Do you think creative journaling in pregnancy and maternity could be beneficial? If your answer is “yes”, please keep reading to find a few simple ways to increase your creativity and artistic potential during your pregnancy.

It is never too late to start

I have always loved writing and drawing. Yet I hardly got really consistent with that. I’ve been drawing for decades and never had a proper sketchbook until recently. Same goes with writing – even as a girl I couldn’t keep a diary long enough. A book I came across just recently, changed this negligence:

“The Artist’s Way”

A book by Julia Cameron

It is a brilliant book for anyone pursuing creativity and free artistic expression. The book is not necessarily meant to be read by artists exclusively. It is a helpful tool for anyone in search of his inner voice and authenticity. I find it a powerful instrument for pregnant women and new moms, and I believe the benefits of some of the exercises in the book give more than pleasing results. I will only mark two of them:

Morning pages

Nothing fancy, it is as simple as it sounds – pages that you write in the morning. They need to be 3, and they need to be A4 size (roughly about 8”x11.5”). It doesn’t have to be a diary; there’s no need to follow a sequence. You just “brainwash” you mind and throw away everything that is there at the moment – from the laundry to your purpose in life. Nothing is too insignificant and nothing is too meaningful to be there. Write down every single thought that comes to mind. And if you don’t know what to write – then simply write: “I don’t know what to write, I don’t know what to write…” – until you find something to write about.

Artist dates

This is a date that you make once a week with yourself. It doesn’t have to be “artistic”, though it might be. But it does have to be done on your own; it is a solo experience. It is your personal time to reconnect with the creative part within yourself. These couple of hours should be dedicated to something you love, or you have an interest in. This is time to explore, to think and to have fun. It’s time to experience joy and to make something new or to come back to something you love.

Why is creative journaling in pregnancy and maternity

beneficial?

Motherhood is a time of a deep inner transformation. This period could be very intense and hard to deal with. Creative practices like journaling can help to cope with overwhelming feelings and emotions. They can also reduce stress and anxiety. The repeating model of a daily/weekly routine could give a sense of stability and control. But above all journaling is a personal conversation with ourselves, it is soothing and it is fun.

And what about you, do you do some sort of journaling, do you keep a diary or a sketchbook? Please share your experience and ideas in the comments to help and inspire more people to start their own creative practice.