Almost every woman who goes through pregnancy has some questions about diet, exercise and other lifestyle choices. Exercise can be highly beneficial at appropriate levels. Women who exercised a great deal prior to becoming pregnant may have to reduce the intensity of their workouts, but, with doctor's permission, may still practice such calming and strengthening exercises as walking and yoga. Meditation can also provide the mind and body with stress relief and numerous health benefits during pregnancy.
Meditation Practice for Pregnant Women
There are many types of meditation for women, but most fall under two large categories, the Meditation Analysis website explains: concentrative meditation and non-concentrative meditation. These help to relieve insomnia, reduce anxiety and blood pressure and can improve breathing, providing profound health benefits for women who are pregnant. The primary focus of any meditation practice is to quiet the mind and improve focus, which helps ease the common symptoms of pregnancy, including nausea, fatigue and discomfort.
Types of Meditation
Within the two general categories of meditation lie numerous types, including mindful meditation, breath watching, walking meditation, empty-mind meditation and transcendental meditation. Mindful meditation surrounds the idea of focusing on what is happening around you and making you acutely aware of your own personal thoughts and feelings. Breath watching involves making you aware of your breath and improving the overall capacity in which you inhale and exhale. Walking meditation involves your entire body and encourages you to focus on the movement of your body and the way it connects to the outside world as you walk around, the BabyCenter India website explains. Empty-mind meditation requires you to clear your mind of any thoughts, allowing it to rest and become peaceful. Transcendental meditation is the practice of chanting of a mantra to prevent your mind from wandering and to encourage it to become calm and peaceful. These are all safe and beneficial for women who are pregnant and hope to become calm, peaceful and still.
Health Benefits
There are many health benefits of practicing meditation while pregnant; these not only improve your health but also the health of your baby in your womb, homeopathic health expert Maria Gioia Atzori reports. Since meditation helps you relax and feel peaceful, you communicate these feelings directly to your unborn baby, so the benefits are profound. These health benefits include a reduction in stress; the production of endorphins, which reduce pain; increased production of dehydroepiandrosterone, a hormone that stimulates the production of immunity-boosting T and B lymphocytes; a decrease in the production of stress hormones adrenalin and cortisol; an increase in melatonin, which can help you sleep better; and the reduction of negative emotions, which can affect your baby's development.
How to Meditate
Understanding the health benefits of meditation during pregnancy is half the equation. Knowing the proper way to meditate is another part that women have to learn to reap all the benefits. The first step is to find a comfortable space that is free of distraction. Depending on how far into your pregnancy you are, it might be more comfortable to meditate while lying down or sitting in a chair, but it is important to keep your spine and head straight. Focus on your breathing to allow yourself to relax. Be sure to stay on task and keep your mind from wandering. With practice, you will find it easier to overcome the mind's natural tendency to wander and you will be able to stay focused, calm, relaxed and at ease while you breathe in and out --- and focus on your own thoughts, feelings and surroundings.
