Julia Duthie's Top Ten Tips
1. Talk to your baby
It has been proven that babies are conscious from the earliest moments of life and that they respond to communications, whether spoken out loud or internally. Babies, like us, really need to know how loved and wanted they are. A baby who feels truly loved and welcome will flow with the birth process with ease, helping the experience to be a joyful one for both of you.
Talk to baby even when life gets tough, it is especially important to talk to baby at these times and say what you are feeling and why. Letting baby know how you’re feeling emotionally and that it’s not his fault when you’re upset, will help him to relax and get into a good position in the womb.
2. Slow down
Pregnancy is a time for slowing down and finding your new rhythym. Slowing down helps you to hear the messages that your baby, your body and your intuition are sending you. When you slow down enough it is easier to be in tune with your baby. A baby’s immature nervous system takes four times as long to respond than an adult’s, therefore when you are talking to your baby leave plenty of space for baby’s response.
3. Stay with the 'highest'
You deserve the very best! Ask for what you really want, don’t be willing to accept the status quo, allow yourself to be a light for others showing them what can be possible. Let yourself receive more support than you ever have before.
These beautiful words by Marianne Williamson are a wonderful message to hold in your consciousness while bringing new life into this world:
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others."
4. Listen to your intuition
Pregnancy is a great time to practise listening to your intuition. Your hormones actually support you to do this; as they are support your body to let go and open up, it also becomes easier for your mind to relax and open up to the quiet voice within.
5. Ask for support
This is a great time to change any habit you may have of trying to manage everything yourself. Our time in school has often trained us to work alone, but now we really need each other. Ask your partner and friends to give you a hand; even just asking someone to listen to you is extremely valuable. Your baby can sense how supported you feel and loves it when you are able to let in the love and support that you so rightly deserve!
6. Spend time in nature
Nature holds no judgements, nature just is. Be open to the peace and the knowingness that is all around you when you are away from busy human minds and modern technology. Maybe hold the intention to tap into this peace while you are birthing.
7. Remember that you are not alone
- You and your baby are travelling this journey together.
- Thousands of generations of women went through this rite of passage so that you could be here; the life-force that they have brought to you is available for you to draw upon.
- All around the world are other women giving birth at the same time as you, imagine how powerful you would all feel if you could really sense that you were doing it together!
- Those of us who are able to tune into spiritual support, confirm that there is a lot more support around us when we are giving birth; just knowing this can be a resource.
8. Say “Yes!”
Greet each moment of your birthing experience with a “Yes!” This word has the power to transform your experience from feeling like something is being done to you, to accepting that you are more amazing and more poweful than you could possibly imagine! Look into your birthing partner’s eyes and repeat this alchemical word with each long, releasing breath.
9. Nurture yourself
- Nourish yourself with delicious food that makes you feel healthy and alive.
- Have your body pampered with massage or reflexology.
- Relax in a warm bath with your favourite pregnancy essential oils.
- Listen to music that uplifts your soul.
- Loving your body in this way gives profound messages of safety and welcome to both you and your baby.
10. Gratitude
A heartfelt “thank you” has extraordinary power to open your heart and those of others around you. Practising this will bring more and more for you to be grateful for and help you to really enjoy your pregnancy, birthing and parenting. Most importantly, this sends messages of safety and support to your body and your baby, which are the key principles needed for an easy, enjoyable birth. Here are some gratitude ideas:
- Thank your baby for coming to join you and for choosing you as parents.
- Write a letter thanking your mother for everything she has done for you, right from before your conception. If all you can say is “thank you for giving me life” this is a great place to start.
- Thank all the little things that support you in your life, the chair you are resting on, the water that refreshes you, the technology that brings this message to you…
- Thank yourself for getting you to where you are right this minute; thank yourself for being more talented, more amazing and more powerful than you could possibly imagine!
Here are my top ten tips for pregnancy, birth and beyond.