Sarah Juliusson, a certified doula, recommends pregnant women take what she calls "love breaks" with their unborn children.

Juliusson of Vancouver, Canada, the mother of Zekiah, 2, and Galen, 4, says moms-to-be are often the center of attention, which is nice but can also distract them from taking time to be alone and connect with their babies. "Women, when they are pregnant, suddenly find their bodies are public property and everybody has a comment or belief about what they should be doing with their time or their bodies," says Juliusson, who owns Dancing Star Birth, which provides prenatal classes and doula care. "In terms of alone time, the work I do really focuses on the emotional work women need to do during pregnancy to get ready for birth and parenting."

During a love break, pregnant women may sit back and take time to listen to their babies. "Put your hands on your belly, tell them you love them and talk to them about your fears, concerns, worries [and] hopes for them," says Juliusson. "Research is clear they [babies] hear our voices and respond to our emotions. Allow the time each day to recognize you are pregnant [and] there is a beautiful baby growing inside of you, and celebrate that on some level beyond all the hubbub around you."

Instead of getting caught up in information overload and trying to make sure they attend the right classes or read the right books, pregnant women may focus instead on what they need to do in their lives to welcome the baby.

Also, alone time is important because women need to let go of their strong desire to control the birth instead of just being in the experience, says Juliusson, who has attended more than 150 births. "I think alone time is vital for them having the space to find that time to look inside and think about what they need to do to give birth to this baby and become a mom," she says.

Content on this site is not a substitute for professional medical or healthcare advice, diagnosis or treatment, and may not be used for such purposes. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical question or condition. Reliance on information presented on this site is at your own risk. This site contains the opinions and views of other users. Given the interactive nature of this site, we cannot endorse, guarantee, or be responsible for the accuracy, efficacy, or veracity of any content generated by our users.