Taming the Pregnant Mind

Mother of five, Cathrine Versfeld throws the idea of mindfulness on its head in this exploration of taming the thinking mind during pregnancy

- Cathrine Versfeld

There is a lot of information about the way your body changes during pregnancy. The fatigue and nausea in your first trimester; the joy of feeling your baby, and starting to show in your second… and then, of course, the sometimes uncomfortable, and frustrating, bloating and ‘size’ issue in the last three months.

But the effects of pregnancy on the mind and psyche are not explored often enough and, for that reason, many pregnant women may find these mental gear-shifts worrying, and hard to handle.

The books tell us that most pregnancy ‘mind issues’ are directly related to fast and overwhelming hormonal changes. But it is more than just hormones! Over the course of your pregnancy, your blood supply will almost double, and this affects the brain. Many pregnant woman report strange dreams, new and unprecedented thought patterns, and views on life.

The psychological impact of becoming a mother, and the concerns that go with carrying a child can wreak havoc on even the strongest world-view. You may have heard of the term ‘porridge brain’ – a rather unflattering description for the strange and distracted mental process many pregnant women endure.

Along with the stresses of work, preparations, and financial considerations, there is also the question of identity. At the heart of all the turmoil and confusion, many pregnant women may feel that they are losing themselves.

Although it is not popular to admit, growing a baby can sometimes feel like you’re giving yourself completely to this tiny person that you haven’t even met yet. It’s pretty traumatic, but a total taboo to talk about in modern parenting circles. If you admit that you’re down, or have any misgivings about your pregnancy, the peanut gallery often swoops in to inform you that you are blessed, and should be grateful.