How to Meditate During Pregnancy?

Meditation has been practiced for thousands of years to generate deep relaxation and peace. Meditation has numerous benefits throughout life, including pregnancy. Despite all of the benefits, pregnancy hormones, sleep issues, and lifestyle changes that come with adding a new family member can make you feel worried and anxious. Stress can be harmful to both your and your baby's health.

Studies have shown that mindfulness-based activities like meditation can lower anxiety, depression, and perceived stress during pregnancy. Whether or not you've meditated before, the practice might help you assess this emotional storm. Pregnancy meditation is also beneficial to you and your unborn child. If you don't know how to do meditation? This guide can help.

What is Meditation?

Meditation is a practice that combines mental and physical methods to help you calm your thoughts. It can serve a wide range of functions and take various forms. Some meditation techniques are religious, while others are intended to help you adjust to hardships or relax. However, most methods of meditation have the same benefits. There are numerous benefits of meditation for pregnant women, including: 

• Reduced Stress

Pregnancy is an exciting experience for many individuals, but it may also be stressful and anxious. Stress, whether caused by pregnant discomforts, the uncertainty of the future, or other factors, can lead to health problems such as high blood pressure and even premature birth. Studies have indicated that meditation can help lower stress and anxiety during pregnancy. 

• Lower Chance Of Preterm Birth

Premature babies are more likely to experience health issues, such as breathing difficulties and developmental disabilities. More research is needed, although some studies suggest a link between meditation and a lower risk of premature birth. Though prenatal yoga and meditation are both beneficial to pregnant women, a study found that those who walk or meditate for an hour every day have a lower risk of a preterm birth.

• Healthy Development

Researchers are also investigating how a mother's mindfulness affects her baby's postnatal development. According to a study, women with high mindfulness scores produced newborns who were better able to settle down, adjust to unfamiliar situations, and control their attention and behaviour. 

Meditation Practices During Your Pregnancy

While there are many different types of meditation, consistency is the key to their success. The following are some of the most common forms of meditation that can be included in healthy pregnancy practices:

• Mindfulness Meditation: Mindfulness focuses on remaining present in the moment rather than thinking about what has happened in the past or what might happen in the future. You can begin practicing mindfulness meditation by concentrating on your bodily sensations. 
• Contemplation Meditation: Contemplation meditation involves focusing your attention on a topic or contradiction without allowing your mind to wander.
• Mantra Meditation: Mantra meditation involves repeating a certain word or sound. You can repeat the mantra aloud or mentally.
• Movement Meditation: If sitting is unpleasant or you want to get some exercise, you might like movement meditation. You can practice it while walking by focusing on your body's movements or what you see around you. 
• Body-centred Meditation: This type of meditation focuses on the physical sensations you experience in your body. It is often referred to as self-scanning.

Alternative Forms of Meditation Practices

Each woman has a unique pregnancy experience. Thus, what is suitable for one pregnant woman may not be appropriate for another. The same approach applies to pregnancy meditation. The following techniques can also be practiced with any of the aforementioned types of meditation:

Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is an ideal sleep meditation for pregnant women. Aside from getting a regular massage, breathing deeply and rhythmically is one of the most effective strategies for relieving muscle tension, dropping your heart rate, and aiding in sleep. This is how you do it: 

1. Lie on the floor or in bed with your feet shoulder-width apart. (After the second trimester, or if laying on your back is painful, try lying on your side with a cushion between your legs for support.) 
2. Breathe slowly via your nose for four seconds while keeping your mouth closed. 
3. As you slowly inhale and contract your diaphragm and lungs, notice how your stomach rises. 
4. Hold the breath for a second, then let it through your nose to the four.

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

This approach, which incorporates body scanning meditation, could take a few weeks to learn, but once you do, you'll be grateful you did. This is how you do it: 

1. Tense and relax your muscles while lying on your bed or floor. 
2. Focus on one muscle group at a time, alternating between the left and right sides of your body. 
3. One way is to begin by tensing and relaxing your forearm and hand muscles, then your triceps and biceps, and then your face, chest, shoulders, stomach, legs, and feet.

Guided Imagery or Visualisation

When you were younger, do you remember your mother telling you to close your eyes and think of positive things anytime you felt afraid? This is similar. This is how you do it: 

1. Imagine yourself in a quiet or soothing environment, such as a tropical beach, a flower-filled meadow, or wherever your secret joy is. 
2. Next, envision every detail of that location, including the noises, smells, and everything in between. 
3. Alternatively, you may visualize a picture from a magazine or take a picture and mentally fill in all the details. 
4. Visualisation takes some time, but once you've learned it, you'll discover it's an excellent way to calm your mind, relieve stress, and fall asleep.

Can Meditation Aid During Labour?

Yes, particularly if you do it regularly before giving birth. Meditation is especially effective at reducing the fear of the unknown that comes with labour. In addition to improving your labour experience and lowering your perceptions of the pain and duration of labour, deep breathing and meditation can aid in relaxing and softening the central nervous system during childbirth. These meditation methods can aid when you're in labor:

• Deep breathing,
• Guided imagery (visualisation),
• Body scan (progressive muscle relaxation),
• Mindfulness meditation.

Potential Risks of Meditating While Pregnant

Meditation is generally considered safe for expecting mothers. In certain extremely uncommon situations, it has been shown to increase or worsen symptoms of serious psychiatric illnesses. If you have a serious mental health issue, consult your doctor and notify your meditation instructor (if you have one) of any concerns.

Make sure you're sitting comfortably throughout the meditation. You may need to adapt your postures with pillows and blankets, particularly as your body changes while your baby bump expands. 

Relieve Anxiety and Stress with the Pregnancy Meditation!

Pregnancy meditation is the best stress relief for pregnant women. It can help you deal with a number of physical and emotional difficulties during pregnancy. You’ll be better able to relax and concentrate while also reducing blood pressure and improving your overall well-being. Diet, yoga, exercise, and therapy can all help keep uncomfortable pregnant mood issues at bay.

However, if you are suffering from pregnancy anxiety or depression, you must communicate freely and honestly with your healthcare provider so that you can work together to discover the best solutions. Also, if your anxiety, depression, or other mood shifts are severe, consult our doctor at Apollo Spectra, as you may require additional treatment.