How To Practice Pregnancy Self Care

Pregnancy is a beautiful process, yet it can be filled with a wide variety of emotions, including negative emotions, like stress and anxiety.

For this reason, it’s important to practice self care during pregnancy, so you take better care of yourself and of your baby.

Self care during pregnancy is a way to nourish your mind and body.

How To Practice Pregnancy Self Care

Being pregnant brings plenty of physical, emotional, and mental changes.

The responsibility of bringing a newborn to the family can be tremendous. There’s also a lot that needs to get done before the baby arrives, yet pregnancy self care should be a top priority. If you’re not feeling good, then that affects your body, your baby, and your mental and emotional wellbeing.

So, I’m sharing a roundup of effective ways you, as a pregnant woman, can practice self care and give your body the extra TLC it needs.

Self Care Practice #1: Rest Intentionally

Growing a baby means your body is working in overdrive. Instead of the normal functionality, it has for just you (one person), it now changes and expands for two.

The capacity for doing what you used to do has changed. Your body is changing. And it’s supposed to be.

What you’ll want to do is respond accordingly.

One of the most effective ways to do this is to rest intentionally.

I talk about this in the Rest On Purpose podcast episode, as well. We typically don’t “rest on purpose.” Instead, we try to rest, and then fill that rest with more to-dos (at worst) or more mental chatter (at best).

Instead, practice resting both your mind and body.

You’ll feel better and more energized after you’ve given yourself permission to do absolutely nothing.

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Self Care Practice #2: Get Outside

The next self care tip is to get outside.

Changing your environment and getting outside can help you shift your mood almost instantly.

One of the easiest and quickest ways to feel good is to get into nature and allow yourself to focus on your senses. This helps you get out of your mind and into your body, where you’ll experience more connection and feel more grounded.

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Self Care Practice #3: Listen To Your Body

Listening to your body is an excellent way to practice self care for pregnant women.

The tendency is to think about your body, staying inside your mind. This increases the mental chatter and actually decreases your connection to yourself.

A simple way to get out of your head and into your body is to ask yourself, “what do you need from me, body?”

This will redirect your brain back to your body, which will get your mind and body connected, feeling so much better.

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Self Care Practice #4: Eat Well

Our minds and bodies are heavily influenced by what we eat.

The more nutritious foods you eat, the better your brain functions and the better your body feels.

You don’t need to do make it complicated either. You can follow a simple plan. In Grow You, I have a course that shows you how to change your eating habits forever.

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Self Care Practice #5: Get Moving

Moving your bump is important not just for your body but also for your mental health.

This can be as simple as walking 30 minutes per day on an incline (something I loved during my pregnancy) or more specifically, taking prenatal yoga classes.

Combining exercise with something like prenatal massages can also improve your self care routine.

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A Final Note!

With all the bodily changes that come with growing a baby, including the not so pleasant side effects (hello, morning sickness), practicing self care should be a top priority when you’re expecting.

When you prioritize your own mental and emotional health (and do the “inner work” as I call it), you can feel confident and capable when the baby arrives (without the anxiety, fear, or overwhelm).

Just remember: you were made for this.