Meditation forms a crucial part of KalmaMamas classes. They are performed at the beginning of the class to bring attention to the here and now, to the breath, the body and the baby. It is then carried out again at the end of class. Visualisation can be used as part of meditation.

Meditation has huge benefits during pregnancy. It is calming, allowing the mind to be still and balanced. It allows the mother opportunity to connect with herself and understand what is happening in her body and mind. This is extremely important at this huge time of change for the mother. This is also beneficial to the baby as a contented mother means a contented unborn baby and they are bathed in happy hormones and not stress hormones. It also is an important bonding technique, allowing the mother to focus solely on her unborn child forging a deep bond.

These useful techniques can be used in the post natal sessions.  They should be a continuation from the pre natal into post.  Meditation releases powerful all-natural “inner anesthetics” into the body.  Meditation Boosts Two Natural Painkillers: Endorphins & Dopamine. Endorphins, which are up to 100 times more powerful than the strongest painkiller, morphine, are released in abundance both during and after meditation.  The same chemicals responsible for “runners high,” endorphins feel so awesome that they keep many “run rats” addicted to the pavement.  Dopamine, a chemical messenger known for numbing pain, is another chemical very helpful in the delivery room.

Meditation is the perfect state of mind for visualising the perfect outcome.   Since delivery day is the ultimate event, achieving the ultimate outcome can be made easier with meditation.

It is also crucial to the post natal period.  Teaching mamas in the fourth trimester that knowing how to produce and use happiness hormones which can help lift their moods.

The “happy hormones” include:

• Dopamine. Also known as the “feel-good” hormone, dopamine is a hormone and neurotransmitter that’s an important part of your brain’s reward system. It is associated with pleasurable sensations, along with learning, memory, motor system function, and more.
• Serotonin. This hormone (and neurotransmitter) helps regulate your mood as well as your sleep, appetite, digestion, learning ability, and memory.
• Oxytocin. Often called the ‘love hormone” oxytocin is essential for childbirth, breastfeeding, and strong parent-child bonding. This hormone can also help promote trust, empathy, and bonding in relationships, and oxytocin levels generally increase with physical affection like kissing, cuddling, and sex.
• Endorphins. These are your body’s natural pain reliever, which your body produces in response to stress or discomfort. Endorphin levels also tend to increase when you engage in reward-producing activities, such as eating, working out, or having sex.

Its important to explain why we need to trigger these hormones in order to give us a sense of happiness after birth.  Knowing how they can be triggered by simple activities such as walking, talking to a friend, taking a bath something which really makes them smile!

Baby in the Womb

The benefits can be further enhanced with the choice of visualisation used. Visualising the baby in the womb is extremely effective in forging a bond between the mother and the unborn child especially if practiced regularly. This begins by focusing on the breath, with the mother sitting comfortably spine straight. Deepen and slow the breath, gradually bringing the hands to the abdomen. Focus the visualisation on the baby and send them light and love. Once they are connected, picture the baby, its head, eyes, eyebrows, nose and mouth. The curve of their spine and they are tucked in the fetal position. The arms, hands, tiny fingers and toes. Then visualise the placenta sending nutrients to the baby, knowing your body is providing all they need to grow strong. Think about the amazing miracle of that life growing inside. Once again send light to the baby focusing on the streams of golden light and talk to the baby reassuring them that they are loved. Allow the images to slowly subside and bring the parents back to the room.

Under the Waterfall

Let  your  body  now  begin  to  relax…..begin  to  feel  floaty  and  let  go  of  any  tension  that  surrounds  you…………let  your  mind  and  body relax………..begin  to imagine you  are  holding  your  baby  standing under  a  waterfall.    As  you imagine  the  water  flowing  down, imagine  that  it  is  taking  with  it  all  the  cares  of  your  day  and  any worries from  your  mind,  washing  them  away.

The  water  pours  over  your  head,  and  your  baby’s  head.  Soaking  your  hair,  and  baby’s  hair.    dripping  down  to  the  very  ends,  and  in  response  your  mind  relaxes  and  surrenders  any  unnecessary  care.

Observing

Sitting comfortably spine straight close the eyes focus on the breath coming in and out.  Start to deepen the breath and tune into the rhythm of it.  Focus on the path it takes through the body when entering through the nose.  How does the breath feel as it enters? How does your body feel?  Bring awareness to the ribcage to ensure it expands and contracts try to encourage the ladies to breath above the navel and not below.  How does the mind feel?  Let the thoughts leave the mind don’t give them time let them pass through the mind and leave.  Focus on the space between the thoughts and lengthen the time in between.  The result of watching the mind and not being involved in its actions will help clam.

Counting breath

This is a great breath to start before any meditation.  Sitting tall and comfortable, focusing on the breath.  Look for stillness in the class.  Focus needs to be on the breath with the mind not wandering.  Count each breath without any distractions in the mind.  When the mind wanders count again from one.  Its about strictness in this and make mums aware of this.  The tiniest distraction returns the mind back to one again.  Start by counting five then to increase to ten.  It’s a good mediation to achieve a meditative state eventually without any stimuli.

