Pregnancy can be a happy and scary time for many women. Though they may feel excited and happy to welcome a new baby, they may also feel anxiety and stress about the responsibilities of parenthood and the physical toll of childbirth. It becomes more important than ever to focus on self-care during this time. Meditation can have many benefits for pregnancy, both physical and emotional.

Symptom Relief

Regular meditation practice can help to alleviate many of the physical ailments of pregnancy. Meditation can help to relieve morning sickness and nausea, heartburn, fatigue, high blood pressure, and other symptoms. Regular practice can also better prepare your body for delivery, when you can use meditation to reduce the pains of labor and to help focus your mind to release fear and other negative emotions that can worsen the experience.

Emotional Benefits

Meditation can help to reduce stress and anxiety, increasing relaxation. This is especially important when you are pregnant, when everything you are feeling is also felt by your baby. Cultivating a more relaxed state of mind will help prepare you and your baby for delivery. Studies have also shown that mothers who regularly practiced meditation during pregnancy had babies that displayed calmer personalities and fewer rates of attention disorders.

Certain types of meditative practice, such as visualization and chanting, can also help you feel more connected to your baby during your pregnancy.

Hormonal Balance

One of the many physiological benefits of meditation is that it helps to balance hormones in the body, which can help reduce stress, manage pain, and improve overall health. Meditation has been shown to increase hormones such as DHEA (which reduces stress hormones cortical and adrenaline) and melatonin (which supports healthy immune function). Regular practice has also been shown to increase endorphins in the body, which help to mitigate pain – especially important during childbirth.

How to Practice

There are many types of meditation practice, and you should try different methods until you find the one that works best for you. Generally, most meditative practices rely on deep breathing, focusing on an object, visualization exercises, or repeating a mantra or chanting. You may find that one method works better for you, or you may find that a combination of these methods is more effective.

When you practice is also dependent upon what works best for you. Some may find that they are better able to focus on their meditation early in the morning when their minds are clear. Others may find that it is a useful way to unwind and process the day each evening. Choose the time that works best for you and try to be consistent in your practice. A daily practice would be ideal. You can meditate for as much time as you have available: If all you can spare is five minutes, you will still see benefits. Many recommend that you try for 15 to 20 minutes, if you can spare it.

Meditation is not like a rigorous exercise program that you have to follow for a certain amount of time for a certain number of days to see results. The key is to be consistent and to focus on what is right for you and your body. Over time, you will see the benefits – and so will your baby.

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