o Allow yourself to be soft. A lot of us have learned over the years to be tough, strong women. Pregnancy is your chance to be soft and pliant. It’s okay to cry over trifles. It’s okay to feel more romantic and even a little needy. It’s nature’s way of including your mate in your process.

o Trust your body, trust your process. Fear is a major complicating factor in pregnancy and de

One of the keys to having a happy, healthy pregnancy is having what I call a “conscious” pregnancy: being awake and aware of your feelings, physical needs, relationships and spiritual connection. When a woman becomes awakened to these priorities, she makes herself available to having a truly beautiful pregnancy.

• Emotional Awareness: It’s no joke that a pregnant woman’s hormones can wreak havoc with her emotions. I think of this as Mother Nature’s way of preparing us for the emotional roller coaster that our children will later put us through. There’s no controlling it. You can only hang on and (try to) enjoy the ride. There are, however, some techniques for dealing with the extreme emotions that come up:

o Don’t bury your feelings. It’s imperative that a pregnant woman learns how to own her feelings or else they can (and will!) negatively affect her body and her unborn baby. Your baby is experiencing everything through the lens of your body. Your emotions trigger certain chemicals which are passed from your body to your baby’s. Allow yourself to feel your feelings and deal with them in appropriate ways.

o When you feel overwhelmed with emotions such as fear, anger or frustration, stop and ask yourself two questions: Why am I reacting this way? What do I really want right now? These two questions will give you the ability to have personal responsibility and not be victimized by your feelings. Look to the past to learn why you’re reacting the way you are, then look directly to the present moment to discover what it is that you really need.

o Allow yourself to be soft. A lot of us have learned over the years to be tough, strong women. Pregnancy is your chance to be soft and pliant. It’s okay to cry over trifles. It’s okay to feel more romantic and even a little needy. It’s nature’s way of including your mate in your process.

o Trust your body, trust your process. Fear is a major complicating factor in pregnancy and del

• Emotional Awareness: It’s no joke that a pregnant woman’s hormones can wreak havoc with her emotions. I think of this as Mother Nature’s way of preparing us for the emotional roller coaster that our children will later put us through. There’s no controlling it. You can only hang on and (try to) enjoy the ride. There are, however, some techniques for dealing with the extreme emotions that come up:

o Don’t bury your feelings. It’s imperative that a pregnant woman learns how to own her feelings or else they can (and will!) negatively affect her body and her unborn baby. Your baby is experiencing everything through the lens of your body. Your emotions trigger certain chemicals which are passed from your body to your baby’s. Allow yourself to feel your feelings and deal with them in appropriate ways.

o When you feel overwhelmed with emotions such as fear, anger or frustration, stop and ask yourself two questions: Why am I reacting this way? What do I really want right now? These two questions will give you the ability to have personal responsibility and not be victimized by your feelings. Look to the past to learn why you’re reacting the way you are, then look directly to the present moment to discover what it is that you really need.

o Allow yourself to be soft. A lot of us have learned over the years to be tough, strong women. Pregnancy is your chance to be soft and pliant. It’s okay to cry over trifles. It’s okay to feel more romantic and even a little needy. It’s nature’s way of including your mate in your process.

o Trust your body, trust your process. Fear is a major complicating factor in pregnancy and de

o Don’t bury your feelings. It’s imperative that a pregnant woman learns how to own her feelings or else they can (and will!) negatively affect her body and her unborn baby. Your baby is experiencing everything through the lens of your body. Your emotions trigger certain chemicals which are passed from your body to your baby’s. Allow yourself to feel your feelings and deal with them in appropriate ways.

o When you feel overwhelmed with emotions such as fear, anger or frustration, stop and ask yourself two questions: Why am I reacting this way? What do I really want right now? These two questions will give you the ability to have personal responsibility and not be victimized by your feelings. Look to the past to learn why you’re reacting the way you are, then look directly to the present moment to discover what it is that you really need.

o Allow yourself to be soft. A lot of us have learned over the years to be tough, strong women. Pregnancy is your chance to be soft and pliant. It’s okay to cry over trifles. It’s okay to feel more romantic and even a little needy. It’s nature’s way of including your mate in your process.

o Trust your body, trust your process. Fear is a major complicating factor in pregnancy and de

o When you feel overwhelmed with emotions such as fear, anger or frustration, stop and ask yourself two questions: Why am I reacting this way? What do I really want right now? These two questions will give you the ability to have personal responsibility and not be victimized by your feelings. Look to the past to learn why you’re reacting the way you are, then look directly to the present moment to discover what it is that you really need.

o Allow yourself to be soft. A lot of us have learned over the years to be tough, strong women. Pregnancy is your chance to be soft and pliant. It’s okay to cry over trifles. It’s okay to feel more romantic and even a little needy. It’s nature’s way of including your mate in your process.

o Trust your body, trust your process. Fear is a major complicating factor in pregnancy and de

o Allow yourself to be soft. A lot of us have learned over the years to be tough, strong women. Pregnancy is your chance to be soft and pliant. It’s okay to cry over trifles. It’s okay to feel more romantic and even a little needy. It’s nature’s way of including your mate in your process.

o Trust your body, trust your process. Fear is a major complicating factor in pregnancy and delivery. When you are able to trust your body and surrender to the process, you are able to release the fear and experience the joy of pregnancy. Also, focus on the positive experiences and not on what could go wrong. Too much pregnancy literature is filled with negative stories and medical trauma. The truth is: your body knows exactly what to do. You don’t have to be afraid.

• There is so much great information out there about what your nutritional and physical needs are during pregnancy: I’ll just highlight some of the basics.

o Drink plenty of water – at least 2 liters a day, if not more. Cut out the sodas and eliminate most caffeine. Juice is okay, in addition to your water intake, but it’s much better for you to eat a piece of fruit than to have a glass of juice. (Juice gives the vitamins, but doesn’t balance the sugars with fiber like a piece of fruit would.)

o Eat plenty of fruits and veggies, both raw and cooked, every single day. Protein is important, as well as calcium. Pay attention to your body’s signals. When I was pregnant with my daughter I ate more meat. With my son it was cheese. I just figured that’s what our bodies needed. Remember that if you’re craving sugar, it’s usually a need for protein in disguise. Try having a serving of meat then, if you’re still craving that ice cream, go ahead. But watch your portions.

o Take your prenatal vitamin every day.

o Make sure to attend every prenatal appointment with your doctor or midwife.

o Be aware of other physical needs. You will need more rest breaks throughout your day as your pregnancy progresses. Be conscious of your aches any uncomfortable places in your body. Know that your sexual desires may change. Just be present to the changes and, once again, trust your process.

• When a woman is