How to Decide The Path For Your Journey of Pregnancy?: Part 1

So you’ve done the urine test three times just to make sure and it’s all rather exciting. What next?

Before rushing off to the same doctor your mother or grandmother went to, or what your favourite online network recommends…take a breath and explore your options.

PREGNANCY IS NOT AN ILLNESS – It’s an exciting chapter which will welcome a new little person into your life and love.

What is your regular lifestyle like? Are you a busy, working person grabbing unhealthy foods to eat when you give yourself a chance? Are you more of a crunchy type? Into organic foods and yoga? Are you the type who pops pills and sees a doctor at the slightest ailment?

You may want to consider what angle you want to take on your pregnancy and an important part of that is who you want on board for the journey. Imagine you are going on a trip to Africa. Would you take people that would make you fearful of sickness and danger around every corner? Or would you rather go with people that would show you the beauty of the land and the wonders of the wildlife?

What you read in books or online with Dr. Google, watch on TV, and expose your mind to, will effect your stress and anxiety levels and contentment. YOU ARE THE BOSS! You can choose whom you tell or what you listen to and allow influence in your personal space of yours, your growing baby, and immediate loved ones.

There is no need to rush off for vaginal ultrasounds and expose yourself and your baby to medicines and machines unless there is something unusual about your health and situation. For example, being told “It’s common to be put on Progesterone to protect the pregnancy”, this is not common in many countries unless there is a threatened miscarriage. Explore the Babychakra community and other likeminded online resources. Ask women you know and trust about their births. Ask the grandmothers who birthed without fear, and mostly at home. Surround yourself with a “Village” (a trusted and supportive network of friends/ family) and tune out any negativity and fear. Don’t allow people to tell you their horror stories. It’s totally acceptable to ask for a second opinion from another care provider if you are unsure of any medication / advice prescribed to you.

There is an easy way to work out your Estimated Due Date (EDD). Take your first day of your last menstrual period (LMP) and minus 3 months. Then add 7 days. If your LMP was 1 April 2015, then your EDD will be approx. January 8, 2016

An ESTIMATED DUE DATE is just that – an ESTIMATION. If your due date comes out as early January, you could tell all your friends and colleagues the big day is at the end of January. This buys you time at the end when you feel big, hot, tired and emotional.  No one will bug you about when you are going to deliver the kid because they all think you are not quite ready!

To read the second part of this article, click here

To consult Lina Duncan in person, click here

#pregnancymustknow