
Your baby’s skin is already fully developed very early on in pregnancy, so he or she can already sense your touch. Touch can play an important part in communicating with your baby even from these early days. A gentle pregnancy massage can be a lovely daily ritual, not only giving you some ‘quiet’ time to talk to your baby but also helping keep stretch marks at bay.
Find a comfy spot to sit, with your back well-supported. Apply a little stretch mark oil to the palms of your hand. Place your palms on your belly and massage over the tummy, making a lovely, smooth heart-shape over your bump. Close your eyes and visualise your beautiful baby, breathing smoothly and deeply with each heart-shape. Repeat several times and then rest your hands on your tummy, simply enjoying a few long, deep relaxed breaths.
Other Top Tips for a Relaxing Pregnancy
It can be difficult to find the time to relax during pregnancy, yet these precious months are when you need it most. Here are some simple tips that you can practise on a daily basis to help ease a number of ailments and help you stay relaxed throughout your pregnancy.
At the end of the day, try and find some time to lie on your left-hand side, supported with cushions under your head, in between your legs and under your belly if needed. Close your eyes, breath softly and visualise a soft, golden light shining down upon you and your baby. Imagine the light radiating its warm glow over your body beginning at the top of the head down to the toes. Consciously relax each body part as you visualise the light. Keep focusing on your breathing, allowing your body and your mind to gently let go.
Sit on a gym ball instead of the sofa, as this will keep your spine flexible and aligned and so help alleviate back-ache. It will also help take the pressure of the baby’s weight from your sacrum, helping relieve any tension in that area. Make sure you are sitting in a stable position with your feet firmly planted on the ground, with your knees a little wider than hip width apart. Practise making gentle circles or figure of eights with your hips.
For heartburn, practise sitting on the floor or on a chair. Now take some take some deep breaths, bringing your hands in a prayer position above your head. This will help create space in the chest and diaphragm area and help reduce the acidity in the oesophagus, which is the cause of heartburn. Practise this as often as you can for instant relief.