Now why would anyone need to rethink pregnancy? Isn’t pregnancy a natural process that unfolds as it should? Haven’t women been getting pregnant for thousands of years? Aren’t women designed to become pregnant? Of course the answer to each of these questions is ‘yes’; however, sometime in the last few decades we appear to have forgotten this. Somehow the ability to trust in the natural and intuitive nature of pregnancy and childbirth has become dormant, and as such, the process has been relegated to a medical event. No longer is it customary to embrace this very special time in a woman’s life as the miraculous and beautiful experience that it is.
In this age of environmental pollutants, exponential pharmaceutical drug use, the availability of processed ‘foods’ on every corner, more than ever it is a time for each one of us to take full responsibility and take back our health, our children’s health, and that of the planet. It is up to each of us to take full responsibility in all possible ways for our children, even if still only in the womb, until the time comes for that child to make his own choices. In fact, no matter if you are considering becoming pregnant, are currently pregnant or are well into your parenting, the time to act is NOW. Believe it or not, the perceptions, thoughts and actions you now hold will affect your ability to become pregnant, your pregnancy experience and who your child will ultimately become. We are sicker than ever, women are having difficulties conceiving and childhood conditions and diseases are skyrocketing. As a basis for health, the existing medical model is not working – it is time for women to take back their fertility and to stop treating pregnancy and childbirth as medical events. The answers lie within you, not outside of you.
As Bruce Lipton, PhD tells us, the pregnant mother is not only a source of nutrients, but a source of information. How many doctors ask their pregnant patients how they are feeling? Are they happy? Sad? Stressed out? Joyful? Fearful? Their weight is checked, their bellies measured, they be may be asked what they are eating and are told to take a prenatal vitamin, and then they are sent off on their merry – or not so merry – way. But there is SO much more to this picture and it’s not being addressed.
The womb environment is such a critical contributing factor to a child’s outcome. Their only clue to the outside world is through their mother. If the mother is sad, chronically stressed, scared and unsupported, that baby will come into this world expecting a hostile environment. Science proves that, among other things, their forebrain development (where conscious reasoning occurs) will be stunted, and their hindbrain (the part that deals with stress) will be more developed. However, if the mother is joyful, supported and has communicated to her child that she is wanted, then the outcome will be the exact opposite and the child will have a greater capacity for intelligence and adaptability. Mothers, not only are you making choices for two when it comes to making choices around your nourishment, you are also thinking for two, feeling for two and emoting for two. While pregnant, your thoughts are not your own!
Pregnancy is not a time for stress and drama in your life. Of course, stress is a part of living and minor stress is fine and harmless, and sometimes even constructive. What I am referring to is significant and enduring stress. Pregnancy is a time for the mother to feel loved and to know that she is completely safe and supported. I want to emphasize here that rethinking pregnancy is not solely the mother’s responsibility. The father’s role is vital and it is up to him to ensure that his partner is feeling safe, loved and supported to the best of his ability. This is his most important role during the pregnancy, and a critical role it is. The two working together, conscious mother and conscious father, can create magic. Pregnancy is a time for joy and peace, a time to start the dialogue with your unborn child, assuring him that he is wanted and loved. It is a time for nutritious choices, clean air, regular exercise, safe cosmetics and cleaners. It is not a time for nail salons and hair dyeing. It is a time to connect with your partner, envisioning the type of birth you would like to experience and what kind of parents you are going to be. It is a time to embrace the process and to trust in your body’s wisdom and your own intuitive nature as a parent. But most of all, it is a time for joy.