19 | The Power Within - Alyestal Thomas

There are many emotions that pregnancy and birth can elicit from us. For Alyestal an emotion that covered her pregnancy was fear, fear of dying during childbirth.

To help her process this fear and prepare for birth she relied on three components. The first being prayers and affirmations, to help her get in the mindset that her body and baby were going to be able to work together. Second, being flexible with her birth plan, understanding that even with all the planning, things may change. Staying grounded in that if there were changes those changes were what was best in that moment of time. Lastly shutting down others birth stories that could potentially elicit more fear. While it was vital for her to hear from others, she understood that there were specific stories she wasn't in a place to connect with.

This preparation, her husband and her midwife supported her in her birth. Specifically, in the moments when her birth plan shifted, and she needed an episiotomy and vacuum assistance. Because she had prepared in trusting her body and being flexible, Alyestal explains that she found her power through her daughter’s birth and continues as she navigates postpartum.

Something that we love about Alyestal postpartum journey is her MoMo’s Mama Monday’s series. Being a spoken word poetess, she’s using that gift to help realign herself in her new identity, using her voice to spark honest conversations about motherhood and how we can evolve through the journey. To join the conversation and ignite your fire head over to her IGTV.

Resources:

Think Differently Affirmation Cards | pocket-sized set of 12 affirmation cards