Guest blogger 23 weeks pregnant – birth prep

How would it be, to feel everything physically, emotionally and spiritually in my preparation for birth this time? This is a question that I have asked myself a lot recently. At 23 weeks, I can hand on heart say this pregnancy has been a real journey into self-compassion, self-understanding and going deep within – and whilst I feel like I still have a long way to go, the days and weeks have rushed by and I still can’t quite believe I am drawing closer to the end of the second trimester.

t started with weekly journal practice. Just one of the small ways I wanted to show up for myself and make time to write my thoughts, documenting all of the amazing, challenging, beautiful sensations I was experiencing. Journaling has been really cathartic and is something I will continue for life. It has also felt very healing and I believe this has helped somewhat with a condition I live with called Ulcerative Colitis. Often I will write about the things I am grateful for or jot down positive affirmations, poetry or birth facts I have read about.

I confess I have become a bit of a birth nerd in the process (for which I feel no shame). I have never felt more drawn to learning about a subject than now. Pregnancy, birth, the female body and the postpartum journey have become daily nourishment for my brain ~ I will listen to podcasts, and meditations, download birth affirmations, follow amazing birth accounts on Instagram, watch positive births on YouTube and look at the most beautiful birth photography and imagery.

I will read any book I can get my hands on and have recently discovered the most excellent preloved copies of Ina May Gaskins “Spiritual Midwifery” and “A Guide To Childbirth”, “How To Give Birth Like A Feminist” – by Milli Hill and “Birth Your Way – by Sheila Kitzinger. Some of my other favourite and inspiring reads have been “The Hypnobirthing Book” – by Katherine Graves and “The Zen Mama” – by Teresa Palmer and Sarah Wright Olsen. 

I have also reached out to some truly wonderful birth keepers (*a person with birth experience, training, and a deep respect for the sacredness of birth) and self confessed birth geeks who have held space for me to talk through any concerns I have felt, ideas I want to discuss and birth preparation dreams. I consider these women my friends and the passion and knowledge they hold is quite simply infectious.

Navigating life with a wild toddler boy, an energetic 5 year old girl, work, pregnancy and unpredictable illness has been ‘interesting’ at times. But I believe our greatest strengths come from our most challenging times. I’ve also put a lot of faith in my body that it knows “what to do”. I have supported this with good nutrition, dialling back on anything processed and giving my body exactly what it needs (weirdly I have zero cravings this time around!)

I haven’t moved my body in ways that bring me joy (mainly due to time and very low energy and iron levels) but I am making sure I schedule a pregnancy massage (or two) in the next few weeks, including a sound bath closer to my final weeks and I still immerse myself in the forest, walk barefoot on Earth (outdoors) everyday and have spent numerous hours in my garden tending to the fruits and vegetables that I am trying so lovingly to grow.

I didn’t do any preparation for my first birth. My second birth was incredibly healing and I invested a lot of time and energy into learning hypnobirthing. I am doing much of the same work this time however I feel more relaxed about going with the flow of birth rather than trying to force it to “look or feel” any particular way. I will just wait and see how the baby feels and communicate with him/her on their chosen birthday. I really am just enjoying this journey. Feeling sweet little kicks from inside is amazing and reminds me daily how incredible women are to create, carry and grow a whole new life (and little soul) inside.

Follow Cristi on Instagram here. And her other blogs under my blog section.