Stress Relief During Pregnancy

As hormone levels are out of whack during pregnancy, so are stress levels. Things that were never a trigger for you may cause an extreme amount of stress during pregnancy, so being prepared and filling your toolkit with stress relief exercises is a great thing to do in the early stages of pregnancy.

The first step in creating your stress relief toolkit for pregnancy is to think about the activities that you enjoyed prior to becoming pregnant. Maybe it was going to the gym or hitting the trail for a hike. Perhaps it was exploring a local bookstore or coffee shop. Maybe even a trip to the salon or spa for some pampering. Whatever gave you stress relief prior to pregnancy is a great place to start for what will give you relief during pregnancy.

Take it day by day. As your body and hormones change, so will your needs.

Then, think about the foods that you're loving right now that give you all the good feels. Chocolate, ice cream, pickles, salads, fruit, cake, cheese. Whatever it is that you're craving, tuck a few things away in your fridge or pantry so you have emergency stores for when your stress levels are high.

Finally, practice your breath and visualization. Breathe in evenly for a count of four and picture a place that brings an extreme amount of calm for you. It might be a beach, or wherever your partner proposed. It could even be your own home! Wherever you feel calm, grounded and centred, bring that place into your mind and breathe.

When all else fails, there's always Netflix, ice cream and napping!

xoxo
Shannon