It’s easy to let the excitement and anticipation of the arrival of a new little one into your family translate into physical preparations: establishing the most ideal car seat, loading up on your army of bottles, and preparing your body for one of the biggest athletic events of its life.
But, what about mental and emotional preparation?
It’s so easy to get swept up in the newness of it all. I remember wanting to read every resource I could get my hands on about what to expect and how to prepare for motherhood. And with the internet, it’s easy to become engrossed in the acquisition of external information rather than being reflective or introspective.
That’s what makes me wonder — what if we thought about meditation during pregnancy as important as taking prenatal vitamins?
Meditation is a powerful, totally affordable way to reduce stress. A great 2019 study called “Associations of perceived prenatal stress and adverse pregnancy outcomes with perceived stress fears after delivery” followed 10,000 women pre- and postpartum.
They discovered that maternal stress is a risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes such as delivering preterm and developing gestational diabetes or preeclampsia. They also discovered the stress experienced during pregnancy can predict how stressed mothers feel two to seven years postpartum!
Stress is also a big generator of fear, pain, and anxiety. A Harvard study called “Emotions and Decision Making” (2014) discovered that you literally can’t think deeply about anything if you are stressed.
But combatting stress sometimes can be stressful. Where do you even start?
I suggest starting with two minutes of meditation a day. Think of meditation as a momentary pause that gives our brains time to quietly process ourselves and the world around us. I’d even make the analogy that our brains need meditation just as much as our bodies need water.
Meditation can take several forms, from sitting with closed eyes in a quiet space, to really generating gratitude for a meal, to giving yourself grace for not doing something you told yourself you “should” do. It can be a shift in perspective of allowing hardships to be perceived as growth opportunities. It can be envisioning a positive journey into parenthood or focusing on your breath.
My favorite place to meditate is sitting in my parked car, just before I get out to go somewhere. I set a timer for a few minutes and just be still. It helps me set my intention for why I’m there, establish how I’m feeling, and create a sense of awareness.
This routine, over time, yields a sense of peace and resiliency to life’s unexpected jolts.
I can’t think of a better gift you can give your little one than the benefit of a calm nervous system and the ability to be your most aware, clear-minded, gratitude-filled self.
Monika Patel is a Doctor of Physical Therapy and strength and conditioning specialist. She has a passion for empowering women to prepare for well-balanced motherhood — both mentally and physically. She has applied her knowledge of preventative medicine to establish Train4Birth, an affordable online course with a built-in accountability feature. She is also the mother of a truck-loving toddler and couldn’t be happier digging with him in the backyard. Visit train4birth.com for more information.