The hormones that your body produces, mainly progesterone and estrogen, make you feel extremely sensitive with your thoughts, feelings and emotions, but also with everything and all those that surround you.
Your activity during the pregnancy can change your baby's physiologic development altering his emotional perceptions and his character. The daily experiences affect your mind, your emotional world and your physiologic state. The stress that you may feel, the enthusiasm, the anxiety or other emotions mark the rhythm of your heart, the control of your posture, the muscular tension and other physical aspects that affect the baby. Also, as it has been said previously, your feelings generate hormones, if they are the product of a happy mental and relatively relaxed state, they will reach the baby through the placenta. If, on the contrary, the hormones reflect a state of anguish, fear or anxiety constants, the baby will also receive the message.
Day after day, your emotions generate a hormonal change that, little by little, configures your baby's basic corporal chemistry. Certainly we are not referring to the typical stress of the pregnancy, this tension can make the baby move more than normal but it won't produce alterations in the formation of his brain.
Stress control
Almost all the human beings feel stressed at some times during our lives. Excess work, financial difficulties, a serious illness, a work problem, a pregnancy, etc. Almost any event or circumstance that alters our daily habits can provoke stress.
A small level of stress is beneficial because it motivates and stimulates our daily life and helps us to confront the changes of our life. However, there are occasions in which it seems that the tensions overcome us or emotionally we are not able to confront the difficulties or the changes in a balanced manner.
Each person reacts differently before a crisis, even the same person reacts in a different way in different moments of her life. For example, perfectionists generate their own stress regardless of the circumstances, the more insecure or nervous individuals usually have a lower threshold of stress than those with self assurance or ambition.
Excessive stress provokes a series of mental and physical reactions, these reactions are governed by the sympathic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system take charge of helping the organism in the recovery, but there is a series of habits that should be changed.
MENTAL SYMPTOMS OF STRESS
• Disorganization.
• Lack of concentration.
• Bad memory
• Difficulty to do simple tasks.
• Abrupt changes of mood.
• Negativity.
• Anguish.
• Exaggerated concern.
• Mistaken opinions. |
PHYSICAL SYMPTOMS OF STRESS
• Headaches. Migraines.
• Muscular contractures.
• Agitated breathing.
• Mouth dryness.
• Tachycardia.
• Sweating.
• Nauseas.
• Insomnia.
• Edginess.
• Tremors.
• Digestive problems.
• Back and neck pain.
|
Some advice to combat stress:
• To sleep in a reparative way, one should take a hot bath and an infusion before going to bed. After going to bed, listening to the radio, or listening to relaxing music with the eyes closed or doing a relaxation exercise can work miracles.
• Balanced nutrition, low in carbohydrates and rich in magnesium. Exercise regularly. Avoid caffeine, alcohol, tobacco and other exciting substances.
• At work make up a coherent calendar. Begin a task and complete it before moving on to the following one.
• Develop a pleasant social life avoiding the places or people that cause tension.
• Try to feel well with yourself. Think of the positive aspects instead of the negatives; do not use negative terms and words.
• Breathe properly. Take deep inspirations, filling with air the chest and the abdomen and exhale expelling through the mouth first the air of the lungs and then that of the abdomen.
• Allow yourself a rest after concluding an activity.
• From time to time close your eyes and let your imagination fly toward places and situations where you have been happy.
• Take massages regularly to reduce the physical tension and to increase the level of endorphins in a natural way.
Towards the end of this month you will start to get used to feeling fatigue and drowsiness during the day. The progesterone is hormone responsible for this, and it acts mainly during the first trimester. It can happen, as with many pregnant women, that, at times, you may feel like falling asleep while standing up and however, when you go to bed at night, you are wide awake. To attain some healthy habits of sleep and rest, whenever it is possible, establishes a routine. Always go to bed at the same time and try to sleep a minimum of eight hours every day. Look for some moments after eating to take a short nap and, if it is not possible, follow the relaxation exercise that we propose in the program.
ACTIVITIES FOR THE SECOND MONTH
RELAXATION AND HARMONIZATION
In those moments of special fatigue, you should rest. Sit down with your feet high, close your eyes and listen to the music that you have used during the first month to reach the state of conscious relaxation. Follow the instructions and eliminate the tension and exhaustion.
