How does preparing for a baby change you?

50 Journal Prompts For Those Preparing For Pregnancy
What if preparing for a baby was about more than just stocking up on cribs and diapers? Today, we promise to unravel the emotional and relational journey of parenthood that often gets overlooked. Through insightful journal prompts, we challenge expectant parents to think about how becoming a parent will change them and their relationships. This episode isn’t just about prepping for the arrival of a little one but evolving into a new "us" as a parenting unit, embracing both the rewards and the unique challenges that come with it.

We also touch on the significance of staying active during pregnancy, not just for physical health but for emotional well-being too. Learn how incorporating mindfulness can connect you to your changing body and reduce stress hormones that impact both you and your baby. We emphasize the importance of building a supportive network early on, ensuring you have friends, family, therapists, or lactation consultants in your corner. This episode serves as a comprehensive guide for those looking to navigate the emotional and practical sides of this life-changing event. Join us as we explore how to make this transformative journey a smoother, more mindful experience.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome back to the Deep Dive.
We're diving into somethingpretty amazing today.
You know how everyone's alwaystalking about prepping for a new
baby the cribs, the diapers,all that jazz, right.
Well, we're taking it a stepfurther today, going beyond
those checklists to explore theemotional and relationship prep.
That's well, let's face itoften gets overlooked.

Speaker 2 (00:20):
Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 1 (00:20):
So think of this Deep Dive as your guide to not just
becoming a parent, but tonavigating the often overlooked
emotional side of this huge lifechange.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
Absolutely, and what's cool is we found this
blog post that really gets it.
They use these journal prompts.

Speaker 1 (00:34):
Oh, interesting.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Yeah, they guide expectant parents through, like
the less talked about emotionalstuff, love that Journaling can
be so powerful, right.
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (00:42):
I mean it forces you to actually slow down for a
minute, especially when you'relike drowning in doctor
appointments and trying to pickout the perfect shade of beige
for the nursery.

Speaker 2 (00:52):
Exactly, and you know it's easy to get caught up in
all that.
But this blog, this blog mademe realize it's not just about
the baby, it's about preppingfor the new us, the people we
become as parents.

Speaker 1 (01:06):
That's huge, and I think it's something a lot of
people, myself included, don'treally think about until they're
right there in the thick of it.

Speaker 2 (01:12):
Right, and one prompt that really got me thinking was
how do you think becoming aparent will change you.
Like, it's easy to say, oh,I'll be tired or my priorities
will be different, but this isdeeper, totally, you're
basically reevaluatingeverything, looking at your
entire life through a whole newlens.
Yeah, and your relationship too.
It's not just about you two asindividuals anymore.

(01:32):
It's about well becoming thisparenting unit which has its own
unique challenges.

Speaker 1 (01:38):
Oh, I bet, and rewards hopefully.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
Definitely, definitely, but it's different,
you know, and it's important tobe ready for that shift.

Speaker 1 (01:45):
You know, when we talk about these big changes, I
think it's easy to getoverwhelmed, like whoa.
Our whole world is about to beflipped upside down.

Speaker 2 (01:51):
Right.

Speaker 1 (01:52):
But this blog post, it doesn't just leave you
hanging in that emotional space,it delves into the practical
stuff too.
You know, like, how to actuallyprepare for this new chapter.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
Totally, and it does it in such a thoughtful way,
like take the whole idea ofstaying active during pregnancy.
Everyone tells you it'simportant.

Speaker 1 (02:10):
Right Exercise, good Got it.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
Exactly, but this blog.
They have a prompt aboutincorporating mindfulness and
not just for, like oh, stressreduction, which is important,
but to actually connect withyour changing body.

Speaker 1 (02:23):
Oh wow, that's a cool way to think about it.
I mean, I've heard so muchabout mindfulness for stress,
but I never considered it as away to like be more present in
the physical experience ofpregnancy.

Speaker 2 (02:33):
It is, and you know it actually makes a huge
difference.
Stress hormones like cortisol.
When they're elevated duringpregnancy, they've actually been
linked to some less than idealoutcome.
Like what Like low birth weightor even premature labor?

Speaker 1 (02:48):
Whoa, I had no idea the impact was that significant.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
Yeah, it's pretty amazing.
So by finding ways to managethat stress, whether it's
through mindfulness or otherthings, you're not just like
doing yourself a favor, you'reliterally helping your baby have
the healthiest possible startthat makes so much sense.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
And it goes both ways .
Like exercise, it's not justgood for mom's physical health.
Studies show it can actuallyinfluence the baby's development
.

Speaker 2 (03:13):
No way really.

Speaker 1 (03:14):
Yeah, like their little cardiovascular systems,
their metabolic systems.
It's all connected.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
Wow, it's amazing how interconnected literally
everything is during pregnancy.
And speaking of interconnected,that's something else this blog
post really drove home for me.
It's the whole idea of likeyou're not in this alone, you
know.

Speaker 1 (03:32):
Oh, absolutely.

Speaker 2 (03:33):
Like, yeah, your partner's there obviously, but
you need that network.

Speaker 1 (03:38):
A hundred percent.
It takes a village right,Friends, family, maybe even a
therapist, lactation consultant,whoever you need in your corner
.
Totally.

Speaker 2 (03:46):
And this blog.
It encourages you to thinkabout that village early on,
before things get well real.
So important because, let'sface it, when you're sleep
deprived and knee deep innewborn life, decision making
not exactly your strong suit.

Speaker 1 (04:02):
Oh, tell me about it.
I can barely remember to eatlunch most days, let alone
choose a pediatrician.

Speaker 2 (04:07):
Right, and speaking of pediatricians, there's a
prompt about that too.
Like actually starting to thinkabout it during your pregnancy.

Speaker 1 (04:13):
Oh wow, that's actually a really good point.
I feel like everyone waitsuntil like the last minute to
figure that out.

Speaker 2 (04:19):
It's true.
But just imagine you've alreadygot that decision made.
You found a doctor who alignswith your whole parenting
philosophy.
It's one less thing to worryabout when you're, you know,
elbow deep in diapers and sleepdeprived.

Speaker 1 (04:31):
Right, total game changer.
It's like assembling your dreamteam before the game even
starts.
And that's what I love aboutthis blog post.

Speaker 2 (04:38):
It's not just about gathering all the information,
it's about actually doingsomething with it, taking those
steps to feel preparedAbsolutely and it's not like a
one and done kind of thingeither.
Those journal prompts revisitthem, because what might feel
overwhelming at eight weekspregnant could bring about a
totally different perspectivelater on.

Speaker 1 (04:56):
So true, it's a journey, not a destination.
Right, and those little ahamoments along the way, they can
make all the difference.

Speaker 2 (05:03):
Exactly.
It's continuous, alwaysevolving, and I think that's
what makes this whole journey soincredible.
It's not just about preparingfor the baby.
It's about preparing for theevolving versions of ourselves,
both as individuals and aspartners.
Such a good point, because whowe are as parents today probably
totally different from whowe'll be five years, 10 years
from now.

Speaker 1 (05:22):
Exactly and being open to that growth.
That's where the real magichappens.

Speaker 2 (05:26):
Couldn't agree more.
Well, there you have it, folksa deep dive into preparing for
parenthood that goes way beyondthe usual checklists.
Hope you found it insightful.
And that's a wrap on this deepdive.
We'll catch you next time foranother exploration into a topic
you never knew you needed toknow this much about.