Affirmations are positive phrases that either
- you say out loud
- read
- say in your in your mind
- listen to others saying
Affirmations can help your subconscious mind accept positive thought and attitudes.
There are a few ways you can make affirmations a part of your pregnancy.
- You can write down some affirmations, post them where you will see them every day and read them each time you see them.
- You can download an MP3 with pregnancy affirmations and listen to it every day. The Hypnobabies program has both a pregnancy and a birthing time affirmation CD.
- If you Google Pregnancy Affirmations you can find many sites with lists of affirmations as well as different MP3s you can download.
It is handy to have an MP3, because it is easy to pop it into your car and listen as you drive. It is amazing how quickly the affirmations get into your mind. My students all love their Hypnobabies Pregnancy Affirmations.
I have seen moms answer questions like, “when is that baby ever going to be born?” with an affirmation – “My baby knows the perfect day to be born”
Focuses of affirmations:
Love your body
I see moms who are struggling with their changing body, learn to really love and accept their pregnant body as they listen to the affirmations.
- “I welcome the changes in my body.”
- “My pregnant body is beautiful.”
Trusting your body
- “My body knows how to nourish and grow my baby.”
- “My baby feels my love.”
- “My baby and I are healthy and strong.”
- “My body is perfectly equipped to give birth.”
Other issues
It is especially powerful if you come up with affirmations that focus on the areas you have concerns about.
For instance, when I work with moms who have had a negative first birth experience I suggest the affirmation –
This is a new baby and a new birth!
This doesn’t negate their first experience, rather it helps them accept this time can be a new and better experience.
Birthing time
(I am open) (to birth)
(I am ready) (for my baby)
(I welcome) (my birthing time)
(I am confident) (and strong)
(Right here) (right now)
(I am equal) (to this challenge)
(I embrace) (this moment)
Tips to make affirmations better
How would it feel?
Add How would it feel to…. in front of an affirmation that is hard to believe. It will make it easier for your mind and body to accept.
How would it feel to embrace this moment?
Listening while falling asleep
Using your breath with your affirmations.
Use your breath as a container for a thought – Ten Zen Seconds book – 10 second long breath. 5 seconds in and 5 seconds out. A breath container that holds a thought. You think the first half of the phrase on the in breath and the second half on the out breath (Maisel, 2007).
This is essentially a tiny meditation technique that can be more readily incorporated into one’s daily life (especially a life that includes small children) than traditional, dedicated, more elaborate meditation techniques.
Helpful Links
Get The Top 3 Tips to Enjoy Birth Book and free access to my online childbirth class
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What a great topic! How a mom thinks about birth impacts her birth experience. As a childbirth educator, I strive to help moms learn that labor and birth is a normal and not a frightening experience.
I’m going to check out some of your other posts in this series!
I really enjoyed listening to the affirmations Hypnobabies CD when I was pregnant with my #2! I really think realizing that I DID have it in me to have the birth I wanted kept me in control when I was birthing, despite the fact that I had a really crazy and out-of-control birth with my first.
Off to check out the maternity fashion posts! I need those!
Thanks for the comment!!
And I did hynobabies with my second son 4 years ago! It was a great experience 🙂
Great affirmations. I can’t remember who, but there is also someone doing 31 days of breastfeeding. This is important too. For me, I never realized how hard it would be. I gave up early on because I never could get my baby to latch correctly.
I agree, that is another really good topic. Getting a good latch down makes it much easier!
I love finding fellow Hypnobabies Moms. 🙂
I agree, affirmations can really make a huge difference. I love finding fellow Hypnobabies Moms, there are a lot of us out there.
Yay for fellow childbirth educators. What we do can make a huge difference. 🙂