The Sacred Art of Preparing The Body For Pregnancy
Matrescense is a term, coined by anthropologist Dana Raphael, that describes the state a woman enters when she decides she would like to become a mother. I love this word, because it points to a liminal experience. There are many words in the English language that describe states of being or doing, but few that describe states of becoming. Matrescence is the in-between. It describes the transient moment in time when a woman is moving out of her identity as a maiden and into her identity as a mother.
Matrescense frames the transition to motherhood as a developmental shift, which affects emotions and behavior as well as the physical body. It points to the transformative, messy, all-consuming process of becoming a new mom. In a culture that often focuses our attention on the growth and birth of babies as a product of pregnancy, it is rare and refreshing to have a word that contemplates the birth of the mother.
As a woman undergoes the radical identity shift into motherhood, she often feels called to take action to prepare her body and mind for a pregnancy before it occurs. Many patients I have worked with who feel this call don’t know what preparatory steps to take. Mainstream American culture is not embedded with rich traditions or rituals to support and validate this transition. Even medical preconception visits are not a standard of care, and when people do reach out to their providers for preconception information they are often simply told to begin a prenatal vitamin and stop taking birth control. For many mothers-to-be, this to be insufficient. It is possible to be intentional about preparing our body, mind, heart, and environment for pregnancy, before conception occurs. Here are some areas to focus on, if or when you decide you would like to become a mother:
Nourish Your Body:
Nothing prepares the body for a healthy pregnancy more than a nourishing perinatal diet. Pregnancy and postpartum can deplete the body of vital nutrients if we do not enter pregnancy from a well-nourished state. In general, it is advisable to reduce ultra-processed foods, and shift to a more nutrient-dense diet during the months before conception. Eating plenty of iron-rich foods, such as leafy green vegetables or high quality grass-fed beef prepares the body for the increase in blood volume that occurs throughout pregnancy. Foods rich in folic acid are helpful to consume during this time, as healthy levels of this crucial nutrient decrease risk of fetal birth defects. It is also strongly recommended for all women of reproductive age to take a prenatal vitamin whether or not they are actively trying to become pregnant. Taking a prenatal vitamin for at least four months before conception ensures you have enough folic acid and vital nutrients in your body to support healthy pregnancy and reduce risk of fetal congenital abnormalities.
Bring attention to areas of the body that need care:
Entering pregnancy from a state of good health can help you feel your best during pregnancy and support the health of yourself and your baby. Prior to conception, develop a plan for managing chronic conditions during pregnancy and address any lingering symptoms you may have. Also begin to consider the kind of healthcare provider you would like to support you throughout your pregnancy and establish care with them. Schedule a well-woman exam and make sure you are up to date on all of your routine screenings such as a pap smear and breast exam. If you are on birth control, speak to your provider about your plan for discontinuing it and discuss how this shift might affect your body. Consider asking your provider to order certain labwork that might impact your fertility and pregnancy such as a thyroid panel, HbA1c, Vitamin D level, and other routine screenings.
Be mindful about what enters your body:
Before becoming pregnant it is important to consider how everything you ingest could impact a developing baby. Certain medications, supplements, and herbs are not safe to continue during pregnancy. It is important to speak with a trusted healthcare provider and develop a plan for stopping contraindicated medications and supplements, often before pregnancy occurs. Similarly, you may consider re-evaluating your relationship to alcohol, nicotine, or other substances prior to trying to conceive. Alcohol use can cause the most harm in the first weeks of pregnancy, before most women know they are pregnant. Reducing foods with a high mercery content, such as tuna, in the months before conception and during pregnancy also decreases risk of fetal exposure to harmful heavy metals.
Cultivate a healthy environment:
Our health is deeply impacted by the environment in which we live, during pregnancy more than ever. Consider the ways you can make your home an environment of calm and safety. This may be a time to consider replacing certain products with non-toxic alternatives. The EWG database is an excellent resource for finding household products that are less disruptive to our bodies and the environment. Avoiding exposure to phthalates within plastic, artificial fragrances, and many cosmetics supports hormonal health. You may also think about ways you can improve air quality in your home with air purifiers or houseplants.
Have conversations with your support system:
It can be useful to have conversations with your partner or other close loved ones about pregnancy before becoming pregnant. How would youlike to support each other during pregnancy? What are your fears and dreams about becoming parents? What kinds of fertility interventions would you consider if you have difficulty becoming pregnant? How would you like to share parenting responsibilities? What actions will you take if you experience perinatal mental health challenges? Candidly discussing these important topics includes your partner in the preconception process and helps prepare your family for the major life transition to come.
Consider Ritual:
Rituals to mark feminine life transitions and promote fertility were some of the most central traditions of ancient cultures across the globe. Preparing the body, mind, and environment for pregnancy has become something of a lost art in our culture, and is something we can actively work to reclaim. If it feels meaningful to you, explore the idea of creating a ritual that invites your future child into the world. You may consider learning about fertility and pregnancy traditions that were once performed within your genetic lineage, or you may carry out a personal ritual that feels meaningful to you. This may be as simple as writing a letter to your baby, lighting a candle to call in the support of your ancestors, or drawing oracle cards to receive messages of guidance along your fertility journey.
The decision to become a mother is imbued with sacred responsibility- the commitment to nurture a child, and take on a new parenting role. We can honor this choice by caretaking our bodies and preparing our lives for the entrance of our child, long before conception occurs. These efforts not only prepare our physical bodies to receive life, but infuse the transition into motherhood with added layers of purpose and meaning.
