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Pregnancy is a transformative journey filled with joy, anticipation, and sometimes, a bit of anxiety. One thing that's for sure, is that every pregnancy is different. I personally have had pregnant friends who felt nauseaous during whole first trimester to those, including myself, who did not feel any physical nausea or discomfort. Expecting mums who were terrified of birth, planning every step of the "birthing day" to those who did not think much about the process, but trusting the process itself. Those who got stretch marks and those who did not. Those with cravings and those without.
Among the roller-coaster of emotions and physical changes, journaling during pregnancy is a powerful tool for expectant mothers to navigate this remarkable phase of life. Read about some of the benefits of journaling during pregnancy and start recording the most unique and undescribable journey of love and new life.
Journaling during pregnancy provides a way to process your emotions
Pregnancy is a rollercoaster of emotions, from elation to apprehension. Plenty of expecting mothers move about their days without even noticing their emotions or actively pushing them down. Journaling during pregnancy gives you an opportunity to process your emotions in a safe and contained space. Naming specific emotions you are experiencing and accepting them reduces their strength. That way difficult emotions such as fear and discomfort become less overwhelming and easier to manage. By jotting down thoughts and experiences, women can gain clarity, identify sources of stress, and find solace in self-reflection.
Bonding with the Baby
Forming a bond with your baby during pregnancy is beautiful, because without ever seeing the baby or knowing nothing about it, you can create a deep connection before it's even born.
Here are some things that might help you and your baby to start forming a bond before birth:
- talk and sing to your baby
- gently touch, rub or massage your belly, especially when it stars showing
- respond to your baby kicks by gently nudging your belly
- play relaxing or calming music to your baby
- write letters or notes to your unborn child to foster a deep emotional connection
"Without even realising, I was talking to my baby as soon as my belly starting showing off. From describing my day, to re-assuring baby (and me) that everything will be fine."
Share your hopes, dreams and aspirations for your child and create cherished mementos to be revisited in years to come.
Documentation of Milestones
Like a spring, when all the flowers begin to blossom, pregnancy is marked by milestones and changes, every day. From the heartbeat, to first fluttering kicks to the final days of anticipation. Journaling during pregnancy allows you to document the precious moments and create a tangible record of the journey, the journey of a new life.
During my pregnancy, I used a pregnancy app, to follow my pregnancy journey, and I loved opening the app every week, asking myself, how much has the baby grown?, What new organs are developing and can the baby hear my voice? I was holding to the pregnancy app for several months after my pregnancy, but I deleted it at some point, which felt very strange. To let go of my journey. Pregnancy Journal is a great compliment to the pregnancy app, because you can follow the milestones on the app and write down your own feelings in your pregnancy journal. Capture your memories with our Pregnancy Journal made with love and revisit them in the future.
Stress Reduction and Relaxation
The therapeutic benefits of journaling are well-documented, and this holds true during pregnancy as well. Taking a few moments each day to write can alleviate stress, promote relaxation, and cultivate a sense of calm amidst the whirlwind of pregnancy-related anxieties.
For me the anxiety was especially pronounced around the periods of ultrasounds. With both of my pregnancies we found out there was something “not in order” with our babies kidneys, which can be correlated to other difficulties or increase risk of having gene mutations. This period of waiting for another result can be hard to process and put words on.
When negative or worried thoughts arise, it’s easy to get caught up in their catastrophic stories. Jotting down your thoughts, however, “creates space and distance to consider them in a more objective way,” says Sabrina Romanoff, PsyD, a clinical psychologist in New York City.
Gift for the future
Imagine opening your pregnancy journal 20, 50 years form now, revisiting your pregnant self, your feelings, just scrolling through the pages and remembering the journey. Imagine gifting this to your pregnant daughter, who will find a new friend in your journal. I would absolutely love to read my mother's pregnancy journal, to read how she felt and just transfer myself to her young personality. Did she think I will be a girl? What names was she considering and why? Did she have any worry? How was her birth?
Gift our Pregnancy Journal to yourself, regift it to your older self or your kids.