I have been enjoying the sweet softness of my baby boy and just soaking in this special time of newbornhood, so I declare January and February as Pregnancy and Birth months!
This pregnancy experience has been the most different for me. I was barely 21 when I had my first child, my youngest children are 5 1/2 year old twins, I have changed a lot mentally and physically over the past year, etc... So this pregnancy, I was 33/34, & there was only one baby!
Because I know my gestational years are winding down with the addition of our 5th child, I really felt so grateful for this opportunity to have another baby, to enjoy those sweet newborn weeks and the excitement and joy that comes along with it. So, my focus will be on how you can increase your joy during pregnancy and birth.
Tip #1-Take time to rub your belly and talk to your baby. It really is so important. When at one of my prenatals with my midwife, she was checking the baby's heart rate and we heard the rhythm pitter-patter that had become so familiar. At that moment, my baby stuck his little bum out as far as he could. I rubbed it gently as I had so many times, and his heartbeat shot up to a very comfortable and excited rate. He knew me! He knew my touch and it showed.
Pick out or make a special oil blend for your belly, and use it! Every night after my bath, I would give my belly a good massage with one of my oils. I enjoyed it so much and felt this connection with my baby as well. I did feel a slight disconnect at the beginning of my pregnancy because I was so busy with life and my other 4. This was a wonderful way to pay attention to THIS pregnancy and this baby.
Here are my favorite oils for massage you can purchase:
Cocoa Mango Belly Oil- Made with wonderful carrier oils that soothe the skin, and the most heavenly scent of cocoa butter and citrus oils. It smells like chocolate covered oranges on a warm summer day. My husband always commented that it made him hungry!
http://www.supersalve.com/oils.html
Angel Oil-Extra Virgin Olive Oil with infused with Lobelia root and Lavender essential oil. This is fantastic if your stretch marks hurt or itch as well. Awesome stuff and you can use it on baby as well!
http://herbalogie.com/
These oils are also relatively inexpensive. I have seen belly oils out there for around $100! Yikes! Even looking at the ingredients, you could easily make them yourself for a fraction of that cost. So, just a word to the wise, don't overspend on belly oils that promise a certain result.
One of my favorite belly balm recipes is this one from MotherNature.com:
Pregnant Belly Oil
4 400-International Unit vitamin E capsules4 ounces almond (or any light vegetable) oil
½ ounce cocoa butter (available in drugstores)
15 drops lavender essential oil
Pop open the vitamin E capsules and squirt contents into almond oil. Heat mixture in a saucepan over low heat. Add cocoa butter. After cocoa butter melts, remove mixture from heat and let cool. Add essential oil and stir to blend. Massage the oil on your belly— or get someone to do it for you—at least once a day, or as often as you like.
You can also infuse lavender buds or any herb into extra virgin olive oil, scent it with your favorite essential oil and amazingly have your very own easy to make belly oil.
Don't be afraid to experiment. Infused oils are one of the easiest herbal preparations you can make. Here's to a beautiful belly and baby!
(find out how to infuse oils here-http://desertroselv.blogspot.com/2008/07/summer-soothers-tip-1.html)
This pregnancy experience has been the most different for me. I was barely 21 when I had my first child, my youngest children are 5 1/2 year old twins, I have changed a lot mentally and physically over the past year, etc... So this pregnancy, I was 33/34, & there was only one baby!
Because I know my gestational years are winding down with the addition of our 5th child, I really felt so grateful for this opportunity to have another baby, to enjoy those sweet newborn weeks and the excitement and joy that comes along with it. So, my focus will be on how you can increase your joy during pregnancy and birth.
Tip #1-Take time to rub your belly and talk to your baby. It really is so important. When at one of my prenatals with my midwife, she was checking the baby's heart rate and we heard the rhythm pitter-patter that had become so familiar. At that moment, my baby stuck his little bum out as far as he could. I rubbed it gently as I had so many times, and his heartbeat shot up to a very comfortable and excited rate. He knew me! He knew my touch and it showed.
Pick out or make a special oil blend for your belly, and use it! Every night after my bath, I would give my belly a good massage with one of my oils. I enjoyed it so much and felt this connection with my baby as well. I did feel a slight disconnect at the beginning of my pregnancy because I was so busy with life and my other 4. This was a wonderful way to pay attention to THIS pregnancy and this baby.
Here are my favorite oils for massage you can purchase:
Cocoa Mango Belly Oil- Made with wonderful carrier oils that soothe the skin, and the most heavenly scent of cocoa butter and citrus oils. It smells like chocolate covered oranges on a warm summer day. My husband always commented that it made him hungry!
http://www.supersalve.com/oils.html
Angel Oil-Extra Virgin Olive Oil with infused with Lobelia root and Lavender essential oil. This is fantastic if your stretch marks hurt or itch as well. Awesome stuff and you can use it on baby as well!
http://herbalogie.com/
These oils are also relatively inexpensive. I have seen belly oils out there for around $100! Yikes! Even looking at the ingredients, you could easily make them yourself for a fraction of that cost. So, just a word to the wise, don't overspend on belly oils that promise a certain result.
One of my favorite belly balm recipes is this one from MotherNature.com:
Pregnant Belly Oil
4 400-International Unit vitamin E capsules4 ounces almond (or any light vegetable) oil
½ ounce cocoa butter (available in drugstores)
15 drops lavender essential oil
Pop open the vitamin E capsules and squirt contents into almond oil. Heat mixture in a saucepan over low heat. Add cocoa butter. After cocoa butter melts, remove mixture from heat and let cool. Add essential oil and stir to blend. Massage the oil on your belly— or get someone to do it for you—at least once a day, or as often as you like.
You can also infuse lavender buds or any herb into extra virgin olive oil, scent it with your favorite essential oil and amazingly have your very own easy to make belly oil.
Don't be afraid to experiment. Infused oils are one of the easiest herbal preparations you can make. Here's to a beautiful belly and baby!
(find out how to infuse oils here-http://desertroselv.blogspot.com/2008/07/summer-soothers-tip-1.html)
