Fun Ways to Get Really Grounded During Pregnancy
Fun Ways to Get Grounded During Pregnancy
There’s nothing like pregnancy brain to keep you feeling flighty and ‘in your head’. There are super simple ways you can keep yourself grounded when you feel anxious or out of your body.
When you’re feeling really anxious or jittery, try a few of these grounding practices:
1) Stomp!
The legs during pregnancy can feel heavy, swollen and tired. When you wake up in the morning, stomp one foot at a time several times each. Feel the soles of the feet awaken and energize the body from the energy of your connection to the earth. If you want a little more energetic oomph, add music with a good downbeat and stomp the feet to awaken the feet and legs. Finish with rolling the feet over a tennis ball or rub your feet for a mini-massage.
2) Legs Up/Shake
Stagnant energy in the legs can make them feel tight. Lay on your bed or bolster on the floor and stick your legs into the air. Shake them out letting the joints and muscles feel loose. Try swiveling the legs in the hip socket or keeping them straight and still. Notice how the femur bones sink back into the hip socket so your hips can neutralize.
3) Go for a ride
The next time you ride in the car as a passenger, try tuning into your center of gravity and as the car makes turns notice how you are drawn off center but are able to remain balanced. Or even better if you are on a subway car or train, try standing up and only lightly holding on to a rail or seat edge. Bend the knees and imagine an imaginary cord of light dropping from your center into the Earth. Discover where your center of gravity is and how your grounding practice can help you stay centered even when life gives you “bumps”, “sudden shifts” and “turns” along the way.
4) Go for a walk in nature (barefoot if possible)
The grounding effects of being in nature are unmistakable. If the weather lets you, walking barefoot in the grass can be very grounding and awakening to the senses. Feel the solidity of the earth beneath your feet as you walk and receive the energy of safety.
5) Rest
Recognize the significance of pausing to rest. Stop what you’re doing and just be still. Do nothing. Feel the heaviness of your own body and bones releasing down. The grounding effects can be quite significant.
6) Give/Receive Human Touch
Since the root (grounding) chakra is the most connected to our physical body of all the chakras, things like getting a massage help to ground you more into your body and connection to your safety and stability. Also, hugging your partner daily, (long-held hugs are most beneficial), are highly bonding, grounding and boosting to your sense of trust in the physical realm.
7) Sleep
Lying down has a very grounding effect on the body. Sleep is the thing that allows us to completely melt into stillness and simplicity. It’s the ultimate root chakra healing activity. Sleep and see how you feel the next morning.
Let us know in the comments what your favorite grounding practices are!
Resources & Links
Looking for support to stay active during your pregnancy and prepare for your birth? Here are some options to get you started on a great path forward:
1) Take the Pelvic Floor & Core Strength Quiz. After taking the quiz, you'll get a score and based on your results, guidance on what steps to take to move you forward in your recovery.
2) Check out our podcast listening guides: Download the Pregnancy Listening Guide or Postpartum Listening Guide.
3) If you're pregnant, want to be way more active than you have been, AND want connection with other mothers, but don't know where to start…join the Expecting to Flourish™ Membership - a mom-driven and expert-guided virtual space empowering moms with a new approach to prenatal fitness and birth prep that actually prepares you for the physical and emotional hurdles of motherhood.
4) Do you prefer working one-on-one, or have a high risk pregnancy, a severe diastasis or leaking that won’t quit? You might be a candidate to work with us privately. To find out, take this quick self assessment! If you qualify, you'll be invited to schedule a complementary Postpartum Strategy Session with us where we'll take a good look at what's not working in your repair process, and come up with a great plan just for you.
