Ommmmmmm…..Ommmmm…How can meditation help me in my pregnancy? You may be surprised, meditation is a simple and powerful tool that can help you in your pregnancy, and honestly, throughout your mother journey. So what is meditation in the first place? According to Cleveland Clinic, meditation is “a practice that involves focusing or clearing your mind using a combination of mental and physical techniques.” Lots of people get mixed with the idea that you have to be holding your fingers in a circle or that it has to be a long complicated process. Meditation can be as long or as short as you need it to be, and it can be as simple as sitting somewhere quiet, walking outside, or being still while you rock your baby to sleep. It can even be accomplished while driving, doing yoga, or taking a shower. You honestly can meditate anywhere, it’s just taking time to focus on the task at hand. As mothers, sometimes it can be difficult to quiet our minds, because we are constantly thinking about what to do for the baby, thinking about our husband, or consumed with all the to-do’s of the day. Meditation helps train your mind to focus on one thing at a time,
So how can focusing one one sensation or thought help you in the long run. Here are the many benefits of meditating throughout your motherhood journey:
- It can lower stress and anxiety
- It can improve sleep
- It can help you connect with baby when you are pregnant
- Help manage your emotions and mood
- Can help create a positive labor experience for you and baby
- It lowers heart rate and blood pressure
- It helps decrease fears such as birth or raising your child
- It can help with postpartum recovery
- It can help you become more aware of your body and emotions
Now that you know the benefits of daily meditation, here are simple ways to get started:
- Deep Breathing – Start by closing your eyes, breathing slowly and deeply in and out through your nose.
- Body Scan – Focus on different parts of your body, pay attention to the sensations you feel.
- Deep Belly Meditation – Start by placing your hands on your belly and/or gently cradle your baby. Try letting any thoughts that arise float away as you breathe slowly in and out. As you breathe, observe the sensations you feel beneath your hands.
- Visualization – Try imagining your breath surrounding your baby, or your breath caressing them with its warmth. As you exhale, you can imagine your baby relaxing and your body relaxing even more. You can choose to visualize anything else that helps you feel calm; such as a beach waves, fire crackling in the fire place, camping in the mountains, etc.
You can choose to do these on your own, or listen to someone guiding you. Rather that’s on Spotify or YouTube, there are many free resources to help you get started in your meditating journey. Here are some to get started to help you in your meditating journey. You can do this mama! You will built to care for yourself and your child.
