Pregnancy + Self-Kindness
Let’s just be honest. Pregnancy can be ROUGH!
My last pregnancy, although difficult nearing the end with a traumatic labor and delivery, the pregnancy itself went all in all relatively smooth.
This one. Not so much.
A hard start with nausea lasting significantly longer combined with multiple complications over the past couple of months, has me hoping for an uneventful third trimester! While I admit, it has been a very challenging time for me both physically and mentally, and after having spent the last couple months on “rest” — I still can’t help but focus on the good:
We have been blessed with a fantastic healthcare system that has been committed to keeping myself and baby as healthy as possible.
Both mine and my husband’s work schedules have been completely flexible throughout this pregnancy allowing space for extra appointments, unexpected trips to the hospital, and simply just giving me the time my body needed to rest.
Madelyn has been a champ. Being a family who thrives on routine, and our lives being anything but that lately — Madelyn has not skipped a beat!
And for all that, I am entirely thankful.
While not easy, I have consciously tried my very best to keep a positive outlook and choose gratitude over the easier route of self-pity. Being someone who regularly lives an active lifestyle, to all of sudden stop almost all activity has certainly taken a toll on my mental health. Funny how can it be so easy to grasp the importance of teaching our children to be kind, yet treating ourselves with that same kindness, especially through difficult times, can sometimes feel so counterintuitive.
“Be kinder to yourself. And then let your kindness flood the world.”
So here’s hoping for an uneventful third trimester, filled with self-kindness and the all clear for adding some low impact movement back into my life!
PS: We are keeping the gender a surprise. We do have a girl name picked out, but have yet to find a boy name that we really love! If you have any suggestions please comment on Social Media, and you might just get to name our baby! :)
Stay Kind,
Jacquelyn Stagg