Ways to Practice Self-Care When You’re Pregnant During Adoption
Being a woman choosing to give their child up for adoption can be tough to deal with. There are things to prepare for and plans to put into action. With all that, remember to take care of yourself. After all, your health is important to deliver the baby. There are many ways to take care of yourself and reduce stress. Why not take up these tips and be as comfortable as you can to ensure a smooth adoption process? Let’s dive in to Pregnancy Self-Care…
Adoption agencies in Colorado provide birth mothers with much-needed resources. If you need ideas on prioritizing self-care during pregnancy, Adoption Choices of Colorado is there for you. We do more than advise you on how to give a baby up for adoption. We will also make sure our birth mothers are properly cared for. We’ll help you build confidence in your decisions and care for your needs.
5 Different Self-Care Practices During Adoption
- Practice Positive Thinking
There might be times when you feel down about yourself or your circumstances. As you know, pregnancy often induces mood changes. You might be feeling remorse or regret for what you have chosen. These feelings are completely understandable. However, they don’t help your mood or mental health. Having a positive and healthy mentality will make your experience better. The adoption process will seem easier to go through when you practice positive thinking. Give yourself a break now and then. Remind yourself that you are immensely strong. This can also mean having some good alone time to reflect.
Maybe make a list of all the things you’re excited to do during and after the adoption. Don’t underestimate how powerful a positive mindset is for your health during an unplanned pregnancy.
- Do Things that Relax You
Whether it’s reading a book, or a simple nap, relaxing is a great way to take care of yourself. Maybe take this time to journal your thoughts and experiences. Adoption agencies can provide you with resources you can use to put your thoughts down. These things might seem small, but they do wonders for your mental health. Being comfortable during this time guarantees a pregnancy that is slightly easier to manage.
- Hang out with Friends and Supporters
Being around people you trust and who support you is a great way to practice self-care. The people you surround yourself with can uplift you as well as take your mind off things. This tip can even extend out to the adoptive family if you’ve chosen open adoption. Choosing this in your adoption plan allows you to take the time to bond with them. You might even become friends and trusted acquaintances. You can confide in them, about the process and how you’re handling it too. This can easily leave stress and unpleasant emotions behind. This also reminds you that you’re not alone during this. There are so many people around you that are there for you, whether it’s your family, friends, or the agency.
- Be Active and Exercise
While relaxing is a wonderful method, there are times when you may need to get up and move around. This doesn’t mean you have to jog or run laps every day, however. We recommend you do however little activity you can in whatever space you have. That could mean light stretches or walking around the home. You can even take a walk outside near your house for much-needed fresh air. Being active also means practicing good eating habits. Make sure you’re drinking water and eating right. Listen to yourself and know when you need to take a rest and when you can be active.
- Pamper Yourself
When you can, do something just for you. Go to a fancy restaurant with your friends. Watch a movie at a theater. Maybe even take a spa day. Doing the things you want to do will improve your mood and maintain good mental health. You’re already giving so much of your physical or mental energy to adoption. Treating yourself in the midst of that will be a needed balance.
Get More Tips from your Colorado Adoption Agencies
If you want more in-depth tips on self-care during pregnancy, check with adoption agencies in Colorado. Not only does your adoption agency help you with things like making an adoption plan. With that, Adoption Choices of Colorado has specialists that give you even more tips to ease the adoption process. Search ‘adoption Colorado Springs’ to get in touch with our specialists.
Stephanie joined the Adoption Choices family in 2014 as the Child Placement Supervisor. Her love for adoption began in first grade when she made friends with twins adopted from Vietnam. Her heart grew strong over the years for adopted children and ultimately led her to graduate school where she continued her focus to her dream of working in the adoption field. Stephanie earned a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Denver in 2001. Over the past 15 years, Stephanie has worked as a pregnancy counselor and as an adoptive parent counselor for foster care, international adoption and domestic adoption, writing hundreds of home studies for families, and helping build their forever families. Stephanie is married and has three boys ages 12, 9, and 5. Together with her family she enjoys riding bike, playing games, watching her three sons compete in their various sporting and musical activities and go on vacations.
Christy Ikeler, is our Executive Director and Birth Parent Director. Christy has been with Adoption Choices Team for 18 years, since opening the doors in 2002! Christy has a true passion for what she does and her true love is working with and helping each birth parent. Whether she is up all night on the phone talking with them, taking them to doctors appointments, out for their favorite treat, providing counseling or at the hospital during labor and delivery, Christy is very involved every step of the way. She has a contagious laugh and a spunky personality that our birth moms all can bond with and relate to. As an adoptive parent herself, adoption holds a very special place in her heart and she can relate on every level with both birth parents and adoptive parents. In her free time Christy loves spending time with her daughter, gardening, baking and taking vacations with her family. Christy is an excellent leader for our team at Adoption Choices and is truly one of a kind!! As Executive Director, Christy spends time with the staff, birth parents and adoptive families in order to ensure that the agency is running smoothly. She has placed a huge emphasis on community outreach and programs for birth parents. Christy loves the opportunity to lead the agency into a brighter future.
Ms. Mackenzie has built a successful counseling career over the past 20 years, supporting mothers and families, people of all ages and genders, students, community professionals and fellow clinicians. Liv values a diverse professional focus, including the entrepreneurial life of a sole proprietor, the evaluative process of certifying foster/adoptive homes, the insightful and mindful one-on-one one work with enthusiastic clients, and serving as an advocate for underserved populations. Liv is a Licensed Professional Counselor and holds a BA in Pre-Law and Economics from American University, an MA in Counseling from Adams University and a certificate in Human Resource Management from Villanova University. Away from work you will find Liv spending time in nature, biking to the farmer’s market and adventuring with her family.
Catherine A. Madsen, joined the Adoption Choices family as legal counsel in 2013. Catherine is responsible for providing legal guidance to the Agency, training and updating staff on developments in adoption law and legislation, and program development. Catherine
Virginia Frank is an adoption attorney accredited since 1991 with the American Academy of Adoption Attorneys. Ms. Frank is a leader in the field of private adoption and has completed over 4,000 adoptions in her career. Ms. Frank has a law degree from Oklahoma City University and a BA in both Political Science and Communications from the University of Oklahoma.
Cassidie has been with Adoption Choices since 2015, she has her bachelors in Interdisciplinary Affairs with concentrations in both Sociology and Business Management. Cassidie has additional training in Victim Advocacy, foster care and has been working in women’s services for over 10 years. Cassidie has always had a heart for adoption and it was her career dream to work in adoption. She started off doing volunteer work for advocacy programs, adoption organizations and worked in High Risk Maternal Fetal Medicine through the University of Colorado Hospital and Children’s Hospital of Colorado. Cassidie is also blessed to have personally experienced an adoption of her own in 2012, completing her family of five! Cassidie loves what she does as a case worker from initial phone calls, meetings, doctor appointments, interaction with the adoptive families to delivery and counseling. Cassidie has a passion for those in need and strives to help make a difference in the lives of the people she meets. She is a firm believer in being kind, compassionate and open minded in all situations. “Unless you’ve walked in their shoes, there’s no place for judgment. A kind word or compliment can go a long way!” The bittersweet moments in adoption reminds Cassidie each and every time, why she loves what she does!