Once you have achieved relaxation, when reaching the recording of your favorite music, mentally visualize the place you have chosen to enjoy with your baby. Imagine that an intense light, or the sound of the melody, revitalizes your body and your mind recharging you with energy.
When you have habitually done this activity, you can use the evocation of this image any time in that you feel tired, whether at work, in the bus, in the waiting room of the doctor or in any other situation. This image recreated by your mind will stimulate the nervous system discharging the tension and providing you with well-being.
Think of the sentences that you would tell to your baby to express your love if you had him in your arms and write them in the following box.
1st Phrase
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2nd Phrase
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3rd Phrase
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
|
MUSICAL SESSION FOR THE SECOND MONTH
Go on with the 60 minute recordings that you have used during the first month. You can increase the repertoire with a selection of compositions that will create you a calm, relaxed and harmonious atmosphere for you.
Besides your time of tranquility for the musical session, any moment is good to enjoy the music: when you are driving, during a relaxing bath, in the bus, while you do house chores, etc. But keep in mind that the effects are more positive if you can adopt a comfortable posture, sitting down with the feet up to mitigate the heaviness of the legs and the general fatigue.
When you are enjoying your favorite melodies think of the baby, call him by the name that you have chosen as if you wanted to attract his attention and tell him the sentences that you have written for him. You can do it mentally or saying them aloud. Feel the message deep down inside of you and enjoy the happiness of communicating with him. The joy that you will fill in those moments will transform into hormones of well-being that reach the baby through your blood.
If at any time you want to record other melodies for the sessions, here is another selection.
MUSIC FOR RELAXATION
TAI-CHI (Infinitum). Includes themes with an oriental touch and a background of heart beats.
MUSIC FOR BABIES (Infinitum). A collection of delicate melodies sung by young voices.
NATURAL RELAXATION. (Solicitudes). Beautiful melodies with natural sounds in the background.
STREAM OF DREAMS (Solicitudes). Marvelous music with the sounds of water that help to concentrate and relax.
MUSIC FOR RELAXATION (Biblioteca Milenium)
LULLABY (Socan). Includes a reach selection of relaxing melodies from different cultures ( South Africa , Japan , United States , etc.)
MOZART, FOREVER BY THE SEA (Solicitudes). Marvelous adaptation of his music by Michael Maxwell.
SPIRIT OF THE ANDES (Socan) Delicious melodies inspired in one of the most ancient music of the world.
MUSIC OF THE GREAT SPIRIT (Nota Records) Spiritual music from different indigenous cultures.
RELAXATION FOR FUTURE MOTHERS (Divucsa) A selection that includes themes such as Oliver, Autumn Forest , Faces Eyes, Memories from Aranjuez, etc.
HUAMAN, (Vaso Music). Splendid harp interpretations of songs such as El condor pasa and many others. |
PORTION OF LOVE
Continues to work every week with a positive statement such as: I am "a competent" person, I am "sure of myself", I am "able to express my feelings", I can confront problems without anxiety", etc.
Also take some time for you. Calm walks outdoors, alone or in company, will provide you with a feeling of well-being. The pregnancy is not an illness, you should take care of yourself, but you will find some mild exercise beneficial.
WRITING IN THE EMOTIONS NOTEBOOK
Throughout this month, and during the whole pregnancy, it is advisable that you continue writing daily in your notebook as if you were talking with a special friend whom you trust with your more intimate secrets.
There will be moments where you will feel blocked and you may think that you don't have anything to tell. Don't allow yourself to be conquered by the psychic state of the moment; it is necessary that the feelings, fears and concerns that block you come to the surface.
There are several techniques that will help you to overcome these situations. Begin to write in your notebook any idea that you think of, no matter how senseless it seems to you, during 10 or 15 minutes. It is very important that you don't stop writing or think of it, this is about registering as much as you think of, although it may be incoherent, boring or absurd.
After that time change positions or place and take another 10 minutes to meditate on what you have written and its relationship with your deeper thoughts. After this time of reflection, sit down again in the place where you usually write in your notebook and try to express the feelings that have appeared spontaneously.
