Pregnancy Mindset Exercise
- Jennifer Posthuma
- Mar 30
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 31
FOR PREGNANCY, PRODROMAL LABOUR AND EARLY LABOUR
When I was pregnant with my second daughter I was at the start of a profound journey of self improvement and deep awakening. After healing from my traumatic first birth, I decided that for my second pregnancy I was going to do everything differently. I had already resigned to trust my intuition and live my life in a way that was truly authentic. I hired a mindset coach, something that I had never considered doing before, and got to work. Through the process of everything that I was learning, I developed my own mindset exercise. I knew I was on the right track and I came across evidence that it was going to work to prove it.
I first used the exercise to write my own birth plan and I designed a template that was unlike any other template out there. (By the way, that template is available for you to download and use for free, and you can find it on my freebies page). But I didn't realize the power of my mindset exercise until it was my friend's time to give birth. She had been in prodromal labour for two full weeks! And I had a hunch that it might help, so I suggested she try my mindset exercise. She went into labour the very next day. I couldn't believe it! So as my own pregnancy progressed, I continued to practise the exercise myself. When the time came for my own labour to begin, I used the exercise to get through early labour. I laid on my bed, in the dimly lit room with my selected music playing and breathed through the contractions. Every time I started to feel pain, I imagined my baby already in my arms and the pain subsided immediately. It was an amazing experience, and even though hours of this went by, before I knew it I was in active labour and my baby was on the way. I had my absolute dream birth experience AND everything unfolded exactly in the way that I described it would. Even down to the exact date that I wanted her to be born on!
While I can't say that the same will be true for you, I can say that this is a very powerful exercise and I am here to share it with you today.
MINDSET EXERCISE
Imagine that your baby is already in your arms and your birth went exactly the way that you wanted it to go.
What happened?
Where did it happen?
When did it happen?
Who was there?
How do you feel now?
Write out your birth story in past tense. Use this story to help you choose what to put in your birth plan. If you want to take this exercise to the next level, read your birth story out loud. Really feel it. Then, when you are ready, record yourself telling your birth story. There is something really powerful about hearing yourself, tell your birth story in this way. Then if you want to take it even deeper, listen to the recording at night as you are drifting off to sleep. Or even, play it on a loop during the night. This step will move the story into your subconscious mind, sending this message directly to your body and your baby. And I can't stress this enough, the emotion connected to this experience is a really important piece. So, don't record yourself until you really feel the way that you want to feel, because any inauthenticity will come through in your voice.
OTHER WAYS TO USE THIS EXERCISE:
Help With Labour
You can use the exercise of imagining your baby already in your arms, to help you get through early labour contractions.
If you are in prodromal labour, you can use this same exercise to help you get into active labour.
Tip: You can add the date that you want your baby to be born in to your recorded birth story and listen to that at night.
Help With Challenging Conversations
If you are dealing with a challenging health care provider, you can imagine how you want your appointment to go ahead of time. Write it down as if it has already happened. This will help you to be more relaxed going into your appointment, and if you are more relaxed, they are more likely to be relaxed.
The same can be done for talking to difficult friends, family members, or other people in the community.
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