Early Pregnancy Guide: A Pelvic Health PT and Birth Doula Perspective
Updated: Oct 7, 2022
Where to focus as you get started on your pregnancy journey
Information overload during pregnancy can be a challenge to navigate. This post is designed to help you prioritize your information gathering. My hope is that you can sift through the clutter to find the information YOU need to feel supported and prepared for this journey.
Let's take the guess work out of this process!
Tip #1 - Take Time to Reflect
It can be really tempting to dive right into planning, preparing, and DOING.
And, there will be plenty of opportunities for that.
There is just something to be said for processing and understanding what you might need as things unfold.
Below are some things to reflect on and consider:
What do you want for yourself during pregnancy?
When you close your eyes and dream about your pregnancy journey, what do you see? What does life look like? Who is next to you? This vision and intention for your pregnancy can be really powerful in how you prepare and plan for the process. Taking intentional time to reflect on this is key. While the pregnancy process cannot be planned, you can be conscious of your expectations and hopes in an effort to respond to the unexpected in a way that holds true to those hopes for this process.
What does "support" look like for you?
Pregnancy can be accompanied by "The Unexpected." And, what is "The Unexpected" exactly? It is a name I have given to the newness and unknowns that you can encounter during this process. In order to navigate that and greet "The Unexpected" openly it is best to have support on the ready. Support looks different for everyone. For this reflection topic, you should consider multiple avenues of support. Examples include friends, family, co-workers, community groups, social media connections/groups, fitness groups, spiritual groups or practices, counselors. Building a list of who you could be supported by and what that support might look like can be really helpful!
How do you cope with change, challenge, grief, etc?
Now, I want you to reflect on how you work through the tough stuff. How have you managed before? What was helpful? This should help you center some thoughts about how you can utilize and lean on the support you considered earlier.
What are you curious about?
If you are a list person, now is a good time to make a list about things you want to learn more about. This will help you navigate the multitude of resources that are available to you!
Tip #2 - Assemble Your Team
You don't have to navigate this season alone. Now is a great time to research providers and assemble your care team. It is best to develop a list early so you can interview potential options and move forward with people who can support the vision you have for yourself.
Who might be on your care team?
Midwife and/or OB-GYN
Doula
Pelvic Health Physical Therapist
Counselor, guide, mental health provider
Prenatal Fitness Specialist/coach/trainer
Massage Therapist
Chiropractor
Esthetician (*Skin care needs can change in pregnancy and they can guide you on pregnancy safe products and services*)
Registered Dietician or Nutritionist
Tip #3 - Take Care of YOU
You won't regret taking care of yourself in this season. The steps you take now will also be incredibly helpful in preparing you for postpartum as well.
Struggling with where to start? Check out my list below:
Sleep - Set consistent night time and wake routines with approx. 8 hours of sleep each night. Want to read more about sleep? This is my favorite book about sleep
Move your body - If you were active before pregnancy, you can continue doing those activities! Although, you may find yourself needing to prioritize recovery more than before. (if you have been told by your provider that you are on pelvic rest, consult with them before starting something). If you haven't been physically active before pregnancy, this is a great time to start! I am here to help with this, fill out the form on this page to connect with me.
Prioritize nutrient dense foods - Nutrition in early pregnancy is TOUGH. Do what you need to do to feel ok with nutrition. Consume a variety of foods when you can. More plants when possible! This is my favorite pregnancy and postpartum book related to nutrition
Manage stress - We cannot avoid stress, but we can adopt helpful strategies to manage stress when it is present. Headspace is my favorite app for this!
Tip #4 - Compile Your Resources
Now is the time to start identifying your trusted sources for information. The last place you want to find yourself is on a late night, anxiety filled, black hole internet session. By compiling your own trusted sources of information, you can refer to them when you have questions instead of randomly searching the internet in hopes of finding comfort. As you identify your care team, you can ask them for their favorite pregnancy and postpartum resources!
Tip #5 - Stop Comparing
This pregnancy is your own journey and that is a good thing! Give yourself permission to move through this season they way YOU need to.
Ditch the information overload! Embrace a journey centered around YOU.
You deserve to be supported, feel confident, and embrace a pregnancy experience centered around your vision for you and your growing family. If you are interested in learning more about pelvic health physical therapy, birth doula work, or perinatal fitness let's connect! Click here to book a Discovery Session.