What are Birth Affirmations?

Affirmations in general short phrases that are repeated in hopes of improving one’s mindset. The rationale behind affirmations is that by improving one’s mindset, one can improve her outcome. Birth affirmations are short phrases repeated by women in the hope that by repeating the positive statement, it will soothe the anxieties and fears associated with labor and delivery with the hope of achieving an easier birth. Some people repeat affirmations out loud, in their heads and some simply write them down. You can use birth affirmations daily before giving birth or just before or during labor. I recommend repeating them daily so that during birth you can recite them in your mind.

Do Birth Affirmations Work?

Many women all over the world use birth affirmations, but the question is do birth affirmations actually work, or are they just a bunch of mumbo jumbos? Dos repeating something simply makes it true. Well according to science that may very well be the case. An entire theory was developed around affirmation called self-affirmation theory.

According to the self-affirmation theory, we begin to believe something to be true through regular repetition as the brain is programmed through a process called neuroplasticity. Fancy term, but it is essentially our mind’s ability to change or adapt, so the more we affirm the new concept or thought, the stronger the neural pathway becomes that leads to it.

How to Make your birth Affirmation work for you   

Ok now that we have established that birth affirmations are not just a bunch of mumbo jumbos, I will tell you how to make them work for you.

Step 1: You can save our Pinterest list of affirmations or simply download the printable here if you only want a few of the affirmations on the list.

Step 2: Speak the affirmation out loud, do this for at least five minutes 2 times per day in the morning and before going to bed.

Step 3: Write down your birth several times in a notebook. I suggest writing and not typing because there is something about writing that is just more personal than actually typing.

Step 4:  Allow your mind and body to believe what you are saying by placing your hand on your bump

Step 5: As you reprogram your mind to the positive belief, take deep breaths in and out while you are saying and writing your birth affirmations.

The Benefits of Birth Affirmations

It is important to note that affirmations will not work for everyone. In fact, studies have shown that people for instance with low self-esteem are bound to feel worse after repeating affirmations than people with high self-esteem.  But the truth is there is little to no harm that enforcing a positive mindset can do to you and your baby. Birth affirmations are a powerful tool to help you change your mood, and state of mind, and manifest the type of birth experience that you are seeking. Birth affirmations and a strong, positive mind, can help you actually have a less painful birth! There is no disadvantage to trying birth affirmations, so why now?

20 Birth Affirmations

I have compiled a list of 20 birth affirmations to get you through labor and delivery. Hopefully these affirmations will change your mindset.

1. Trust the process
2. I am in control of my body
3.  Fear will not control my birth
4. My body is doing its job
5. Relax, open, and breathe
6. It’s not pain, it’s power
7. My only job is to breathe and allow my baby to be born
8. She believed she could, so she did
9. I trust my body and what it can do
10.  Every contraction is bringing me closer to my baby
11. We are the only species of mammals that can doubt its capacity to give birth
12.  Anxiety will leave my body and mind
13. I am ready for childbirth however it is
14.  I will meet my baby soon
15.  Birth is a miracle and I am part of it
16. The joy is coming
17. Each contraction last only one minute
18. Breathe baby down
19. Birth is a beautiful thing

The post 20 Positive Birth Affirmations to Help You Stay Calm and Confident appeared first on GingerbreadMom.

At the time I thought acupuncture was just another unnecessarily painful beauty regimen that had no scientifically proven benefits. Plus, being poked and prodded at 30 plus weeks in my pregnancy was not something I was going to volunteer to do. But since I have given birth, I can’t help but wonder how different my birth would have been had I tried it. This has led me to do some research on acupuncture during pregnancy, how safe is it, what are the benefits of acupuncture during pregnancy and what are the risks involved in acupuncture during pregnancy.

What is Acupuncture?

Acupuncture is a Chinese traditional medicine that involves thin needles being placed at specific points in the body with the goal of relieving pain, but it is also used to treat other conditions. The whole purpose of inserting the needle in a specific point in the body is to stimulate those points  to balance the yin (cold, slow) and yang (hot, excited) forces in the body and to allow a flow of qi (life force).