As you saw in the chapter on the nervous system, the brain has two hemispheres and each one is responsible for a type of different capacities. The left hemisphere takes charge of the logic, of analyzing and reasoning the information it receives. The right hemisphere is the center of artistic development, of non verbal sounds, of intuition and spontaneous thought. The objective of this activity is to allow your right, emotional and intuitive hemisphere, to express freely to reveal any hidden feelings. Then, the cautious and analytic intervention of the left hemisphere helps you to make sense of the spontaneous words that you have written in the paper.
Another technique to detect the feelings that you may hold in an unconscious way is to draw the trunk of a tree in a sheet of your notebook. Inside the trunk write down the idea or the central feeling about which you want to write. Then draw the thick branches that come out of the trunk and in each branch write a thought directly related with the feeling that you have written. Writes the first thing that you think of and don't worry about it, only write it down.
When you have completed all the branches, draws several smaller branches coming out of the central branches and in each one of them write what the thought placed in the central branch suggests to you. During 15 minutes you can continue drawing smaller branches and writing in each one the ideas that come up.
As in the previous exercise, this technique has the objective of bringing out thoughts thanks to the work of your right hemisphere without the analysis of the left one. Possibly some ideas, fears or hidden concerns that you were not conscious of will arise.
To analyze them, after concluding the tree, meditate during 10 or 15 minutes about what you have written: What association do you find between the different sentences? Have you repeated ideas in different branches? Are there some idea or feelings of which you were not aware of until this moment? Does what is written in the tree bring up some anxiety or fear?
It is advisable that you use some of these techniques from time to time, thanks to their use you will be able to bring to your mind conscious feelings and inner truths.
Here are some ideas that you can choose to write on the trunk of the first trees that you draw:
• The health of my baby.
• The possibility of a spontaneous abortion.
• Health problems originated by the pregnancy.
• Loss of my physical attractiveness.
• Am I ready for maternity?
• Will I be able to handle the childbirth?
• The loss of independence and freedom.
• Combine my professional career and maternity.
• Financial problems.
• Recover my figure.
• Intimacy with my couple.
• My relation with my parents.
• My relation with the parents of my couple.
• How do I explain to my child that he is going to have a new brother or sister?
|
TO FEEL BETTER
Neck self massage
• Sit down on a chair next to a table. Place the elbows on the table and place your hands around the neck, with the fingers pressing the nape lightly. Balance your head softly towards the back returning to the original position, while you inspire and exhale through the nose. After repeating 3 or 4 times the movement, in the same posture, turns the head slowly to the right and left stopping in the center (the movement entails bringing the ear near to the shoulder). Lastly, make some slow lateral turns, to the right and left (bringing the mouth close to the shoulder), stopping in the central position.
• In the same position of the previous exercise, make small circles with the tips of the fingers arched on the neck and the nape, following the direction of the muscles. Press lightly with the tips on the muscles parallel to the cervical vertebras. If you notice the whole area tense, place the base of each hand on the respective clavicles so that the tips of the fingers are located on both sides of the cervical vertebras and slip them toward the shoulders following the direction of the muscular fibers.
These maneuvers can also be done by your couple.
BREATHING EXERCISES
Continue with the daily exercises described in the first month. Observe how, little by little, you internalize the correct way of breathing and the benefits that it brings to you.
LIGHT GYMNASTICS
We have already spoken about the numerous hormonal changes that your body is going through. It is important that you keep in mind those changes because they influence in the way you exercise.
From among all the hormones, relaxine, progesterone and estrogens are those that have a more direct relationship with physical exercise. Among other functions, these hormones carry out the following ones:
Relaxine relaxes and softens the conjunctive tissue of muscles and articulations. Thanks to this hormone we will be able to stretch out the abdominal muscles and those of the pelvic floor, facilitating the childbirth.
Progesterone relaxes the walls of the blood vessels to welcome the increase in the flow of blood and raises the corporal temperature.
Estrogens provoke the increase of size of the heart and the breasts and they favor the retention of liquids.
Due to this hormonal action it is possible that you notice your ankles swelling because of the retention of liquids, bring it up in your next visit to your doctor; it could also be due to high blood pressure.
Your corporal temperature at rest has increased since you are pregnant due to the action of progesterone and, as soon as you exercise you will notice heat at once. Try to drink water each short time, don't get all heated up and make sure that the room is well ventilated.
