The dangers and risks of pregnant women abusing drugs and/or alcohol are well understood and documented. Over 1,000 women in the United States since the 1970s have even been arrested exclusively for substance use while pregnant. There is no better time to get sober than a looming pregnancy, but even after being clean, women are haunted by their substance abuse history. Some recovering addicts have deep concerns about the viability of their bodies to give birth to a healthy baby because of their past. Fortunately, after sustained sobriety, you can have a beautiful and healthy pregnancy like anyone else.
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Foster Great Physical Health
For years during addiction, you may have not been getting the proper nutrition your body needed. That is why it is so important to the health of you and your future baby that you have a healthy vessel to carry your baby in. Be sure that you are getting the proper vitamins, minerals, and nutrients, and seek nutritional counseling if you suspect any nutrient deficiencies. Included in good physical health is making sure you are exercising regularly. Exercise helps to lower cortisol levels and may help offset some typical pregnancy issues like backaches, excess weight gain, and poor sleep.
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Grow a Healthy Support Network
The threat of relapse is always present in recovery, but the consequences are far more serious during pregnancy. More than anytime in recovery, having a strong support network during pregnancy is essential. Due to the many physical and emotional stresses of pregnancy, you may find yourself more easily tempted by your relapse triggers, or just the additional stress of pregnancy itself may make you want to fall back into old patterns. This is why you need supportive people surrounding you to keep you feeling encouraged during your pregnancy and after as you adjust to motherhood. Finding emotional healing for yourself and your addiction is ideal during this time as your own experiences may bring you support from within. Instead of bringing feelings of guilt and shame about your addiction history into motherhood, ask yourself how your experiences with addiction will make you a better mother. Maybe it’s that your experiences helped you address generational family wounds that you now won’t pass on to your child. Whatever it may be, find a positive narrative for your story and see that your past better prepared you for your future in motherhood.
Sometimes women in recovery do not believe they can have a healthy pregnancy, but this is not the case. As long as you are supporting yourself with the right lifestyle habits, like taking care of your physical health and building a supportive social network, you can ensure you are taking the right precautionary steps for a healthy pregnancy in recovery. If you are ready to take the first steps towards overcoming your substance abuse, call Avalon Malibu at (844) 857-5992. Avalon has a team of experienced professionals ready to offer you the support, guidance, and specific treatment program tailored for all of your recovery needs.
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