First Trimester Pregnancy – Congratulations

Transcript

“If you’re pregnant for the first time, this may be a time of exceptional anxiety for you. And I want to reassure you that that is normal. It’s very, very common for women who are in their first pregnancy or second or third or fourth to feel uncertain because you’re growing a human being inside of you. And there’s a lot of trepidation and uncertainty, and unknowns going on in your life as you grow that baby. And it’s okay to be a little fearful, a little uncertain, even a little anxious, but if that fear or anxiety sticks around for a long time or doesn’t come and go, or it, isn’t also combined with optimism and hope and excitement for the future, then it’s time to reach out for help. And your partner is probably the best place to start. And then from there, both of you can access the healthcare system, can look for first of all, your healthcare provider, and then other [?] supports like a counselor to talk to or a support group.

Most people find that pregnancy has that level of fear and anxiety, but also a real sense of what’s going to come. And I just encourage you. One of your main goals in pregnancy is not just growing this human being, but enjoying the experience and being open and receptive and curious, and just allowing yourself to sit in that uncertainty and to realize that the future really is wide open and that as you grow this baby and you soon will meet this baby, that it’s a really optimistic and hopeful and exciting time in a woman’s life. And one of the real concerns would be to miss the experience because you’re sitting in the fear and anxiety, as opposed to sitting in the hope and the optimism and the excitement. And that’s going to take intentional effort on your part. It’s going to take being silent and reflective, maybe journaling, maybe starting to think about what you’re going to name the baby or the environment or the home that you want to establish, not just physically, but also the emotional and supportive place that you want to start to create and intentionally lead into before you even bring your baby home.

So while there’s a lot of physical hormonal changes going on in your body, those same hormones are doing a lot of mental and emotional work on you in your brain, in your organs, in your heart and soul. And so being pregnant can be a very, very beautiful time. And if you’re able to realize the anxiety and fear is normal, and you’re able to shift into excitement, hope and optimism more often than not, or reach out and get help to do so, then you will have a much more pleasurable experience. There’s even some science pointing to the fact that being in that calm, intentional place will be a healthier result for your baby. So that’s really interesting. And that science is starting to emerge to let us know that a mother’s level of calm and peace and joy actually translates to how the baby grows and potentially the development of that baby after he or she arrives. So congratulations that you’re pregnant. And I just encourage you to sit and enjoy the joy filled experience that you’re going through.”