When you are exercising don't stop abruptly, you could notice a sensation of sickness since the progesterone has dilated the walls of the blood vessels and the flow of blood is bigger. It is convenient that you sit down or lay down with the legs up at different times during the day, you will favor the return of blood circulation towards the heart and you will be able to prevent the appearance of varixes.
Avoid abrupt movements, the relaxine provokes certain instability in the articulations and there are more risks of injuring yourself. Take care of your posture and carry out the movements in a soft way, with harmony.
It is possible that you don't feel like doing too much exercise the days that you have intended to, then, don't do it. The typical symptoms of these first weeks can make you feel annoyed, so leave the activity for later or think about doing one or two short sessions per week when you feel well. Mild exercise can alleviate the uneasiness provoked by the increase of hormonal flow and it can also reduce the frequency of the gravidic nauseas.
If you had been going to the sauna or taking ultraviolet rays, don't do it until after the baby is born.
This month we propose a session of warm up exercises. These movements should always be done at the beginning of a gymnastics session. They help you to unblock the articulations, and they make them warm up. During these four weeks you can do all these exercises and in the later months you can use those that you choose to begin your sessions.
Gymnastics session:
• Standing, with the legs a little more separate than the hips, the arms stretched to the sides of the body and the soles of the feet well on the ground, distribute the weight of the body equally among the two legs.
• In this posture, try to stretch the column starting from the hip while you maintain your view to the front with the stretched neck, the chin parallel to the floor and the shoulders relaxed. Elevate the front part of the pelvis and tighten the abdominal muscles.
• In the same position, make a circle with the right shoulder towards the front. When you have made 3 or 4 circles, continues doing them but elevating the shoulder towards the ear without leaning the head. End making wider and more exaggerated circles. Lower the shoulder contracting the abdominal muscles and maintaining the thorax straight. Repeat the exercise with the left shoulder. You can do 10 repetitions with each shoulder, always with slow, soft and coordinated movements. When concluding try to relax the neck and the shoulders.
• Standing, with the legs a little more separate than the hips and the feet indicating the 10 and 10 minutes of the clock. Place the hands on your waist, lengthening the column and leaning the pelvis. Tense the abdominal muscles trying to distribute the weight of the body on the two legs. Flex lightly and slowly the knees without lifting the ankles while the column and the head are erect. In this position the knees should be parallel to the toes. Keep the abdominal muscles tight and returns to the initial position. You should notice how the muscles from the thigh pull when you straighten the knees trying not to block them. Repeat the exercise 10 times.
• Standing with the column straight and the feet slightly separated, lean the pelvis, tense the abdominal muscles and lift the right knee without the left being tense. If you have difficulties keeping balance try to place your hands in the waist or rely on some piece of furniture. Lower the right knee and repeat the movement elevating the left knee. Try that the support foot is on-line with the hip and that is firmly settled on the floor.
• Standing, with the feet separated at the height of the hip and the arms to both sides of the body; lift the right arm making a circle slowly towards the front. Do the exercise with the pelvis leaning and the abdominal muscles tightened, this way you won't arch your back. Do the movement with the left arm, making 10 repetitions with each arm.
• In the same initial position, lift the arms in cross to the height of the shoulders (inclined pelvis and abdominal muscles tightened) curve the back a little while you take the arms towards the front. Don't tighten the neck or the knees. Open the arms little by little to place them again in cross without elevating the scapulas.
• In the same position, with the arms to both sides of the body, lean the pelvis, tense the abdominal muscles and stretch the column. Make a lateral flexion towards the right with the arm a little to the front so that the body doesn't lean back and you don't displace the hips. Return slowly to the initial position with the abdominal muscles tightened. Repeat 8 times the flexion and then another 8 times towards the left side.
• In the same initial position, lowers the shoulders and stretch the neck. Remember to lean the pelvis and to tighten the abdominal muscles. With the shoulders and arms relaxed, lean the head towards the right shoulder, maintain it some instants and it places it straight again. Try not to move the rest of the body. Then repeat the movement towards the left shoulder. 2 or 3 movements towards each side are enough.
• In the same initial position, with the feet apart a few centimeters and the hands in the waist, lean the pelvis and tighten the abdominal muscles as always. Flex the right knee while you stretch the left leg towards the front touching the floor with the heel. Taking impulse from the hip, move the ankle to touch the floor with only the tip of the foot. Repeat 10 times the movement heel-tip and repeat the exercise with the other leg.
