Roots to life - Nutrition for pregnancy: Nourishing the mind
Does the way a mother think about herself and the resulting choices she makes have a say in what happens during her pregnancy, birth and the parenting life that follows? Definitely yes
"You are what you eat" is associated with ingesting the right kind of food if one wants to stay healthy. We have seen in a previous article that what we eat affects our body, our appearance, our well-being, our general functioning. This progresses to "your baby is what you eat" in the case of a pregnant mother. Her baby has no choice but is provided with what she offers through her body in different ways.
Most of us have complete control over what we eat and what we do in life. It is simply a matter of choice. It does not take any particular effort to choose an apple over a bar of chocolate when pregnancy hunger pangs hit us probably every two hours or so. Planning is the secret. The person who does the shopping for the family is particularly responsible for the kind of food we find within reach in our kitchen cupboards. Having no time to cook is not a good excuse, as there is nothing easier requiring no cooking at all than fresh fruit and vegetables, dried fruit, nuts and seeds and drinking plenty of water. It is the fastest food available! So making responsible choices with regards to choosing food is normally within everybody's capability.
This leads me to talk about a similar but at the same time different kind of nourishment - that of the mind. "You are what you think" is a philosophy that reflects the way we generally behave. It affects our self, our relationships within our family, our place of work, our society, indeed our whole being. If we choose to think we are failures, there is little hope to succeed. This may be comfortable thinking for some people who do not want to make an effort. On the other hand, if we choose to think we are successful, we automatically find ways and means which lead us to prove it, making our success more possible. Though some believe that luck has a place, and admittedly, there are some instances when things are not completely within our control, the general rule is that we lead ourselves towards success or failure by the mental route we choose to travel.
Why do I choose to talk about this subject within a set of articles written for pregnancy, birth and parenting? I do this simply because pregnancy is a milestone, indeed, a turning point in a parent's life, and the way things turn out during pregnancy, birth and early parenting has a great impact on the mother and her family's future. Does the way a mother think about herself and the resulting choices she makes, have a say in what happens during her pregnancy, birth and the parenting life that follows? Definitely yes, very much so.
It was a pioneering doctor by the name of Grantly Dick-Read, who was intrigued with the difference in the experiences between a white woman and a black woman giving birth. He could not accept the fact that the difference between them was due to physical parameters. He took years to find out that the main difference in the experience of childbirth was due to their way of thinking. A black mother's culture leads her to feel at her best when she is pregnant and nursing. She is made to feel very much like a goddess of fertility enjoying high esteem. A white mother, today more than ever, barely uses fertility for self-esteem. On the contrary, some mothers in modern society today think about pregnancy as a disruption. Having to go to a doctor, though recommended, does not help with the expectation that something may go wrong any time. Negative birth stories from all sources seem to prevail. Anxiety and fear become the name of the game.
It is now known that chemicals, such as adrenaline, are produced by the body as a result of fear. These are normally healthy and make us react instinctively to save ourselves from harm. But when present in a pregnant body, especially during the birth, these chemicals will negatively affect the way the body functions. It is more possible for problems to crop up during the birth when a mother is psychologically afraid of the birthing experience.
Dr Dick-Read came up with the "Fear-Tension-Pain" syndrome. The more a mother is afraid, the more she tenses her body and the more painful will her birth become. This in turn causes more fear, and so the circle goes. Her body might even refuse to function, as adrenaline overrules the important birthing hormones. A vicious circle of problems causing even more problems will lead her and probably also the people caring for her to panic, the last thing a birthing mother needs.
Dr Dick-Read dedicated his life to childbirth education. He believed that when a mother is educated to trust herself and the ability of her body to give birth, she will have less problems. With mind over body, the way she thinks and focuses during the birth plays a very important part on the way her body works. With people around her who think positively on the same wavelength, giving her the right kind of attitude and support which does not undermine her ability to give birth, there will be less problems and better outcomes for both mother and baby. Over the years he was proved right, with recent statistics repeatedly showing that when the environment where a mother gives birth is less threatening, there is less trauma and less negative experiences. This happens when the birth happens at home or in a specifically designed birth centre, as opposed to a hospital originally designed to cater for medical problems and practice.
Focus on positive pregnancy
Throughout her pregnancy, the mother is encouraged to focus on herself and her unborn child by doing the following for a few minutes, at least twice a day:
Place your hands on your abdomen and focus on the baby. Think about the way your baby looks - little hands and feet, complete with fingerprints, eyes, nose, mouth, hair on top of the baby's head, fully formed baby - YOUR baby.
Allow yourself to imagine the time following birth, when you will hold your baby in your arms, looking deeply into your baby's eyes, smelling that sweet baby smell, touching the soft skin.
Breathe in deeply through your nose, and breathe out through your mouth.
You may play some soft music and use relaxation oils in a burner.
Spend as much time as you like indulging in this warm, happy feeling.
Your baby may respond by becoming quite active, or may settle into a deep sleep as he or she feels your relaxation and responds. Allow these thoughts to fade into the future, where they belong, keeping feelings of peace, calm and love deep within, as you go about the rest of your day.
Think about yourself as being the best parent for your baby. There will be times when you will feel tired, and perhaps doubt your ability to cope. Accept that as part of motherhood and the teething problems that come with all new jobs. Do not hesitate to ask for help and support, from an experienced mother who can be there for you. Time and experience will see you through the difficult times, and you will come out all the stronger for the experience.
• Through this article I will be discussing several aspects of parenting. It would be interesting to receive feedback from readers. Comments and suggestions are most welcome.
