Birth Affirmations: Developing a Positive Mindset for Labor

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Last Updated on September 27, 2024

Being pregnant and going through childbirth is a very unique experience. While many women go through it, there are so many ways it can go, whether it’s a 20-hour labor or 2 days. there is a lot that can happen, which makes it personal to you. There are many things that women have to do when going through childbirth and it’s a physical and emotionally exhausting experience.

The build-up can be just as hard as the birth itself and while I know we’ve not started the conversation on a positive note, we must be honest in these moments and recognise the reality of what women go through is extremely important, especially when picking which birth affirmations align with your desired outcome and which areas you need to push more positive thinking into.

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What is the Purpose of Birth Affirmations?

The main goal with incorporating and really connecting with your birth affirmations is pretty simple: you are essentially speaking into existence, whether it’s manifesting, manipulation of the mind and body or just having the utmost faith in the mantras and affirmations you are saying aloud. This allows you to be present at the moment but also switch your mind into a more positive one, crafting a pleasant outlook on the birth process and everything leading up to it.

“Affirmations as a whole are short statements that are created to achieve a desired mindset,” according to Vanessa Hawke, a certified labor doula and childbirth educator. “They are usually short in length. Easy to remember, and are designed so that the person giving birth can repeat it before and during labor… to alleviate fear, to increase their sense of confidence in their body’s abilities, and/or to maintain a sense of calm.”

It makes more than sense to begin these affirmations even if you think it’s silly at first and just see how it goes. I have had my debates with affirmations but it’s like the confidence you put on the mask and it works, so it essentially is the same thing, faking it until it becomes your reality.

Another motivator to apply affirmations to my real life is because there is actually science to back it all up. One study in 2016 suggested that affirmations work due to neuroplasticity, which is the brain’s ability to change itself as you go through life. As life hits us, we can change, so saying things aloud can eventually teach your brain to believe them.

Who Can Use Birth Affirmations?

No matter your religion, background or gender, you can use birth affirmations, and they are as useful to the parent who is not carrying the baby as to one who is. Whether you wear a hijab or you are from a very strict religious background, affirmations can bring you closer to your religion and are in no way disrespectful.

Overall birth affirmations are available to anyone who wishes to invest the time in being more outspoken on their positivity.

What Are The Benefits Of Birth Affirmations To Child Birth?

You may already know about positive affirmations such as ‘I am beautiful, I am kind, and I am worthy.’ these are all to promote a better sense of self. Birth affirmations are meant for a range of other things and we will be getting into it.

Positive Mindset

Everyone has some sort of voice inside their mind and sometimes it can be egging on our negative feelings and moods, making them much worse than they need to be. This can happen more often than not during pregnancy, childbirth and after childbirth. While it’s expected for you to have down days because your body is changing, pregnancy jitters and literally everything else.

Birth affirmations can bring you back to the light and encourage you to push those negative thoughts out of your mind. In the same way that exercising makes you stronger, remaining positive in times when it’s hard can make you more resilient to negative thoughts.

Decrease Your Stress Levels

Being pregnant can raise your stress levels just as our hormones are all over the place so you can’t help but expect it to have some impact on your stress levels. But also, preparing for the birth of your child is just as stressful as everything else. Positive mantras can be like counting down from ten or going on a walk. A simple solution is to remind yourself of all the positive things and that everything will be okay and that you are doing amazing. Our Mom’s Daily Joy gratitude journal can also help tremendously as you prepare for childbirth and even postpartum!

Change Your Behavior

You may find that pregnancy as a whole changes you as a person, which is completely normal and expected. You are growing a little mini you and putting your body through a lot. Having mantras can allow you to remind yourself that your feelings and those moments you lose your temper aren’t you and essentially be a way for you to calm yourself down.

Help You Cope During and After Labor

While it might be the last thing you want during labor, remembering your mantras and using them in times you need a boost is so key. While you will have your partner or loved one with you during this, you are supposed to be your biggest supporter and it’s not always screaming, sweating and pushing for 12 hours, so give yourself some grace and self-love during moments it’s hard.

The 👉Love Your Labour Signature System 👈is also worth checking out if you want to ease your fears and anxieties about pain during labor and childbirth!

What Birth Affirmations Could I Use?

Here are a list of birth affirmations that have been used and could be the perfect fit for what you need to hear.

“My body was made to do this”

“I am resilient, strong, and brave.”

“I am capable of amazing things.”

“I love my tiger stripes.”

“I trust my body to know what to do.”

“I am strong and capable.”

“I feel good, and I am beautiful inside and out.”

“With each deep breath, I feel better.”

“The same love I feel toward myself I will feel towards my baby.”

“I am enough, doing enough and the best mom. ”

“My baby and I are strong and healthy.”

“My baby gives me the strength to do anything.”

“I am overflowing with oxytocin.”

“Giving birth is the ultimate honour.”

“I am lucky for this life.”

These are just a couple of examples that you can use whenever you need to hear it but don’t let this list stop you from creating your own or combining them together. At the end of the day, these are little situations that can be used in privacy and the journey of self-love starts today. whether you are in your third trimester or you’ve just given birth, it’s never too early or too late to start this chain of positive thinking.