Acupuncture is not as rare as people may think, although still a bit exotic, more than three million Americans per year use acupuncture, but this is a small number compared to some European countries like France where one in five French people has tried some form of acupuncture. Likewise in Germany, acupuncture is the most prominent heterodox mode of treatment in the German healthcare system which may be why it was offered to me as an option during my hospital registration.  While it is hard to estimate the number of patients who are resorting to acupuncture, studies have also shown that around a third of all German medical doctors use it in their own practice.

How Does Acupuncture Works

According to an article posted on John Hopkins University, acupuncture points are believed to stimulate the central nervous system. Acupuncture seeks to release the flow of the body’s vital energy or “chi” by stimulating points along 14 energy pathways. According to Chinese medical theory, blockages of qi (translated as “vital life force energy”) and/or blood can occur along these meridians and can disrupt how the body parts and organs communicate with one another.  The acupuncture needles will unblock areas of stagnation and mend these blocked or broken lines of communication. It is believed that acupuncture works by simply reminding the body how to heal itself and bringing the body back into homeostasis. 

Some scientists even believe that the needles cause the body to release endorphins.  Endorphins are natural painkillers that may boost blood flow and change brain activity. The result of this is that acupuncture releases chemicals into the muscles, spinal cord, and brain. These biochemical changes may stimulate the body’s natural healing abilities and promote physical and emotional well-being.

However, skeptics believe acupuncture only has a placebo effect meaning that it works only because people believe it will.

Benefits of Acupuncture During Pregnancy

As I have pointed out earlier, acupuncture was referred to me by a doctor. A lot of people believe that acupuncture during  pregnancy is beneficial in so many ways. It is said to be able to ease some pregnancy symptoms such as that terrible heartburn we get during the first and the third trimester, edema or swelling in the limbs, particularly the feet, carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, other back pain, headaches and morning sickness.

Acupuncture During Pregnancy and Morning Sickness Morning sickness

Most women struggle with nausea and morning sickness during their pregnancy and since the amount of medication an expectant mom can take during pregnancy is limited, acupuncture is a good alternative. There are various studies on acupuncture and its ability to help with nausea and vomiting, both for pregnant and nonpregnant people. Scientific studies have shown that the P6 acupressure point, is also referred to as the spleen channel. influences the digestive system.

Likewise, a review from 2021, concluded that acupuncture is effective for severe nausea in pregnancy.

Why More Women These Days are Opting for Acupuncture During Pregnancy

Some women seek out acupuncture during pregnancy not because they struggle with any of these symptoms but because they just want a healthy baby, and by increasing their overall health through acupuncture this will help to increase the health of the baby. Some women use acupuncture with the hope that it will to induce labor. This type of birth acupuncture begins at 37 weeks and continues up until birth . The acupuncture helps to soften the cervix to facilitate a smooth birth. Women who wish to have a natural birth may look into this option.

Acupuncture during pregnancy can also reduce nausea and vomiting associated with morning sickness and since the medications that can be taken during pregnancy is very limited, having acupuncture during pregnancy may be a good way to solve some of these unbearable pregnancy symptoms.

The 2013 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) review found that acupuncture was effective for relieving nausea associated with analgesia from c-sections, so it is also beneficial after pregnancy.

Does Acupuncture during pregnancy Hurt?

The reason I avoided acupuncture during pregnancy was that I thought that it would hurt, I mean there is no way needles can penetrate the skin without some sort of pain, right? Well wrong! Acupuncture is  not a painful procedure. The needles are very thin, so insertion usually causes little discomfort.  You may often don’t feel them inserted at all. A typical acupuncture procedure uses 5 to 20 needles. You may feel a mild aching sensation when a needle reaches the correct depth.

Side Effects of Acupuncture During Pregnancy

Acupuncture when done by a trained professional is largely considered to be safe with very few risks. Most risks associated with acupuncture are minor and include soreness, redness, or infection at the insertion sites and injury from needles placed too deeply.

 All in all acupuncture may be something that you would like to try during your pregnancy or after. I can’t say for certain if it works but the reviews for the most part appears to be positive.

If you have tried it let me know where you had it done and whether it worked or you.

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If you’re anything like me, one of your first pregnancy gifts from mother nature is those pregnancy pimples. I get them throughout all three pregnancies and my biggest concern was how do I treat them with products that will not harm my unborn baby. I have done the research and I am more than happy to share them with you.

