7 Ways I'm Prioritizing Mental Health In Pregnancy
Taking care of myself during such a sacred time
Welcome to Moments & Mirrors! 🤍 Moments & Mirrors will unfold as a collection of stories and reflections drawn from my own experiences, with the hope that they inspire ideas for my daughters to inherit and individualize. So glad you are here! 💌
A few weeks ago I shared the exciting and surprising news that I am pregnant with my second daughter! And I also shared that the news rocked my world quite a bit…I was an emotional mess (thanks for the help with that, hormones!).
It was important for me to be honest with my feelings, but equally important to not dwell in them. Feel them, but feel it through. While unexpected, the truth is I do love being pregnant. I mean, I am creating a HUMAN! It does not get any more extraordinary than that.
It was important for me to take care of my emotional and mental health, so that I could enjoy the rest of the pregnancy. And it was important for me to do so for Baby too! I’m a firm believer that the babies feed off your energy, even (and maybe especially when) you are creating them inside your body. I couldn’t let stress take over and take a toll.
Below are 7 ways I’ve committed to taking care of myself during this pregnancy. I’m happy to say I am feeling much better about everything these days, and I have even shared with David that I feel more connected to this baby than I ever have to anything or anyone, really. It feels like this specific baby was meant for me. She was meant to knock me off my feet a little! It sounds so cheesy and woo-woo, I know. But it’s how I feel and it’s been a beautiful time of learning and growth for me!
Journaling
This one was a no-brainer. I love to write. I try to journal everyday, and most days it’s a quick list of 5 things I’m grateful for - quick and easy. But I’ve been intentionally journaling about pregnancy to process all of those feelings. I purchased Pregnancy Journals from
and I’ve really appreciated the guided prompts. I’m looking forward to using her postpartum journal too - something I wish I had done after my first baby! There is power in pen to paper, friends. But even if it’s just jotting it down in your notes app - that’s still a great way to release and express.Designated ‘Me Time’ In the Morning
Some people will think I’m crazy for this, but…I purposefully wake up at 5am everyday. Our baby girl is a consistent sleeper and wakes up right around 6-6:15am every single day. So by waking up at 5am, I ensure that I have one whole hour to myself before the day starts. It’s heavenly. I sip my coffee at my own pace, read a book, or even just watch an episode of TV sometimes.
On the occasion I ‘let myself sleep in’, I feel so frazzled waking up and knowing I immediately need to be doing X, Y, and Z for the family and the house. Having that time to just myself, when the world seems to be quiet too…it truly sets me up for success. Plus, I get to see a sunrise most days which is pretty awesome.
Prioritizing Healthy Sleep
Okay, so yes I wake up at 5am. But because I know that’s important to me, I also go to bed at 9pm pretty much every night. I also started setting some ‘boundaries’ for myself that have helped me get a much more quality night of sleep.
No TV in bed, ever (something I used to do nightly!)
I only have a lamp on in the bedroom during the evenings. No other lighting!
I have either Trader Joe’s Well Rested Herbal Tea or a Sleepy Girl Mocktail (Magnesium + Tart Cherry Juice + Sparkling Water) every night before bed. The magnesium gives me such a deep sleep, every time!
I’ll put my phone away and read before bed until I fall asleep - usually starting this around 8/8:30. My goal is to invest in an alarm clock to start leaving my phone downstairs overnight.
Getting Myself ‘Ready’ Each Day
My ‘mom uniform’ consisted mainly of gym shorts and oversized t-shirts and hoodies for the majority of Charlie’s first few months of life. Right when I started fitting my pre-pregnancy clothes, I got pregnant again! And I was right back into the baggy-gym-clothes.
If you know me, you know I love a sundress and I have so many cute ones I wasn’t even wearing! The best part is so many of them work during pregnancy + postpartum too. (Thank you, Old Navy!). I decided to make more of an effort to ‘get ready’ everyday - getting dressed, a little bit of concealer and mascara. Nothing fancy, but it channels some good energy into my day.
Some of my favorite Old Navy dresses I bought for this summer:
Walking
Movement makes you feel better. It’s science, just like Elle Woods said! Movement looks really different for me in this phase of life. Much more gentle. Rather than any intense work outs, I usually just stick to walking every day. Getting outside is for the walks is a mood booster too. And this is something I can do with a stroller so it’s easy to incorporate into my daily life as a mom! A win, win, win situation.
Meditating
Sometimes I’m embarrassed to admit I do this out of sounding too “crunchy”, but I’m trying to be authentic in this space. (This year I vowed to be my unapologetic self). But again, there is a science behind this stuff people! I subscribe to the Calm app, which has several daily options for meditations, as well as pregnancy specific ones. I like to start my day with The Daily Calm, and it’s usually ten minutes. It’s focused on breathwork and being mindful in the moment. It always ends with some food for thought. I truly think this helps me stay centered and sane on the busy or stressful days. I really love doing it right when I wake up, as my coffee is brewing, because I know there won’t be any distractions and it starts the day off on such a refreshing note. And then my coffee is like my little reward for doing it!
Openly Asking For Help
It takes a village! But really, no one person can do it all. There are times when I am feeling more tired or emotional or stressed, and I just have to be honest about it. It doesn’t have to be big things - it can be tiny! Example: I used to change Charlie into her pajamas and sleep slack on our bed every night. As my bump grows, my back now hurts when I bend over like that for too long. (I’ve had a bad back ever since I broke my tailbone in 2013). It seemed silly, but I had to ask David to take over doing that at night for me. The more honest I am with myself on what I need help with, the better partner and mom I am.
There you have it, friends! These are things that can help you mentally and emotionally in everyday life, not just pregnancy! I hope this inspires you to take care of yourself. You deserve it!
To support Moments & Mirrors:
Give this post a like ❤️ Share with friends or Subscribe!
Now Playing: I Hate It Here by Taylor Swift
“I hate it here so I will go to secret gardens in my mind. People need to a key to get to, the only one is mine. I read about it a book when I was a precocious child.”