If mom experiences stress at any point during her pregnancy, baby ALSO experiences that stress.
That’s it. Blog over.
There are three main types of stress that we are constantly bombarded with. We call them the “Three Ts.” They are thoughts, toxins, and traumas. That translates to mental stress, chemical stress, and physical stress. At Future Generations, we’ve added a fourth T – technology. I’m going to break these down for you. These could all be their own separate blog, so consider this a concise summary.
We all know what emotional stress is, and we all have our own version of it. It could be stress related to work, family, finances, or relationships. Common emotions associated with emotional stress are worry, anger, grief, fear, and sadness. Unfortunately, with this type of stress it can lead to other kinds of stress. For example, it can physically lead to fatigue, sleep problems, or even an upset stomach. Emotional stress may also lead someone to an increase in tobacco/alcohol use, dietary changes, or even exercise habit changes. Thankfully the random bouts of stress do not affect the baby here or there. However, if mom’s thoughts are persistently negative, or she is under unrelenting stress, it signals to baby that “it’s a dangerous world out here.” The baby’s brain is then wired to thrive in a dangerous world.
“That kind of brain is reactive and impulsive, and short on attention. Some scientists posit that regulation disorders such as ADD/ADHD and OCD may have their beginnings in the womb, when the brain’s basic regulatory wiring is laid down.”
With that being said, it is imperative for mom to be able to handle stress to the best of her ability. Some ways that she can support herself with this are things like journaling, prayer, meditation, and breathwork. It is also important for dad to show constant love, support, and celebrate mom.
Chemical stressors are things like the food we eat, the water we drink, and the air we breathe. We already know that kids and chemicals do not mix. Everything mom takes in has a direct line to the baby. I shouldn’t have to say that alcohol/drugs/cigarettes are a BIG no. Mom’s diet will absolutely impact the baby. If mom does not eat healthy, the baby may not get what it needs to ensure proper development. In an ideal world, mom drinks clean water, eats primarily organic, limits sugar, utilizes good supplements, and eats as non-inflammatory as possible. This will not only keep mom healthy, but also allows the baby to thrive while in the womb.
Physical stresses are things like posture, exercise, injuries, and car accidents. Ideally, mom will go through her pregnancy with no real major physical stresses outside of normal things. It is absolutely recommended that mom workout throughout her pregnancy. This could be as easy as taking long walks several times a week, or following along with our friend’s programming over at Birthfit.com. Mom should view the birth of her child as the most athletic endeavor she will undertake. The more in shape mom is during her pregnancy, the easier the birth will be and baby also benefits from this. Fit mom equals a fit baby…it’s that easy. It is also necessary that mom gets the best sleep possible for her and her unborn baby. Sleep is where our body heals, grows, and recovers. Other things that mom can do to handle the physical stresses of growing a human include massage, acupuncture, and chiropractic.
Chiropractic is what we do, and I like to think nobody does it better…particularly when it comes to pregnancy and pediatrics. Making sure mom’s nervous system is working to its maximum potential is important for the growth of the unborn baby, but also when it comes time to bring the baby into the world. One of our other primary goals when it comes to pregnancy, is to make sure that mom’s pelvis works how it is supposed to, so that when labor happens, the pelvis can open how it is supposed to.
The first 3 stresses have always been around. Technology nowadays comes at us from everywhere…particularly our phones and social media. Limiting exposure to any stress inducing information is vital to keep mom’s stress levels down. It is easy to be scared by things we read and to go down rabbit holes that are not beneficial for ourselves. Technology use should be set up to limit exposure to triggering items, and only be used in beneficial ways.
At Future Generations, we pride ourselves on providing phenomenal care for mom and baby, even when the baby is still in the womb. Please let us know how we can help anybody you may know who is pregnant, or thinking about becoming pregnant.