-to-be through pregnancy during our Relax with Bump classes, and then to meet them and their new little one in class for baby massage!
Whatever works best for you to help you relax, do not feel guilty mumma. You are doing something incredible! Remind yourself that you’re not only doing this for yourself, you are doing this for your baby too. Give yourself and your baby the gift of relaxation and you will both reap the rewards.
To find out more about our Relax With Bump pregnancy relaxation classes, head over to the website here.