Pregnancy Pimples Safe Treatments

Because a whole new person is developing inside your womb, most oral medications will be off the table for you. Topical products during this precious time are your friend. Even though topical products are typically safer, there are some ingredients that are just no-goes for pregnant women.

Ingredients to Absolutely Avoid (Unsafe Pregnancy Acne Treatment Ingredient)

Salicylic Acids

Like aspirin salicylic acid can cause birth defects to your unborn child. The risk is reduced if the product contains less than 2% salicylic acid but why take the chance?

Tetracycline

This is an antibiotic that is sometimes prescribed for acne treatment. However, this is very unsafe during pregnancy and should be avoided completely.

Perfumes

Acne treatments containing perfumes should also be avoided because some potent perfumes contain phthalates which can disrupt hormones and thereby resulting in developmental issues for the fetus

Phthalates

This ingredient is found in a lot of beauty products as some form of preservative to increase their shelf lives but they can disrupt hormones and can be harmful to the developing baby

Retin A or Tretinoin

Studies have found that the sister drug of Retin A or Tretinoin called Isotretinoin also called Accutane contains substances that can be harmful to an unborn, it is advisable that pregnant moms avoid acne products containing Retin A or Tretinoin.

Pregnancy Safe Acne Treatment Products

 Thankfully, due to decades of research, we now know what products are safe to use during pregnancy to treat pregnancy pimples. According to The American Academy of Dermatologists (AAD) there are some treatments that are considered safer than other when it comes to treating acne during pregnancy, so it’s always best to consult with your dermatologist and your doctor if you are in doubt.

When it comes to treating acne during pregnancy topical products including those you can buy over the counter are your best bets. Here are some of my favorite products that have helped me in all three of my pregnancies all of which are safe to use during pregnancy.

BELLI MATERNAL ANTI-BLEMISH FACE WASH

Designed specifically for pregnant women, the manufacturers have excluded the harmful chemicals that affect mothers and unborn children. This product is not only safe for pregnant women but it is also safe to use for people with sensitive skin and acne-prone skin. It’s also a plus that it is cruelty-free and plant-based.

BELLI ACNE CONTROL SPOT TREATMENT

Since Belli manufactures skincare specifically with pregnant women in mind, I have to include them on my list twice! The brand Belli is known to be the manufacturer of some of the best acne skin care products for pregnant women. This brand will help you with your pregnancy pimples. Its main ingredients are lemon peel, green tea, olive oil, cucumber, camelia, and lactic acid. There are no artificial dyes in the product and no perfumes. This product has been approved by OBGYNs and dermatologists as safe for pregnant women. It is also not tested on animals and is gluten-free.

NEUTROGENA CLEAR PORE CLEANSER/MASK

Neutrogena Clear Pore Cleanser/Mask is a very affordable pregnancy-safe acne product to use. It does not contain harmful chemicals and it’s great for pregnancy pimples, especially for those who of us (myself included) who have oily skin. You can use it as a cleanser, or you can leave it on longer and use it as a mask. It contains benzoyl peroxide at 3.5% which is very effective for fighting acne and less irritating than some of its counterparts.

LA ROUCH-PROSAY EFFCLAR DUO

This product is good for pregnancy pimples. It contains 5.5% benzoyl peroxide; it also contains a more gentle form of beta hydroxy acid. While this is perfectly safe, it is recommended for spot treatment because it can cause some irritation.

TULA PURIFYING FACE CLEANSER WITH PROBIOTIC TECHNOLOGY

This facial cleanser is safe for pregnant women struggling with pregnancy pimples. It is on the more expensive side but it is worth it, if you can afford it. It is gentle on the skin but goes deep into the pores to get rid of all the dirt that contributes to pimples and acne.

Of course, there are tons of other products that haven’t made it to my list that you can try. You can use my guide for the list of ingredients you want to avoid. The website  https://www.15minutebeauty.com is also a very good source when it comes to pregnancy-safe acne products. She has compiled a list of pregnancy-safe acne products from various brands such as The Ordinary, Drunk Elephant, Bioderma and so much more. I hope this helps. Until next time, stay safe!

XOXO Monica

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