Affrimations 

We all know that feeling of freaking out in pregnancy.  Perhaps its at the loss of control or it is the emotional and physical strain.  Every mother at some point will have doubts and that is normal.  Mothers can often have doubts and feel scared in pregnancy, thoughts such as , ‘will I be a good mum’ ‘can I birth this baby’ are normal!  An affirmation is a way of keeping grounded and centred in pregnancy and can often lessen fears and turn negative thoughts to positive ones.  Affirmations are a great tool to help manage those emotions and doubts in order to create an amazing connection to and strong belief in your body your baby and the partner.

Affirmations are positive statements of self-talk to yourself, repeating them either out loud  or in your mind, helps promote relaxation and a sense of tranquility for a positive pregnancy and birthing. Statements such as the ones used throughout classes will help you stay focused and calm.  Think of an affirmation a s declaration of something true, it will help give you the sense of ability that you can do such a thing.  When a person repeats positive affirmations daily, over time they can be referred to as a practice or daily prayer with intention of a positive outcome.  Affirmations used inside a Kalma mamas class can be used to help lessen fears and anxiety by shifting negative thoughts to positive ones.

They are designed to help program your subconscious to tune into your natural ability to give birth, your strength and resilience. Building up your self-confidence and releasing fear is an important part of Kalma Mamas classes.  Encouraging women to focus on the type of both they would like or the situation they are in now.  Let the students think of positive affirmations and encourage writing them down.  Like many relationships what you think of yourself and doubt can affect those around you, this the same for what your baby feels in the womb.  This is why positive ones are so important in pregnancy to put into the students routine.  When fears creep in its important to remind a student to take timeout to centre themselves take a few breaths saying an affirmation out loud three times, and remembering just how amazing they are! Such examples are:

I set my worries aside and allow my body to do its job

My body is accepting this baby and will protect it

I choose to believe the good things about pregnancy and motherhood

I trust in my ability to birth my baby

My body and baby are strong

My courage is stronger than my fear

My body was made to birth my baby

I am in charge of all my emotional well being in pregnancy

My baby and I are one I choose to create peace within and around me

My body opens, my mind quietens and my baby descends

Focusing on the labour and birth of your baby during pregnancy leaves many women unrehearsed for the fourth trimester and beyond. The postpartum period is a time that many women struggle with bonding, feeding, sleeping and giving themselves basic needs for an overall healthy transition into motherhood.

Continuing to speak affirmations over yourself after birth is beneficial in building positive mental health for both you and your baby. Below are several powerful affirmations that will encourage you as embark on your new journey.

I am a strong and capable parent.

I am able to balance all of my responsibilities with ease and grace.

My body will continue to heal.

I am making the best choice for my baby.

Challenging does not mean impossible.

I am so much stronger than I think.

I will take this one moment at a time.

I will try my best to enjoy the process.

I am doing the best I can with what I have.

My baby is being nourished by me.

I will listen to advice given but listen to my intuition above all else.

I am rockin’ this mum bod and I look beautiful.

I allow my tribe to surround me with love and support.

I honor and respect the instinct inside me.

My baby is a different human than someone else’s baby.

I know what my baby needs.

I trust the divine development of my baby.

My baby and I share a sacred bond.

Patience is the first lesson I am working on as a mother.

I will take the time for self-care today.

I will lean into my partner when I need help.

I will choose to be kind to myself.

I am beautifully and wonderfully made.

No one else can mother my baby better than me.

I can freely choose how to parent my baby.

Visualisation

Visualisations are a great pain-distraction device. Think of a place that makes you feel calm and safe: the beach, a riverbank or a place in our classes.  Whatever you choose, breathe deeply and feel the scene. Fill in the details: What do you see? What do you smell? What do you hear?  Visualisations can help prepare your mind as well as your body if the student is opting for a natural birth.  The techniques are often used by athletes before a big race or game and seeing the event before it occurs and picturing it going well.  The idea behind using it for labour is like a running rehearsal, picturing the perfect birth over and over again in your mind.  Once the real birth happens the brain cant distinguish between the reality or the imagination and so the body should be comfortable with what has been rehearsed and the responses.  Visualisations can help to recreate meditation like stances in the brain creating calm and stillness.

Absorbing positive birth imagery during pregnancy nurtures a powerful mental ‘blueprint’. You need to be as comfortable and familiar with the changes of the birth journey as possible.  Birth art can be found all over the world from many periods of time showing us how others birthed and their positive experiences.  Listed below are some visualisations you can do in sessions and encourage mums to take away with them to use in pregnancy, labour and the fourth trimester.

Gold loop:  sitting comfortable visualize yourself in a circle of gold contained light.  The circle starts to revolve around you and becomes almost hula hoop like spinning lght around you.it spirals slowly around the body from the bottom to the to, as it rises it becomes narrowing up the body above the head until it reaches the peak.  Contained within the golden spiral are balance harmony peace and love. Hold the image while breathing gently.  When its time to come out of the visualization gently reverse the process until all that remains is the image of the original golden circle. Allow it to subside.

Relax: Controlling relaxation squeezing muscles such as the eyes tightly shut, then release and encourage the parent to notice the difference in the eye muscles. Clench your jaw, release and notice the difference. Continue the process, moving down your body to your toes.

The wave:  You can actually decrease the intensity of pain through visualization (meditation combined with mental imagery), no doubt, a useful tool to have during labour.  View each contraction as a wave in the ocean. Watch it slowly peak in intensity and then allow it to slowly come down. See yourself as a jellyfish, allowing that wave to wash through you.

Deep Belly Meditation: Place your hands on your belly, gently cradling the baby. Observe the sensations felt beneath your hands. (Do you feel warmth? Movement?) Breathe slowly, in and out. (If your mind wanders off, breathe deeper into your belly.) If a thought arises, let it float away, as if it were a cloud in the sky.  Try doing this for five minutes each day, gradually adding more time each week.

Mantra:  There’s a lot of power in our words. When we speak of something, we believe in it. It affects our consciousness, our nervous system, and our way of being. During challenging yoga poses, try saying “Strong kalma mama breath. Breathe in for baby.” This same mantra can be used to help you through difficult times in pregnancy and during labour.

Blossoming Lotus:  The lotus flower is a very sacred, pure, and deeply spiritual flower honored by many different cultures: Visualize your cervix as a blossoming lotus flower. Upon every contraction, visualize and chant, “Open, open, open”.

Relax Your “Third Eye”:  Become aware of the space on your forehead between your eyebrows, known as the “third eye.” Directly behind it is the pineal gland, which is sensitive to light. It also produces serotonin, a hormone that affects the regulation of wake-sleep patterns and your energy levels. Whether you’re in labour, or just stressed, be sure to relax the muscles on your forehead between your eyebrows for maximum relaxation.

Baby in the womb: sitting comfortable focus on the breath.  Slow and deepen the breath, position the hand on the belly and begin to visualise the baby in the womb sending love and light to it.  Find the connection between you both and start to visualise the baby.  Picture its tiny head, eyes mouth and nose.  Imagine the curve of the babys spine and legs tucked up into fetal position.  Look for the arms and hands tiny finger tips and toes.  See the placenta pumping vital nutrients to the baby via the umbilical cord feeding the baby the baby so that it grows strong and healthy. Picture this wonderful life growing inside of you.  Visualize a stream of golden light bathing the child send messages to the baby reassure it and let them know its loved and welcome.  This helps develop a bond and practice it regularly.