While it is true that nutrition and exercise play a fundamental role throughout a woman’s pregnancy, there are other internal factors that are present as a woman gets closer to childbirth. The mere physicality of pregnancy is just one small factor behind the preparation of bringing a new life into the world. Other factors include the hormonal side, emotional side, and mental side of pregnancy and birth. 

Hormonal

Because of the increase in certain hormones, like estrogen and progesterone, and the development of new hormones by the placenta, there can be a lot of overwhelming feelings throughout pregnancy. 

Supporting your hormone health with a good diet, plenty of oxytocin-boosting exercise, and herbal supplementation can be invaluable when dealing with moodiness and cravings our hormones can cause, as well as getting plenty of rest.

Yes, hormones are a physical element (however small it may literally be) of childbirth, but it is a part of pregnancy that goes unseen – aside from the symptoms that can be more prominent.

Feeling more fatigued, more tired, more irritable, more hungry, etc., is a normal and natural element of pregnancy and shouldn’t be ignored or written off. Take the time to understand the various changes your body is making, on the outside and in.

Emotional

Emotions can be related to hormones, true, but our hormones are not the only thing that impacts how we are feeling and taking the time to process through those is important.

Again, the physical support of a healthy lifestyle will be beyond helpful for managing prenatal and postpartum emotions. 

But sometimes emotions are not just hormonal, sometimes there are external factors that can affect our emotions, and during those times, there can be other methods of maintaining emotional health. Try these methods for helping yourself regulate your emotions

• Practice Kindness – to yourself and to others
• Deep Breathing – meditating, especially on Scripture, praying, or practicing relaxation techniques
• Effective Communication – don’t suppress your feelings, clearly share them
• Reach Out – if you think you might need help, ask
• Find Your Calm – take a bath, take a walk, take time for something you love

Mental

Mental health is an area of conversation that should take place when necessary. Concerns with anxiety and depression, dwelling on the “what-ifs,” past or ongoing trauma – these things take up space in our minds can have a great affect on labor and birth.

Again, external factors can affect our mental health, so make sure to do things to support your overall health. Having stability in your home and in your life can be especially beneficial.

Some people deal with anxiety and depression before they ever get pregnant. Now, because they are exposed to so many continually shifting factors – physically, hormonally, emotionally – their anxiety and depression can become exacerbated. Being aware of this potential side of pregnancy is very important in managing our mental health, and can open up communication between our providers to ensure we have the proper assistance we might need. 

While “what-if” may be somewhat related to anxiety and neuroticism, sometimes wondering about what all the outcomes might be can really affect our mental well-being, causing distress and concern. Educating ourselves and even hiring a doula – someone trained in physiological birth that can help support you emotionally, physically, and informationally – to help you navigate the unknowns can be extremely reassuring.

Another aspect of mentally preparing for childbirth is processing through trauma. This may require the extra step of therapy treatment, but is so incredibly vital to a positive birth experience. A mental “hang up” has the ability to cause labor to slow or stall – doing the work beforehand is just another step in the holistic care necessary in pregnancy.

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While some of these factors may seem too trivial or even too heavy, please don’t hesitate to talk to your midwife about any and all concerns you may have – whether physically or internally. Holistic health is understanding that the body is tied to the inner person; supporting both the external and internal aspects of someone’s health is going to provide the best healing outcome possible. 

At Way Maker Midwifery, we want to support you, we want to help you understand your body and the changes you are going through, we want to help you navigate the unknowns and build help you build your confidence, we want to encourage you and pray for you – we want to do all of this as a part of keeping you and your baby healthy and safe.