Savor, Honor, and Enjoy Your Pregnancy

In pregnancy, it can seem like every moment you are preparing for the next moment or reading about growth and planning for parties or the eventual arrival of your new beloved family member. But one of the joys for many of this special time is to savor the moments that define your pregnancy. We want to take a moment and recognize the wondrous thing that is you pregnant. Consider some of these magical moments to savor in your unique way.

 

1. The bubbles of first feelings

When your baby grows large enough for you to feel when they bump around inside you, it is such a surprise and comfort. There you are little one! Hello!
They will soon start to have a pattern of awake and sleepy times. Those bumps pull you away from what you are doing and immediately lure you into sharing a moment with your unborn child. It is always unique. It is personal. You are physically moved from the inside, connected, and sharing something that has a definite end as soon as they are born. As you near the end of pregnancy, and small bumps morph into elbows, feet, and hands, making you uncomfortable, take a breath. We encourage you to take a snapshot of this and remember the beauty of it.

 

2. Your baby’s heartbeat

Your little one is working so hard already by merely growing. A baby’s heart rate beats faster than us adults, but hearing their rhythmic pulsing at any point in your pregnancy can be simply mesmerizing. If you want to bring that sound home from a prenatal appointment, open your phone and ask if you can record the sounds. If your partner isn’t able to attend the appointments with you, hearing that sound can be a fantastic way to bring them into the experience and feel a connection.

 

3. Journaling your experience

The days are long, but so quickly you may find you don’t remember certain things you believed you would never forget. A fantastic way to honor your pregnancy and to create a lasting keepsake is to take a few moments, say once a week, to write what your experiences in your body have been like for you. Your inner monologue, your concerns, the things that excited you, and any messages you want to send to your child encouraging them to thrive.

 

4. Legacy, Journey, and Community

We would be amiss if we didn’t mention the incredible reality that you are both growing a new life, and becoming a new creation yourself. One of the ways we love to encourage with families is a community gathering to honor your pregnancy. A child and a mother cannot thrive when they are isolated, and support starts when you are pregnant. Gather your friends. Be surrounded by your family. These sessions are traditionally called baby showers, but they do not have to be a moment for presents and games.

 

Finding the people who gave you life, provided you support in life and want to continue to help you by cherishing your child are precisely the kinds of people that a new family can rely upon. By letting them in to honor your journey, you are building ties that continue a nurturing legacy and foster community.

 

We hope your busy life can take more than a few moments to slow down and appreciate the wonder that is this period of your life. You are incredible. Your family is incredible. Being in the moment is a gift you deserve to give to yourself.