• Ms Theuma is a qualified childbirth educator and school teacher. A mother of three children and a grandparent, she directs a school for parents, In the Family Way, based at Marsascala. The school offers courses and support for parents, covering various related subjects, from pregnancy to primary and early secondary school age.
Most of us have complete control over what we eat and what we do in life. It is simply a matter of choice. It does not take any particular effort to choose an apple over a bar of chocolate when pregnancy hunger pangs hit us probably every two hours or so. Planning is the secret. The person who does the shopping for the family is particularly responsible for the kind of food we find within reach in our kitchen cupboards. Having no time to cook is not a good excuse, as there is nothing easier requiring no cooking at all than fresh fruit and vegetables, dried fruit, nuts and seeds and drinking plenty of water. It is the fastest food available! So making responsible choices with regards to choosing food is normally within everybody's capability.
This leads me to talk about a similar but at the same time different kind of nourishment - that of the mind. "You are what you think" is a philosophy that reflects the way we generally behave. It affects our self, our relationships within our family, our place of work, our society, indeed our whole being. If we choose to think we are failures, there is little hope to succeed. This may be comfortable thinking for some people who do not want to make an effort. On the other hand, if we choose to think we are successful, we automatically find ways and means which lead us to prove it, making our success more possible. Though some believe that luck has a place, and admittedly, there are some instances when things are not completely within our control, the general rule is that we lead ourselves towards success or failure by the mental route we choose to travel.
Why do I choose to talk about this subject within a set of articles written for pregnancy, birth and parenting? I do this simply because pregnancy is a milestone, indeed, a turning point in a parent's life, and the way things turn out during pregnancy, birth and early parenting has a great impact on the mother and her family's future. Does the way a mother think about herself and the resulting choices she makes, have a say in what happens during her pregnancy, birth and the parenting life that follows? Definitely yes, very much so.
It was a pioneering doctor by the name of Grantly Dick-Read, who was intrigued with the difference in the experiences between a white woman and a black woman giving birth. He could not accept the fact that the difference between them was due to physical parameters. He took years to find out that the main difference in the experience of childbirth was due to their way of thinking. A black mother's culture leads her to feel at her best when she is pregnant and nursing. She is made to feel very much like a goddess of fertility enjoying high esteem. A white mother, today more than ever, barely uses fertility for self-esteem. On the contrary, some mothers in modern society today think about pregnancy as a disruption. Having to go to a doctor, though recommended, does not help with the expectation that something may go wrong any time. Negative birth stories from all sources seem to prevail. Anxiety and fear become the name of the game.
It is now known that chemicals, such as adrenaline, are produced by the body as a result of fear. These are normally healthy and make us react instinctively to save ourselves from harm. But when present in a pregnant body, especially during the birth, these chemicals will negatively affect the way the body functions. It is more possible for problems to crop up during the birth when a mother is psychologically afraid of the birthing experience.
Dr Dick-Read came up with the "Fear-Tension-Pain" syndrome. The more a mother is afraid, the more she tenses her body and the more painful will her birth become. This in turn causes more fear, and so the circle goes. Her body might even refuse to function, as adrenaline overrules the important birthing hormones. A vicious circle of problems causing even more problems will lead her and probably also the people caring for her to panic, the last thing a birthing mother needs.
Dr Dick-Read dedicated his life to childbirth education. He believed that when a mother is educated to trust herself and the ability of her body to give birth, she will have less problems. With mind over body, the way she thinks and focuses during the birth plays a very important part on the way her body works. With people around her who think positively on the same wavelength, giving her the right kind of attitude and support which does not undermine her ability to give birth, there will be less problems and better outcomes for both mother and baby. Over the years he was proved right, with recent statistics repeatedly showing that when the environment where a mother gives birth is less threatening, there is less trauma and less negative experiences. This happens when the birth happens at home or in a specifically designed birth centre, as opposed to a hospital originally designed to cater for medical problems and practice.
Focus on positive pregnancy
Throughout her pregnancy, the mother is encouraged to focus on herself and her unborn child by doing the following for a few minutes, at least twice a day:
Place your hands on your abdomen and focus on the baby. Think about the way your baby looks - little hands and feet, complete with fingerprints, eyes, nose, mouth, hair on top of the baby's head, fully formed baby - YOUR baby.
Allow yourself to imagine the time following birth, when you will hold your baby in your arms, looking deeply into your baby's eyes, smelling that sweet baby smell, touching the soft skin.
Breathe in deeply through your nose, and breathe out through your mouth.
You may play some soft music and use relaxation oils in a burner.
Spend as much time as you like indulging in this warm, happy feeling.
Your baby may respond by becoming quite active, or may settle into a deep sleep as he or she feels your relaxation and responds. Allow these thoughts to fade into the future, where they belong, keeping feelings of peace, calm and love deep within, as you go about the rest of your day.
Think about yourself as being the best parent for your baby. There will be times when you will feel tired, and perhaps doubt your ability to cope. Accept that as part of motherhood and the teething problems that come with all new jobs. Do not hesitate to ask for help and support, from an experienced mother who can be there for you. Time and experience will see you through the difficult times, and you will come out all the stronger for the experience.
• Through this article I will be discussing several aspects of parenting. It would be interesting to receive feedback from readers. Comments and suggestions are most welcome.
• Ms Theuma is a qualified childbirth educator and school teacher. A mother of three children and a grandparent, she directs a school for parents, In the Family Way, based at Marsascala. The school offers courses and support for parents, covering various related subjects, from pregnancy to primary and early secondary school age.