Meditative Connection During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is a time of many changes on physical, psychological, social and spiritual levels. Taking time to rest comfortably and tune into these changes, your body and your little one can be very special. A gift to you and your growing in utero baby of peace and tranquility in your day. An opportunity to go further on your journey of your learning and discovery … growing, and preparing yourself in becoming a mother of this precious little one.

What are you feeling? What thoughts and emotions arise for you today?

Feel the connection as you sit quietly in your meditative state.

Learn to be aware of the feelings and changes in your body. Notice any stress - those moments when your breath becomes quick and shallow, when your heart beats faster, and your muscles tighten.

Use your in and out breath to settle your responses to your thoughts and anything you are experiencing. Notice if extending your out breath sends more calming signals to your nervous system. Let all your current cares, worries, and stress begin to melt away as you tune into yourself and your little one.

Maybe say what comes into your thoughts and hear what it sounds like. Allow your mind to quieten and notice if the answer comes to you. If it resonates, ask for guidance - maybe from another, a higher power, source, God, infinite intelligence or the universe.

Breathe out anything that does not serve you. Maybe see it as a mist leaving your body and disappearing into the air. You are in control of your thoughts and feelings.

Feel your power as you create a beautiful foundation and learning for you and your baby. This time of peace and tranquility creates a safe place to grow.

Take a moment to tell your baby what you are thinking and feeling. Thoughts and emotions create chemical changes in your body and your baby in utero experiences these too. Let him or her know that any worries you have are just mummy’s thoughts, not something he she needs to be concerned about. See him her snug and warm, safe and protected.

Allow yourself to trust, that every cell in your body and your little one has ancient wisdom and knows exactly what to do.

Accept you will make some mistakes. It is how we learn. Know you are doing the best you can with the knowledge you have at each and every moment.

Pregnancy can evoke many interesting new experiences for you: strange mood swings, changes in smell and taste, feeling sick in the morning or at other times over the day especially in your first 12 - 16 weeks. Thoughts you never worried about before may wake you in the night, or fill your mind so you are unable to sleep. So many new thoughts and changes going on in your body that are normal at this time of your pregnancy journey but previously unknown to you.

Breathe and tune into these new experiences. Acknowledge they are there, sit with them, then just let them be.

Recognise your body is changing as your little one grows, tucked deeply within your uterus.

Although women throughout the ages have grown and nurtured babies, it is new and unique to you. Take time to rest. It is not an indulgence but a necessary time for you and your unborn child.

Now tune into your growing in utero baby.

By 20 weeks, your little one already has many senses primed to hear your voice and feel soothing touch on your abdomen. Senses that respond to your love and connection. Talk to your baby, affirm your beautiful thoughts, read stories, sing and communicate with him her and notice how he she responds. As your little one grows you can play more creative interactive games. A repeated or rhythmical tap or caress on your abdomen may create further response from your baby. Play for a little while, then allow him her to rest and sleep.

As his her innate intelligence grows, 2 million neural connections are forming every second. Connections that create his her brain architecture and nerve transmission, memory and much more. Your little one in utero is very conscious, aware of and interacting with everything around them. His her little hands continually explore and touch his her body, placenta, umbilical cord, and surrounding membranes.

Maybe you can envisage what he she is doing - swallowing, peeing, frowning, pressing lips together and lots of other facial expressions, sucking fingers, kicking, curling his her toes, clenching and unclenching fists.

Tune into your changing physical body.

Your thickening waist and growing belly, the fullness of your breasts, your smoother skin and softening gums. Areas of your skin may have become darker from a increase in pigment that will fade soon after your little one is born.

If you are hungrier now and have cravings for specific foods, be assured this is common for many women. Choose wisely wherever possible on your food choices and how you meet your new desires.

You may notice your dreams are more vivid, maybe strange, and you remember them more. Partly this is due to waking up more often at night and sleep cycles are interrupted as you need to move to a more comfortable position or wake to pee. Pregnancy is an emotional time with feelings of joy to apprehension and everything in between, and your dreams will likely follow how you are feeling as your mind processes them during sleep.

Image by Marcos Moraes on Unsplash

Get up slowly from lying down to give your blood pressure time to adjust if you ever feel dizzy on rising. Your blood pressure will normally be a little lower than previously.

Choose exercise and movement you enjoy to enhance your muscle tone, your strength, and endurance – exercise that will help you carry the weight you gain during pregnancy, and prepare you for the physical demands of labour, and after your baby is born.

In many cultures pregnancy is a time of spirituality, for women to self reflect and go inward. To connect with yourself and the soul and presence of your little one. A time to recognise your baby, learn who he she is, and welcome him her into your life.

Take a few moments each day to breathe in the wonder, the magic and wisdom of your and your little one’s amazing selves and be at one with one another. Know you are the perfect mother for your growing tiny child.