Yoga Nidra feel relaxation

This is a status of dynamic sleep, and an hour of this is the equivalent of four’s hours sleep!  When its practiced regularly harmony and balance can be resorted.  It’s a valuable tool in pregnancy and after!  Lay down with a blanket is a perfect position, no draughts in a warm environment.  Socks are useful.  It’s important to not be disturbed. In sessions around 15 minutes is sufficient.  Talk through a breathing technique so focus is brought to it and slow it down.  Music maybe used.  Dim the lights.  Talk through the various body parts using body scan relax to relax them, draw the attention to them.  Start at the top or the bottom. This is so mums can easily follow and identify.  Name the body part twice before moving to the next.

Body scan relax

Talk through each body part at least twice from top to bottom or bottom to top.  You can use this In Yoga Nidra also

Right foot, focus on the right foot and relax the right foot.  The right foot is relaxed.

Right ankle, focus on the right ankle and relax the right ankle.  The right ankle is relaxed.

Right Calf, focus on the right calf and relax the right calf.  The right calf is relaxed.

Right kneecap, focus on the right kneecap and relax the right kneecap.  The right kneecap is relaxed.

Right thigh, focus on the right thigh and relax the right thigh.  The right thigh is relaxed.

Right buttock, focus on the right buttock and relax the right buttock.  The right buttock is relaxed.

Right hip, focus on the right hip and relax the right hip.  The right hip is relaxed.

Sacro-ileac joint, focus on the joint and relax the joint.  The sacro-ileac is relaxed.

Lumbar Region, focus on the lumbar region and relax the lumber region.  The lumber region is relaxed.

Thoracic Region focus on the Thoracic region and relax the thoracic region.  The thoracic region is relaxed.

Neck, focus on the neck and relax the neck.  The neck is relaxed.

Right arm, focus on the right arm and relax the right arm.  The right arm is relaxed.

Right hand, focus on the right hand and relax the right hand.  The right hand is relaxed.

Head, focus on the head and relax the head.  The head is relaxed.

Repeat for left side of body.

The whole body is relaxed.

Mindful Walking 

This works well following a standing posture and particularly heel lifts.

Start by standing comfortably with feet hip distance apart. Slowly peel the heel of one foot up from the mat and then place it slowly back down again. Repeat on the other side. Start to do this so that as the first heel goes down the second heel lifts up so this is now rhythmic but still slow. Then begin to slowly walk. As we do this, try not to look at the feet, but on a point in front of you. Focus on placing the heel down in front of you and feeling the sensation as the toes slowly follow and spread to ground you. As we do this around the room, feel the difference when you are stepping on a mat and stepping on the floor. Continue this and try to get the mamas to do this as slowly as possible before bringing them back to their own mats.

Dealing with the Pains of Pregnancy

This technique can help with accepting issues you may deal with in pregnancy. This needs to be done after a class has been taught how to complete a body scan.  We have a tendency to try to ignore pains and just live with them, but it is healthier to acknowledge and accept them.

Sitting in easy pose (or whatever is most comfortable for the mother), gently close the eyes and focus on the breath flowing in and out. As you continue to breathe, think about any niggles you currently have in your body. This could be lower back pain, hip pain, sore boobs, anything really. Once you have identified it allow yourself to focus on it and realise it is there. Remind yourself that your body is doing an amazing job growing your baby. Whilst focusing on the body part that is causing pain, breathe your breath in to that area and then back out from that area. In your head, say to yourself ‘It’s okay. Let me feel this pain. I can deal with this’. Remember, we are not resigning ourselves to the pain, but accepting it for what it is and we are responding to it rather than reacting. Bring the breath back to the centre, bring their focus back to the room and slowly open the eyes.

Dealing with the Mental Shift 

During pregnancy it is completely normal for your feelings to shift. Not only are you dealing with huge hormonal changes, but often a lack of sleep, pains, tiredness, carrying extra weight and all of this affects our mood. Allow yourself to accept this is normal. Within class, carry out a similar meditation to the body scan, but focus on the mind and feelings. Ask the mamas to think about the feelings they have dealt with over the last week, accept them as part of pregnancy and be kind to themselves.

Gratitude Body Scan

This is all about being thankful for the amazing things our bodies can do. It works in the same way as a full body scan, bring awareness to different parts of the body. But this time the focus is on thanking that body part for what it helps us do. So for example, the ankles might be swollen but they have helped us to continue to walk around and carry the weight of the baby. The wrists might be feeling sore, but they helped us to hug our bump. The brain might feel all fuzzy but its still helping us to get through the day, and continue with our work or chores. Always finish with a focus on the abdomen. Thanking the placenta for doing such an amazing job of feeding our baby with oxygen and nutrients. Focus on the baby and thank our whole body for this amazing miracle of life.

Relaxation

An extended relaxation time is important during our pregnancy classes. Remind the Mamas that they need to make time for themselves during pregnancy.  It’s so important in our sessions to allow our mamas to be a chance to relax to experience pregnancy and bond with their unborn.  It gives ladies a chance to tune out and enjoy the moment.  Society has placed many working demands whilst literally growing your tiny human.  Women carry on with this each day whilst experiencing many emotional hormonal and physical imbalances and changes.

At the start of relaxation, get the Mamas to close their eyes and focus on their breath to allow them to relax. Then bring the focus back to their baby. Talk through the developmental stages that the babies are currently at. This could be a general one for their trimester or more specific to the number of weeks. Then you can use any visualisation or meditation or breath focus for relaxation followed by a period of quiet with just gentle background music to allow the Mamas to process the class and bond with baby. Always end by bringing them back to the room gently, get them to wiggle fingers and toes for example to bring awareness back to their surroundings. Bring them slowly back to sitting to ring the bells and thank them for coming.