• Standing, with the feet a little separate and the hands in the waist, shift the weight of the body towards the right while you elevate the hip of that side and you lift the heel of the foot of the same side, bending the toes. Remember to lean the pelvis, and tighten the abdominal muscles and stretch well the top part of the body while you carry out the movement. Do the same thing with the left side. Repeat 10 times with each side.
• Stand up, with the arms to both sides of the body, the pelvis inclined and the abdominal muscles tense. Walk at a good pace without moving, lifting the knees a little during a couple of minutes.
• Standing, with the feet at the height of the hip and the hands in the waist, lean the pelvis and tighten the abdominal muscles. Take a step back with the right leg while you lean forward the upper part of the body. Flex the left knee until placing it on-line with the left ankle; you will notice how the calf tightens. Maintain the position about ten seconds and repeat the movement with the left leg.
• To stretch and relax the muscles of the front part of the thighs, stand up next to a piece of furniture or a chair that serves as a support. Separate the feet a little and shift the weight of the body on the left leg taking impulse from the left hip, with the abdominal muscles tense and leaning the pelvis. Repeat the movement shifting the weight on each leg for about ten seconds.
• In the same posture, flex a little the left leg with the sole of the foot well grounded on the floor and lift the right knee towards the front holding the instep with the hand of the same side. Carry out movements, with the abdominal muscles tense and the pelvis leaning, maintaining the stretching for about 10 seconds with each leg. Standing, with the legs a little separate and supported on a piece of furniture or a chair, lift the left foot towards the back bending the knee. Hold the foot with the hand of the same side or, if you find it uncomfortable, grab the sock. The flexed knee should be parallel to the other knee and on-line with the hip. You should notice as it stretches the quadriceps, but it is not necessary to pull strongly the foot. Keep the position for about 10 seconds with the abdominal muscles tense and the pelvis leaning. Repeat the movement with the other leg.
• In the original position, take a step behind with the left without pressing the heel and distribute the weight of the body on the two legs. Keep the posture some seconds with the back straight and shifting the hips so that they are aligned. In this position, flex the two knees, lean the pelvis and tighten the abdominal muscles for a few seconds. You will notice the tension in the front part of the thigh since the movement has the objective of stretching the flexing muscles of the hip, achieving also more inclination of the pelvis. Repeat the exercise with the right leg.
• Standing, with the hands in the hips, with the feet apart and the fingers towards the front, lean the pelvis, tense the abdominal muscles keep the back straight and raise the thorax. Flex the right knee and shift the weight of the body towards that side, while you maintain the left leg straight. You will notice the tension in the adductors that are in the internal part of the thigh. Keep the posture for a few seconds and repeat the movement changing legs.
• In the original position, with the feet straight, the back straight, the abdominal muscles tense and the pelvis leaning. Lift the right arm, to the height of the shoulder, stretching the lateral part of the trunk, so that the elbow is located next to the right ear. Keep the weight of the body loaded in the center and lean the trunk slowly, with the extended arm, towards the left. Keep the position for a few seconds and repeat the movement towards the other side. Notices how the lateral part of the body stretches.
• Standing, with the legs apart, the back and the neck straight and the pelvis leaning. Place the hands on the kidneys and try to bring near the elbows and the shoulders little by little, while you inspire through the nose and you expand the pectoral muscles. Keep the posture and hold the air for five seconds and then relax the scapulas and elbows, expelling the air through the mouth.
• In the same original position, place the right hand on the hip while you lift the left arm towards the roof. Keep the position for a few seconds and repeat the movement with the right arm. Remember to maintain the abdominal muscles tightened, the pelvis, leaning the back and the head straight and the weight of the body distributed on the two legs. You should notice the tension in the muscles of the back.
• In the same position, lift the left arm pointing towards the roof and flex the elbow behind the head until you touch the space between the two scapulas with your fingers. With the right hand push gently the left elbow flexing during some seconds. Repeat the movement with the other arm. You should notice the stretching in the inner part of the arm (triceps). Remember to maintain the back and the head straight, the abdominal muscles tense and the pelvis leanin
