Enhance your experience of pregnancy, birth and motherhood through learning mindfulness techniques that help improve your physical and emotional wellbeing. These short meditations, both formal and informal, allow you to focus on your baby and your growing bond.
Baby bump meditation
Place your hand on your belly and take a few deep breaths. Notice how this short moment of connection to your baby feels. Throughout your day, you probably instinctively or protectively place your hand on your belly; see if you can bring attention to the times you do this, and make it a mindful moment of connection with your baby, taking deep relaxing breaths.
Belly breathing for two
Place your hands on your belly, allow your eyes to close, and take a few deep breaths. With each in breath, imagine all the nourishing oxygen and nutrients you are bringing into your body and sharing with your baby. With each out breath, allow your body to relax a bit more deeply, and imagine your baby relaxing with you. Visualize the movement of your belly with each breath as a gentle way of rocking and soothing your baby. Continue focusing on your breath, with each in-breath representing a taking in of all that you and your baby need, and each out-breath representing a letting go, a release of any tension or worry that you don’t need.
Visualize the movement of your belly with each breath as a gentle way of rocking and soothing your baby.
Lovingkindness for your baby
Lovingkindness is a powerful mindfulness practice in which we send kind and loving wishes to another person. For this practice, take a moment to think about what you most want for your child. While you likely have lots of dreams and hopes for your baby, consider the things that are most essential—how do you want your child to feel, to love, to be?
You can use the phrases in the practice below if they are helpful, or you can add kind wishes or dreams of your own.
Take a few deep breaths, place your hand on your heart, and, envisioning your baby, say quietly to yourself:
“May you be healthy…”
“May you be happy…”
“May you be safe…”
“May you be loved, and loving…”
“May you be strong…”
“May you know kindness and joy.”
Notice how it feels to send these kind wishes to your baby. You may find it helpful to journal about this practice, or even write a letter to your baby, expressing your heartfelt wishes and dreams for his amazing life ahead.
Involve your partner
As your baby grows in your belly, it’s natural for your partner to feel a bit “left out” of the experience. See if you can involve your partner in the practices in this chapter; for example, having him or her place their hands on your belly, noting how it moves as you breathe, and also noticing the baby’s movements. Toward the end of your pregnancy, your baby can hear sounds and voices from outside your body, so encourage your partner to talk or sing to the baby.
Find more meditations and practices for stress-free, happy, and healthy pregnancy in Your Mindful Pregnancy by Sarah Rudell Beach. To get more great blog posts like this one - direct to your inbox – be sure to sign up to our mailing list here.