When prepping for labour, one of the first things many of us do is book a spot at our local antenatal class. 

They’re a great option if you’re wanting to learn all things labour, pain relief, and postnatal care, all while meeting other soon-to-be parents. 

But what about other, more holistic techniques to help you through pregnancy and prepare you for birth. 

Keep reading Mumma... and say hello to meditation. 

Now! If you’ve never meditated before, and feel yourself rolling your eyes (maybe even just a little)...stick with us. 

Not only do we love it, but anything to possibly help you through pregnancy and labour…. Has to be worth a shot...right?

Introduction

Meditation has been around for thousands of years, so don’t just take our word for it - it’s stood the test of time. 

There are many types of meditation but generally, it involves focusing your attention, for a fixed amount of time (you can start with just a few minutes) on your breath, the present moment, or by repeating a mantra. 

Sure, by all means, you could sit cross-legged on a pillow with incense burning. 

You could also lay down in a comfortable spot, or even try active meditation where you walk or do gentle movement, followed by silence. 

There’s no one perfect practice, it’s about finding out what works for you. 

It’s incredibly relaxing and when practiced consistently, can have a tonne of benefits for soon-to-be mums. (Or anyone for that matter)

Let’s cover the basics first

Absolutely. 

If there’s one thing we know for sure, pregnancy is a roller coaster. One minute you’re filled with excitement and joy, and the next you’re feeling teary or anxious. (Thank you, pregnancy hormones)

Add to that, perhaps poor sleep or nutrition, work commitments, other children to run after, a long baby to-do list, and medical appointments. It’s understandable if you feel a little stressed. 

Regular meditation can help reduce or manage your stress levels, while also helping with common pregnancy symptoms like fatigue or mood swings. 

On the Hera app, we have a range of calming meditation sessions to get you started. We know starting any new practice or exercise can be a little daunting so let us walk you through the process step by step.

Can it help during my pregnancy?

Also yes! 

One of the beautiful things about meditation, it’s great for pregnancy, during labour, and beyond. 

If you’ve practiced regular meditation throughout your pregnancy, it can be a great tool to help reduce some of the fear and stress that can accompany the unknown nature of labour. 

Meditating and deep breathing during labour will relax your central nervous system and can create an altered state of mind. 

This allows you to shut out distractions, remain inward, and help you cope with the intensity of labour and birth. 

Here are some techniques you’ll learn in the Hera app, which may help you during labour.

- Deep focused breathing

- Visualisation or guided imagery 

- Body scanning

- Breathwork for labour

Can I use these techniques during labour?

Whether you’ve been meditating for years, or just starting out - we’d love to hear from you! 
What do you love about meditation and how has it helped during your pregnancy, birth, and beyond?

Till next time,
The team at Hera

Conclusion

The Benefits of Meditation During Pregnancy

As Mums, we know how important regular exercise is for our minds and bodies.

Well...it is for our bubs too, and soon after birth, your little one can also start their very first exercise routine with tummy time.

Much like the name suggests, tummy time is when you place your baby on their tummy during their awake time. 

It’s super important, (for many reasons), but let’s start with the basics.

Soon after birth, you can start a daily tummy time routine which should continue right up until your baby starts to crawl.

You might start with just 1-2 minutes, a few times a day, working up to at least one hour per day by about 3 months old. 

When you start, simply laying back and placing bub on their tummy, on your chest works well. (Extra snuggles for you too, who doesn’t love that) 

As they grow, you can do tummy time in a safe space on the floor, or by holding him or her upright over your shoulder.

When to Start

Current guidelines recommend that babies sleep on their backs, so when you think about it, babies spend a lot of time in this one position. 

Tummy time is crucial for them to get off their backs, and develop their muscles, specifically their neck, back, and shoulder muscles. 

It helps them start to hold their head up all their own and meet other developmental milestones like crawling, rolling over, and sitting. 

Tummy time also prevents babies from developing a flat spot on their head. (It’s quite common for babies to experience small flat spots which resolve on their own, however, in some cases can require further treatment) 

And let’s not forget, tummy time allows your baby to view their new world from a whole new perspective. Great for healthy brain development and stimulation.

Why it's so Important

Not all babies love tummy time and a few tears can be expected, especially in the early days. Keep it interesting by changing up the location. 

- Place a soft mirror (like this one) near bub for them to look at their reflection and keep them engaged. 

- Use a colored, textured, or even water-filled play mat (like this one) to keep things fun and interesting. 

