Floating during pregnancy is raved about by clients. True REST has shared blogs before about Pregnancy and Float Therapy: What to Know and Why to Try as well as Tips and Tricks to Float During Pregnancy. We even shared how floating can help women who are trying to conceive! So now, after conception you are finally beginning your journey in the first trimester. Find out what that experience was like for me!
Background
At eight weeks pregnant, I received the thumbs up from my doctor to pick back up my float practice. There have not been many studies about floating and early pregnancy. It is important to check in with your doctor. As a regular floater (about once a month for three years now), I did not know if I could really expect anything to be that different going into this float. I assumed that later on in the pregnancy as my body expands, I would feel very different, but I was curious about any first trimester effects.
Physical Benefits
At this point in my pregnancy, the relaxation was the best part of the float. Fatigue has really set in and I truly think this was my most relaxing float ever! I regularly float for migraine prevention so being able to float again was helpful for that as well. One thing I took notice of is how hard my stomach has become since the pregnancy. The squish tummy that water sometimes slipped over when I was restless in the pod is gone and now my stomach feels more like a hard submarine partially above the water.
Mental Benefits
Floating in the dark, I couldn’t help but ponder if this is what it was like for my baby currently- senses still developing but floating unrestrained. After hearing the heartbeat earlier this week, I allowed myself to really enjoy this bonding time between us. Thinking of both mine and baby’s hearts beating while in this suspended state. While you can feel baby’s kicks later on in pregnancy, this is really my first way to feel a connection between us. The biggest mental benefit is absolutely that first effort at bonding.
What’s Next
I plan to keep floating once a month and evaluate if how I’m feeling is changing. One of the beautiful things about floating is the uniqueness of every float and I feel like you get out of it, what you are putting into it. Blog on the second and third trimester when I get there! Thank you for joining me on this journey.
Have you tried floating in your first trimester?