Pregnancy Journaling - A Therapy!

I often close my eyes and recall the day when I saw the two pink lines on the pregnancy test kit. It was at night when I first tested. I remember the date, time and also what clothes I was wearing! It is always such moments that give me immense happiness. Don’t you think, walking down the memory lane to relive the blissful moments is a boon to the human brain. I remember details to a T. Honestly, I love it.     

    Well, I don’t think any day after the little one starts growing in our body is any less important. There are a few ups and downs in health. Blame it on Mr. Hormones. (Yes, it surely is a male. Otherwise why would it play with our moods!)There is nausea, craving, aversion, swellings and what not. But every time your body and mind asks you to give up, the baby rolling inside kicks to say – “Mamma, I am worth it" and you instantly get a sigh of relief. 

       When I visited my Gynecologist in the initial weeks of my pregnancy,  I told her about how I had terrible mood swings. She did understand. She asked me, “How do you feel about being pregnant?” At first I thought, what a silly question Doc! This is the most blissful feeling I have ever felt. So then she gave me beautiful advice. 

“Start journaling your pregnancy journey“

      The thought excited me. I looked forward to writing about the day I found out about my  baby’s arrival. I didn’t stop there. It became a daily thing. I loved the feeling of journaling my thoughts into a beautiful diary. I love the sight of that book as much as I love the sight of my baby who is now in my arms. The book teleports me to the prenatal phase.

So all the Momma-to-be, it's never too late to start. I cannot express enough about the Benefits of writing. No matter in which trimester you are, go ahead and WRITE IT UP. A few minutes of pouring out your mind is the need for your sanity. This is what I did to begin with –

• Purchase a new diary - Look for a book or a diary that you would be attracted to use. The cover of the book matters.  Mine says – Good Vibes Only! (Written on the body of a pink flamingo in golden letters, it's beyond beautiful) Starting to use a new book really matters.
• Comfortable and colored pens - a pen that you feel comfortable to write long paragraphs. There is so much to write about. Don’t let your fingers hurt.
• Make it more fun - Use colored pens when you feel like it. You could doodle or draw(food, baby faces or just a design) if you are up for it. Also you being creative during this time helps your little ones brain development. 
• Have a schedule - Get to a routine for everyday journaling.  Keep the phone aside for a few minutes, no matter how much the social media and constant googling would distract you. 
• Revise/Revisit what you wrote - Read it up. Open a random page and read. I bet you will have a smile on your face. So this in turn boosts your endorphins!
• Place all your heart - Because we are journaling the pregnancy journey, go ahead and write anything that has to do with pregnancy and your baby. Good and bad of your pregnancy alone. Leave the world's problems aside. Maybe a good gesture from your partner, or a family member or friend. Place your real feelings in there. 
• WRITE IT DOWN - The fears that haunt you about postpartum life. WRITE IT DOWN. It will help you to keep you calm.
• A good listener - Pen down your emotions. Let the book be your friend.
• Letters for the tiny human - Very important, don’t forget to write notes for your baby love. 

   There is no better listener in this world like this book and pen duo. Also, this is such a wonderful feeling of growing a human inside you. So, why not cherish each moment of this experience. I found it very therapeutic among a lot of other activities that I did during those 9 months. Give it a shot, mammas. 

Let those hormones do their thing. You do yours. What say Mammas! 

Shreena Raja is a home maker by choice,