Educated Pregnancy

Beautiful women not only look good, they feel great and their bodies perform well. By that definition, I am more beautiful now at 39 than I’ve ever been.

In my teens, beauty was all about looks. My girlfriends and I wore the latest fashions and styled our hair to look like everyone else. Because I associated beauty with being fit, I immersed myself in the newly emerging exercise world…think Jane Fonda, Jazzercise, high heels and leg warmers. I realized that you could design and sculpt your body through exercise to attain your desired look. I devoted time every day toward the pursuit of physical fitness. I became certified as a personal trainer and an aerobics instructor.

If there is one overlooked, yet major factor that I can tell you is extremely harmful to your baby, it is maternal stress during pregnancy. Yes, drugs, alcohol and smoking are all horrible – but you already know that. You’ve heard it everywhere, and most pregnant women – at least most of you who are reading my blogs and following my videos – wouldn’t even consider such risky behavior when it comes to your baby’s health. But the stress part…that’s different.

Not many people, not even most midwives, are teaching women the importance of reducing their stress levels. Studies have shown that maternal stress on the fetus may lead to increased risk of ADD / ADHD. Why? Because of the hormones you produce in response to stressful situations. These hormones then affect the baby’s development and can potentially alter the chemicals and hormones in your baby’s developing brain. 

Ever notice how someone else’s behavior can have an impact on your day? Maybe someone cut you off on your way home. Do you get to your house fuming mad…or do you just smile and think “I’m glad I’m not in that much of a rush”? What about a server who goes above and beyond to make sure you have not just a perfect meal but a great dining experience? Makes you smile and more than happy to leave a good tip, right? So if someone outside of our circle can affect us, how much do our own thoughts affect us?

They say to never tell a child they are bad, but rather to tell them that what they did was wrong, but they are still a good child. Why? Because of the power of words. Tell a child he is bad and he will believe you. He will live up to the name you’ve called him and he will become a bad child. Praise your children, your spouse…your SELF!   When we stay positive in our thoughts, then our words and actions will follow in that same positive flow.