- Scatter toys around to encourage your little one to move their head from side to side, or to start reaching for them. 

- Roll up a towel and place it under your baby’s arms to give them more support on the floor. 

- Make sure bub is alert, changed, and fed before your start tummy time. If they nod off to sleep, pop them back in their bassinet

Tummy Time Tips

The Importance of Tummy Time

Hey Mumma,

Imagine your baby ‘asking’ you for more food, milk, or even a nap…. well before they’ve said their first word. 

Possible? Absolutely!

(But…. it’ll take a lot of work)

Baby sign language is a series of gestures that can help your bub express what he or she needs, and be able to communicate with you. (Here are a few examples to give you an idea)

It’s not meant to replace language, and it’s definitely not for everyone, but many families swear by it. 

So! Let's weigh up the pros and cons to help you decide if it’s the right decision for your family.

Communicate with your baby earlier:

You can start teaching your baby sign language whenever you like, with some babies beginning to sign back from 8 months of age onwards. (A lot sooner than the average age of first words, which is about 12 months)


Learn something new:

In amongst the nappy’s, bottles, and sleep schedules, it can be refreshing to challenge your brain and learn something new. 


Ease frustrations and build a bond:

It’s normal for babies and toddlers to show frustration or anger when they’re unable to communicate what they need or want. Baby sign language can ease some of those frustrations for both baby and you, while also creating a beautiful connection between you both. 


Helps brain development and language skills:
 
By learning baby sign language, your little one will be starting to understand language well before they’re physically able to say what’s on their mind. 


Research has shown it can also improve cognitive and emotional development and increase the rate of verbal development.

The Good Stuff

Got a TONNE of patience? You will need it. 
Consistency and repetition is key with baby sign language. 

It can take a very, very long time for your baby to learn new gestures, and keeping up your efforts consistently, whilst juggling your regular day-to-day tasks can be challenging.


It can be limiting:

Unless your family and friends are onboard with learning baby sign language, at the end of the day, you may be the only one who can communicate in this way with your bub. 


Frustration:

While yes, it can ease frustration, baby sign language can cause frustrations as well. Your little one may feel frustrated if they’re having trouble with certain gestures or when other caretakers don’t understand what they’re trying to say. 


It’s not a second language:

There are hundreds of signs your baby could learn, but despite this, and the effort & patience you both put in, they won’t be speaking (American/Emirati/Australian) Sign Language, which has a different structure.

The Not-So-Good-Stuff

So Mumma, what do you think? Does this sound like something you might try with your baby? 

If so, we’d love to hear your experiences and what did and didn’t work for you. 

Till next time,

The team at Hera

Baby Sign Language: Pros and Cons

Hi beautiful Mumma, 

If you’re looking for ways to bond with your bub during pregnancy... singing, talking, or reading to them can be a great idea. 

(Those tiny ears can hear you from about 18 weeks, after all)

But...if reading to your growing belly isn’t your thing, not to worry, it’s perfectly fine to wait until they’re snuggled in your arms before you start working your way through the bookshelf. 

Not only can reading to your baby become a relaxing routine for you both, but research has shown there are many other benefits for bub.

(Yep, even if they have no clue what you’re saying just yet)

- It creates beautiful bonding time between you and your baby

- Introduces your baby to new words, colours, and shapes 

- Builds their communication skills eg. listening, vocabulary and memory 

- Encourages your baby to make new sounds, the first step in learning to talk

- Helps with their brain development 

- Introduces your baby to a variety of emotions and different tones 

- Teaches your baby that from an early age, reading is fun

Here are just a few

- Read slowly, and have fun - use lots of expression and different tones in your voice

- Don’t rush through the pages, let your baby take in all the new colours and pictures 

- Turn off any background noises (TV, music, etc) it will help your baby hear clearly while also creating a relaxing space

- Go off script and describe what else you see on the page, the more words your baby hears the better after all

Quick tips for reading to bub

In the early newborn days, feel free to read whatever you like. It’s less about the storyline, and more about hearing your voice, new words, and sounds, all while creating a nice routine for you both. 

When you move on to more age-appropriate books - here are some of our faves, tried and tested by our very own sweet babes. 

'If animals kissed goodnight'
'The very hungry caterpillar'
'Rainbow Fish'
'Hello Farm'

All of these books can be found on Amazon!

