In pregnancy and beyond, Yoga Nidra can have a profound effect on strengthening the connection and bonding process between mother and child.
These powerful, yet simple and effective relaxation techniques have assisted many women to remain calm and focused during labour and the birth of their baby.
Yoga Nidra will help to clear the mind and relax the body, as the pregnant woman prepares for the birth experience, allowing her to release any outside influences or unconscious fears to experience deep calm and clarity. The gift of Yoga Nidra is to open the pathway of communication with the unborn child, some women experience receiving ‘guidance’ from their baby in this deeply relaxed state.
A woman who was pregnant with her second child expressed a feeling of sadness with the lack of time she had to connect with her baby in utero compared to her first pregnancy. During Yoga Nidra her vision was of her precious baby sitting inside an open lotus flower, giving her a feeling of complete bonding with her baby. She used this image during labour to help birth her beautiful daughter.
Powerful images, such as this, can help the mother remain focused during labour and to truly allow her body to open to the birthing energy as the life force flows through her to birth her child.
Pregnancy / Birth Visualisations
During pregnancy, the psychic pathways are more open and pregnant women are very receptive to simple visualisation ideas –
- Picture a beautiful flower – notice the shape (open or closed/bud or full bloom), colour, smell of the flower. Bring this image into your heart as you send love to your baby.
- Imagine yourself and your baby lying in a hammock, under a tree gently rocking together. Picture the sunlight shining through the leaves bathing you both in golden light.
- Picture a beautiful box – notice the shape, material, colour of the box – inside the box is a gift from your baby. Perhaps a feeling, a word, a colour or a symbol. Thank your baby for this gift and put it somewhere safe.
The practice of Yoga Nidra during a Prenatal Yoga class may include a ‘birth visualisation’ – an opportunity to focus on your birth vision as you create a picture in your mind of the birthing scene. A birthing visualisation guides you through each stage of labour, gives you an insight of what to expect during the birth experience and completes with the welcoming of the baby.
Practicing birth visualisation allows the pregnant woman to gain clarity of her deepest wishes for the birth and to gain insights from her baby. This is a deeply intuitive practice and it’s important to remember to “visualise the cervix closed until the time is right for the labour to begin naturally” whenever you do a birth visualisation.
Following a wonderful birth, the new mother said the birth “was exactly as I visualised it” during relaxation the previous day. Her sense of satisfaction and feeling of creativity following the birth was beautiful to share and will give her a sense of feminine empowerment for the rest of her life.
The benefits of yoga nidra continue as a new mother, managing the needs of a newborn baby when sleep can be broken or elusive. Practicing yoga nidra for new mothers is a way to release stress and relax deeply, perhaps when feeding or simply resting with your baby, the process of affirming this new role is a positive way to enhance bonding.
Mother of three, Sarah, shares “I have been listening to yoga nidra for new mothers, it is amazing! I honestly feel so much better on the mornings that I use it. I also listened to the one for pregnancy through all 3 of my pregnancies. If you are needing something to help relax and centre I recommend this practice.”
Sankalpa for Pregnancy & Early Mothering
The process of making a Sankalpa specifically for the pregnancy or birth will enhance a positive attitude towards this time of transformation and encourage a feeling of empowerment. Your Sankalpa is a positive way to focus on the pregnancy, giving birth or parenting the growing family.
Sample pregnancy / birthing / mothering sankalpas:
“I receive love and support for myself and my baby”
“I release fear and look forward to the birth with confidence”
“I breathe, trust and surrender to give birth peacefully”
“I give thanks for the joy of birth and celebrate new life”
“I embrace my new role as a mother gently and receptively, trusting I am supported”
Anna Watts, a beloved guest teacher for Bliss Baby Yoga since its beginning, is a professional Childbirth Educator and Doula Trainer (Celebration of Birth Doula Academy) who has been working with pregnant women/couples for over 28 years. Her wide experience includes Diploma in Childbirth Education, Diploma in Counselling, Cert IV Training & Assessment, training prenatal yoga teachers, facilitating women’s circles, birth classes, prenatal yoga and supporting many births as a doula. Anna is a mother to two beautiful, adult daughters. Anna is a specialty guest presenter on our Bliss Baby Yoga Online Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga Teacher Training course.
You can purchase Anna’s Yoga Nidra for New Mothers and Celebration of Birth Pregnancy Relaxation on our website now.
Further Reading related to this topic:
- A Grounding Visualisation for Pregnancy with Anna Watts
- Yoga’s Sweetest Nectar: Yoga Nidra by Ana Davis
- The path of surrender: a key to a ‘good’ birth by Beth Ivy Buxton
- The Blessing Of Pregnancy Circles – Nourishing the Gift of Connection by Anna Watts
- Chanting, Mantra and Mudra for Pregnancy and Birth by Jennifer Allen
- Batteries included: the best birth support is inbuilt by Rosie Matheson
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