Intentions for the 4th Trimester: Letters
January is about the intention of new beginnings.
We pick resolutions or intentions that signify changes we want to make in our lives, dreams we wish to fulfill, goals we wish to accomplish, and general desires for improvement.
Intentions are much more powerful than resolutions. Melissa Eisler reminds us that an intention is a guiding principle for how you want to be, live, and show up in the world.
If you're pregnant, now is a good time to set your intentions for your postpartum period. These intentions can act as your road map on the hard days.
Deepak Chopra, MD, tells us that "intention is much more powerful when it comes from a place of contentment than if it arises from a sense of lack or need." This is why setting intentions before parenting gets tough is important. Intentions can be set at any time and should be revisited and revised often.
Here is our guide to help you plan for your 4th trimester
- Letters
- Parenting Intentions
- Know thyself
- Insurance
In this blog post we’ll be focusing on writing letters.
Letters
Write your letters on paper. NO ELECRONICS. Yes this is old fashion, but there is something soothing and down to earth about holding a piece of paper and reading handwriting. It’s personal. Writing style and handwriting is as unique as fingerprints. Reading a loving letter is a very #hygge experience.
Letters to yourself
The intention for this letter should be to motivate and remind.
Remind yourself of who you are and your accomplishments. Motivate yourself with stories of your past where you’ve overcome difficult situations or times. Remind yourself that you are strong. Show your belief in yourself. Maybe write about your pregnancy and what you experienced. Find something that will cheer you up. 
Letter From Family
I wish I had thought of this earlier in life. One of the things I cherish now that my grandmother is gone, is her handwritten recipes. I love seeing her handwriting on paper. She touched that paper and scrolled across the page with a pen in hand. It makes me feel connected to her. It’s soothing to have that piece of her. It’s more personal than a photograph.
Ask your relatives to write two letters, one to you and one to your baby.
These letters should be written so that they are a source of strength when you need strength and a reminder of how loved you are. They can include anecdotes about your childhood, qualities your parents admire about you, affirmations for the type of parent they see you becoming. Anything positive or nostalgic
The letter to your baby can be an introduction, hopes and dreams, about the excitement they felt when they found out he/she was on the way! Single page letters can be framed and hung on the walls of the nursery. Think of the love your baby will be surrounded in!
Letters From Friends
Ask friends to write you letters that highlight your strengths and what they love about you. Have them include stories about their favorite memory with you.
From your partner
From your partner and for your partner.
Reaffirm your Love and your connection. What made you fall in love? What do you love most about each other? “For better or for worse…” having a baby can put stress and strain on even the strongest of relationships. It’s nice to remember what brought you together. It’s nice to know that you’re there for each other.
Where do you keep all these letters?
Buy a decorative box or a book safe. Keep them stored so they are private but keep them visible so when you need them they are accessible.
Plan ahead and be prepared. The moment you go into labour you’ll be in go mode for the rest of your parenting life! Soul search and plan now to prepare yourself for the trying times ahead. It won’t all be hard. It will be beautiful! It never hurts to have a link back to your pre parent self. To have some words of encouragement from loved ones available when you’re too vulnerable to ask for them. If this is your second+ pregnancy, adding a second child isn’t twice the work, it’s four times the work. It’s effort and laundry squared, not doubled! Write to yourself before you become too busy.
I’ve listed the resources used to write this Blog post and the other blog posts in our Intention series.
Resources
https://mindfulminutes.com/intention-setting-101/
https://www.evelynlim.com/30-power-words-to-activate-intention-setting/
https://medium.com/swlh/my-new-year-ritual-a-one-word-intention-db074d64b10b
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/intention-words
https://www.theodysseyonline.com/intention-words?rebelltitem=32#rebelltitem32
https://chopra.com/articles/a-guided-meditation-for-setting-intentions
https://www.grammarly.com/blog/setting-an-intention/
https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/nutritional-psychiatry-your-brain-on-food-201511168626
The field of Nutritional Psychiatry is relatively new, however there are observational data regarding the association between diet quality and mental health across countries, cultures and age groups – depression in particular. Here are links to some systematic reviews and meta-analyses:
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/99/1/181.long
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23720230
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4167107/
Diet during early life is also linked to mental health outcomes in children (very important from public health perspective):
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24074470
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25524365http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23541912