What to read

Why Reading to Your Baby is Important

Quite often, as soon-to-be mums, we are so focused on our pregnancy, upcoming birth, or choosing the perfect pram, that it’s easy to let postpartum life slip our minds. 

When you think about it, our postpartum and parenting journey is far longer than pregnancy and birth, yet it’s often not until our little bundles are here that many of us stop to give them some thought. 

Here at Hera, we believe the more real and honest conversations we have about our mental health as mums, the better. 

So on that note, let’s chat: baby blues and postpartum depression. 

Maybe you’ve heard the terms, but what do they mean, and what’s the difference? 

And importantly, what should you do if you think you may be experiencing them?

You might be expecting your first days as a new mum to be filled with, sure a bit of tiredness, but mostly happiness and joy (you finally get to meet your gorgeous baby after all) but for many women - about 80% in fact - they can experience feelings of sadness after giving birth, which is commonly referred to as the baby blues. 

The blues will often kick in 2-5 days after birth and can last up to 2 weeks, usually going away on their own without medical treatment.

So, what are the baby blues?

There’s no one clear-cut answer, but many experts believe the sudden drop in our hormone levels after birth plays a big part.

Straight after birth, our estrogen and progesterone levels take a huge dive. We then get a surge of oxytocin (the happy hormone), but this too will start to drop over the following days, all while prolactin levels increase to assist with milk production. 

On top of all the invisible hormone changes, add perhaps a challenging birth experience, sleep deprivation, painful boobs, maybe lack of good nutrition… and it’s easy to see how you may not feel, well...quite like yourself.

What causes them?

If you find yourself laying on the floor crying for no particular reason a few days after birth (we speak from experience on this one!) - you may be experiencing the baby blues, and you’re definitely not alone. 

You may also: 

- Feel angry or moody
- Feel anxious, or overwhelmed at your new responsibilities  
- Have trouble sleeping, or making decisions 
- Feel lonely, sad, or isolated 
- Not feel any bond or attachment to your baby 
- Miss parts of your old life, and the freedom you had before baby 
- Not have a big appetite

What might the baby blues feel like?

Sometimes, simply being aware of what the baby blues are can help. Being able to reassure yourself that they are very common and will very likely go away on their own after a few days. 

Support from your partner, family, and friends can also help. Let them know how you’re feeling and how they can help. (Don’t be too proud to put your hand up for help, now is the time Mumma!) 

Try to get out of the house for some fresh air, sunshine, or time by yourself. Or connect with other new mums. There’s nothing quite like having a good chat, laugh or cry with a fellow mum who is also navigating the highs and lows of postpartum life. The Hera Village on the app was created for this reason, to provide a safe, no judgmental space to meet like-minded mums.

What can you do about them?

Postpartum depression is serious and shouldn’t be taken lightly, so it’s important to know how to spot the signs. 

If you’re ever in doubt, the best thing you can do is talk to a medical professional, but there are two key factors that might help you distinguish between the two.

Baby blues and postpartum depression - what’s the difference?

While the baby blues aren’t pleasant, the symptoms should be relatively mild and ease on their own after a few days, or at most up to 2 weeks. 

If you’re still feeling sad, teary, or anxious after 2 weeks, it’s worth talking to your healthcare professional. 

Pay attention to when these feelings begin as well, as this can also be an indicator. 
Baby blues set in pretty quickly after birth (usually within 2-5 days), whereas postnatal depression can occur at any time in the year after having a baby.

When they start, and how long they last

This can be a little tricky to pinpoint, as when it comes to mental and emotional health we all have different definitions of “severe”, but generally speaking, the symptoms of postnatal depression are very powerful, last longer, and can impact your day to day life. 

Postpartum depression can include severe exhaustion, anger, mood swings, anxiety, a sense of hopelessness, or thoughts of harming yourself or your baby. 

The combination of symptoms will be different for every parent but often can be so intense and overwhelming, it can be difficult to care for your new baby or yourself. 

So, Mumma, if you find yourself experiencing severe feelings or thoughts at ANY time after giving birth, OR, if you’re still not feeling yourself after 2 weeks, please, give your doctor a call.
Please also check out the further resources below, if you, or someone you know needs support. 
Beyond Blue - https://www.beyondblue.org.au 
Lifeline - https://www.lifeline.org.au 
PANDA - https://www.panda.org.au

The Benefits of Meditation During Pregnancy

The Importance of Tummy Time

Baby Sign Language: Pros and Cons

Why Reading to Your Baby is Important

Baby Blues Vs Postpartum Depression

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