Importance of Psychological Health
We are more than just our bodies. Why is it that we work so hard to be physically fit and healthy before conception but little or no attention is paid to our psychological health? Psychological health includes mental and emotional wellbeing.
We now know that stress changes the way genes express, especially damaging the telomeres or the cap endings at the end of DNA strands. These keep the DNA sequence intact just like the aglet, the plastic tip at the end of the shoelaces.
Stress hormones diminish the enzyme telomerase, the substance that replenishes the endings in each replication of DNA. Simply put stress affects gene coding.
The mind, thus, needs as much preparation as the body does. This will include :
- Removing conflict from your life
- Repairing the relationships that are important
- Reviewing your emotional well being
- Recognizing the needs of the child that you are agreeing to take off
Children need their parent’s time, effort, and commitment to developing into healthy adults. Human childhood, in terms of brain maturity, is placed at 25 years.
In his book, The Secret Life of the Unborn Child, Thomas Verny explains that “our personality characteristics and traits begin forming in utero… And the womb is the place where this special kind of learning begins”. This knowledge empowers us to :
- Look at our own patterns, which were learned in early periods and comprise of our own subconscious programming.
- Review and change the traits and beliefs that are no longer serving us and our babies.
- Begin to create a loving home before inviting the baby to share it with us.
