***Key Points***
Staying strong and healthy in pregnancy means:
– your bub is more likely to be strong and healthy too.
– looking after all aspects of yourself. Physical, emotional and cultural.
– you are giving bub the best start to life.
***Key Points***
***Stay strong and health in body***
When you are pregnant, you will notice obvious changes in your body. You will notice your belly growing and feel bub moving around. You might feel body aches or get food cravings. Your health care team will check on you and bub, supporting you to be healthy.
Eating good is important. You need nutrition for you and bub. Cut down on food with too much fat, sugar and salt. Too much food like hot chips and pies or drinking softdrinks can cause trouble in your body and you might end up with gestational diabetes or other health problems.
Going for walks keeps your body strong and prepares your body to stay strong for birth.
Even if it’s hard, give up any alcohol, smokes or drugs. Bub needs a healthy environment to grow proper. There’s support from your health care team if you need.
***Stay strong and health in body***
***Stay strong and health in in mind***
Although it is very important to look after our physical health in pregnancy, we also have to look after our minds. Our mental health is really important.
Sometimes our lives can be a bit stressful. Sometimes we have other children to look after and carry the responsibility of caring for other family members. Whilst it is good to take care of others, sometimes it can feel a bit much, especially if there has been trouble at home.
As Aboriginal people, we know we have strong minds but we still need to care of it and be kind to ourselves. To keep your mind strong, you can have a yarn to others who make you feel safe. It can be a friend, an Aboriginal Health Worker, a culturally safe phoneline, a counsellor or doctor. Sometimes having a yarn can help get worries off your chest. If you have bigger worries, your doctor or midwife can refer you to services to support you getting your mind back on track.
Other ways of staying strong and healthy in mind are making some time to do things that make you feel good. You could make art, go for walks, listen to the radio, watch a funny movie, playing cards or being with friends. Have a think what things you like that make you happy or calm.
Taking time for you is important and looking after your mental health is good for you, your bub and your family.
***Stay strong and health in body***
***Stay strong and health in culture***
Staying connected to your Culture keeps you strong and healthy. Even if you don’t know much about your own mob, you can still connect to your culture with your heart and spirit. There are centres and places where you can learn about different mobs, what is special to them and their connections to Country.
Are there places in nature that just make you feel calm or happy? Does being near the ocean, river or lakes make you calm? Do you feel more connected on the flat plains with the big open sky? Do you know where your mob is from? Spending time on Country (whether it is your own or if you live off Country) can make us feel grounded, safe and protected. When you feel this, your bub will too.
***Stay strong and health in body***
Staying connected to your culture and remembering that culture is our protective factor will support you to stay strong physically, emotionally too.
