As your body cradles and nurtures new life, you may find that you’re holding the news of your pregnancy closely. Some pregnant people hold the secret because the new life within feels vulnerable. An urge for privacy may be hormonally inspired or emotionally protective. Some pregnant people worry about miscarriage and feel the need to hold off on sharing the news. This is understandable. If you have signs of miscarriage or an early pregnancy loss, seek support for your medical and emotional needs.
There are a few things you can do to improve your body’s adjustment to pregnancy, such as getting enough sleep, staying hydrated without overwatering yourself, avoiding toxins whenever possible, eating regular small meals with proper nutrition, and working toward body balancing.
Body balancing helps you avoid nausea and promotes pregnancy vitality. The way we use the words “body balancing” at Spinning Babies® most often refers to the state of muscles, ligaments, and fascia. The connective tissue, or fascia, wraps every organ, muscle, and bone, including the spine and skull. Imbalances sometimes pull the ovaries, womb, or even midbrain structures out of balance, causing emotions, fertility, or function to be less than ideal.
We wait for a complete series of The Three Balances until next trimester, so don’t do The Forward-leaning Inversion or the The Jiggle until week 14, or later. Do begin daily activities, like walking and calf stretch, just not the squats or inversions. Let your pregnancy “settle” deep into your body.
Begin adding daily calf stretches to your self-care routine. Stretching your calves gives length to your hamstrings, so your sacrum and buttock muscles are more mobile. This brings increased balance and comfort during pregnancy and helps when you need your pelvis to open for your baby during descent in labor. (Note: Ditch those high heels now!)
How to do a calf stretch:
Your baby is beginning to develop the most important structure in the human body — their heart. The heart begins as a tube.
From the midline fold we spoke of last week, comes symmetry, balance, and function for the physiology of human life. This streak becomes the notochord — the origin of the neurological system. It has a tremendous influence on the future functional patterns of the body and its physiology. Crawling before walking is a regulating activity for a child’s neurological development, arising from this “midline” structure.
It’s normal to begin feeling fatigued and for your nipples and breasts to feel tender and swollen. Some pregnant people experience a strange metallic taste in their mouth. You may also start to urinate more frequently and experience cravings or aversions to certain foods.
Your body seeks to avoid foods that aren’t good for a developing human but also needs minerals and proteins. A lack of certain vitamins or minerals can show up as cravings for sugar or non-food items like ice or paper. Adding mineral-rich foods, like root vegetables, may help regulate non-food cravings called pica.
Affirmations are short, powerful statements that can affect your conscious thoughts. Close your eyes, breathe deeply and slowly, and repeat the following to yourself each day throughout the next week. Fill yourself with breath and feel the joy:
For additional education to even further enhance your pregnancy and labor preparation, shop our extensive collection of digital downloads, videos, DVDs, workbooks, and more.