The Holistic Approach to Pregnancy

When people hear the term 'holistic' they think 'New Age'. When in fact, it's a philosophy of wellness. In other words, it considers all aspects of an individual - the body, mind and spirit.

When we think of health, what comes to mind is how exercise, nutrition and other care impacts the physical person. What we often forget is how the mind and our emotions also play a role. It's this aspect that shapes our values and beliefs, how we handle stress, relationships and whether or not we have a support network. Finally, there's spirituality, this doesn't necessarily mean religion, it can simply be a special place or thing that makes you feel calm and peaceful.

Pregnancy is a joyful and exciting time for a Mum-to-be but it can also bring a great deal of anxiety and worry. Therefore, a holistic approach to pregnancy recognises the impact of the mind and spirit, as well as the physical body on the experience of pregnancy and birth. Physical health, values and beliefs, relationships, emotional well-being and spirituality all affect pregnancy and birth. In turn, the experiences of pregnancy and birth influence body, mind and spirit.

When I was pregnant with my daughter, I knew how amazing it was to be pregnant and to have a little baby growing inside of me. What blew me away was how my body dealt with being pregnant. What we should all recognise is and this is what a holistic approach does, is that a woman's body is naturally designed to conceive, nourish and give birth to a baby. It trusts the natural progression of pregnancy and childbirth.

My second child was born 5 weeks prematurely because the placenta wasn't giving him enough nutrition. Therefore, my body reacted by realising he was better off outside than inside. I have to admit my mind wasn't as prepared as it was with my daughter when it came to childbirth. This was mainly because it was such a shock that he had come early. Saying that, I actually achieved a "natural birth" with him with no pain relief as opposed to my daughter who resulted in a Caesarean. You can read more about my birthing experiences in Can I Have A Vaginal Birth After A Caesarean?

The term "natural childbirth" can mean a couple of different things to women and healthcare providers. One is it means no medication or interventions at all. The other is giving birth vaginally as opposed to a caesarean. A holistic approach to childbirth includes both low-intervention approaches and appropriate use of technology in a thoughtful and well-considered manner. Each childbirth is different for every woman, requiring individual choices and care. A holistic approach respects the normal progression of pregnancy and birth but in addition, recognises the need for assistance if appropriate.

This assistance may include the use of alternative and complementary therapies to prevent or treat common discomforts and pregnancy complications, in a way that is consistent with the patient's beliefs.

What does this all mean to you Mums-to-be?

Well a holistic approach incorporates all of who you are and all you know about pregnancy and childbirth. You and your support team will work together to enhance your innate capabilities. You deliberately make choices that will maximise your potential to achieve the healthiest pregnancy and the most natural progression of childbirth possible.

These choices cover all aspects of health that can affect your pregnancy and birth. We're not just talking about physical factors like diet and exercise, but also social, emotional and spiritual factors such as your relationships, support system and how you cope with stress.

Find out more about the holistic and healthy pregnancy program that can help you.