20 Affirmations to Prepare for Labour and Delivery
Bringing a new life into the world is a beautiful and sacred journey, filled with love and endless blessings. And, as an expecting mother, preparing for labour and delivery can be a mental and physical challenge. While physical preparation is important with your prenatal vitamins and regular tests, it is equally important to tend to your mental well-being. This phase, especially the third trimester as you near the end of your pregnancy, brings with it a good dose of anxiety, stress and the near-compulsive urge to get things in order. To cope with these feelings and reduce stress during these tough times, try some positive pregnancy affirmations. These can help reduce anxiety, build confidence and create a calm mindset leading up to childbirth. Repeating affirmations during your pregnancy can bring a sense of peace, helping you feel supported and prepared for your journey of birth, no matter how it unfolds.
Affirmations for childbirth can help a mother to be mentally strong, transforming fear into faith and stress into strength. Whether you are opting for a natural childbirth or a Caesarean section delivery, with or without an epidural, these affirmations for labour will support you through every stage of labour.
What’s the Purpose of Birth Affirmations?
The primary goal of affirmations for childbirth is to shape a positive mindset and encourage a sense of confidence and calm throughout the birthing process. These are short, powerful statements designed to help expecting mothers stay focused, reduce fear and embrace labour with a strong, optimistic outlook.
Affirmations are short statements created to achieve a desired mindset. They are easy to remember and meant to be repeated before and during labour to alleviate fear, boost confidence in the body’s abilities and promote a sense of calm.
While the idea of repeating affirmations may seem unconventional, science supports their effectiveness. According to a 2016 study on neuroplasticity by National Institutes of Health, the brain’s ability to reorganise and adapt suggests that affirmations help rewire thought patterns. This allows individuals to replace fear and doubt with reassurance and positivity.
Birth affirmations can be used as a standalone mental preparation technique or combined with other pain management strategies, such as hypnobirthing. Hypnobirthing is a method that incorporates controlled breathing, guided visualisations and positive affirmations to create a relaxed and empowering birthing experience. Many women find that repeating affirmations while practicing deep breathing or visualization helps them manage discomfort, maintain a steady rhythm and stay connected to their bodies.
The beauty of birth affirmations is that they are versatile and adaptable, making them beneficial regardless of your birthing plan. Affirmations serve as a steady reminder of strength, helping you to navigate labour with a sense of control, reassurance and emotional support as you prepare to meet your baby.
The Science Behind Birth Affirmations
Our thoughts have a powerful influence on our physical experiences. Stress and fear during labour can trigger hormones that slow the contractions and increase the pain. The body releases oxytocin - the "love hormone" - with positive thoughts, which helps labour progress better.
Understanding how pregnancy affirmations can influence labour involves a closer look at oxytocin, often dubbed the "love hormone" or "bonding hormone." Oxytocin plays a vital role during childbirth by stimulating uterine contractions, facilitating cervical dilation and ultimately aiding in the progression of labour. This hormone also fosters feelings of relaxation, trust and psychological stability—essential elements for a calmer and more focused birthing process.
Positive emotions and thoughts, sparked by practices like affirmations, can increase oxytocin levels. By focusing on affirmative statements and nurturing a positive mindset, pregnant individuals may enhance natural oxytocin production, creating a conducive environment for a smoother labour progression.
Integrating Affirmations with Other Techniques
Birth affirmations can be particularly powerful when integrated with other birthing techniques:
1. Hypnobirthing
Hypnobirthing combines deep relaxation, breathing techniques, guided visualisation and positive affirmations to create a calm birthing experience. By consciously relaxing and repeating affirmations, you may experience reduced fear and tension, promoting smoother labour progression.
2. Visualisation
Visualising the birth process alongside affirmations can enhance your effectiveness. As you repeat affirmations, picture your body working in harmony with your baby, your cervix gently opening and your baby navigating the birth canal with ease. This mental imagery can solidify your confidence and reduce perceived pain.
3. Breathing Techniques
Consciously focusing on your breath during labour can help maintain calmness. Pair your affirmations with rhythmic breathing exercises; inhale deeply through the nose, exhale slowly through the mouth, and mentally repeat your chosen affirmation. This holistic approach can lower anxiety levels and keep you grounded during contractions.
Birth affirmations work through several mechanisms:
Mental Programming: Positive statements override negative thoughts through regular repetition
Stress Reduction: Our body relaxes with calming words
Pain Management: Pain perception changes with positive focus
Confidence Building: Self-affirming statements strengthen our belief in birthing abilities.
What are some positive birth affirmations to use?
Birth affirmations can make a big difference in your birth experience. Here are 20 powerful affirmations can help you calm down during your labour:
20 Powerful Birth Affirmations
"My body was made to birth my baby, and I trust its wisdom."
"I trust my instincts and intuition to guide me through labour and delivery."
"My baby and I are working together as a team."
"I am relaxed, safe, and calm."
"I am strong, capable, and resilient."
"I welcome each surge with strength, knowing my body is doing exactly what it needs to do."
"Birth is powerful. I will let it empower me."
"I am fierce but flexible."
"With each breath, I release fear and welcome peace."
"I surrender to the natural rhythm of labour."
"I soften, I open, I release."
"I breathe deeply, and I am calm."
"Each contraction brings me closer to meeting my baby."
"I am connected to generations of women who have birthed before me."
"Women around the world are birthing with me."
"I am in control, and I trust my body’s natural ability to birth my baby."
"I am worthy of a positive and empowering birth experience."
"I am surrounded by love and support."
"I make the best-informed choices for my baby."
"My courage is stronger than my fear."
Creating a Personalised Affirmation Plan
Developing a personalised plan for your affirmations can ensure they truly resonate and become effective tools during labour:
Identify Your Needs and Fears: Take time to acknowledge any specific fears or anxieties related to childbirth. Creating affirmations targeting these areas can transform concern into empowerment.
Involve Your Partner or Support Team: Communicate with your partner and/or birthing team about your chosen affirmations so they can remind and support you in using them during labour.
Create an Affirmation Playlist: Compile a playlist of recorded affirmations, calming music or nature sounds that can play in the background during labour, fostering a serene birthing environment.
How to Incorporate Affirmations into Your Routine
Incorporating affirmations into your routine can significantly improve your birthing experience. Here's how you can make the most out of these powerful statements:
Daily Practice: Start practicing affirmations daily during your pregnancy. Saying them aloud strengthens the mental connection.
Visual Reminders: Write your affirmations down and place them in visible areas like your mirror, fridge or bedside. These visual cues constantly reinforce positive thinking.
Meditation and Mindfulness: Pair affirmations with meditation or mindfulness exercises. This combination can deepen your relaxation and instils a sense of peace.
Affirmation Recordings: Record yourself repeating these affirmations. Listening to these recordings can serve as a soothing practice during times when anxiety or apprehension rises.
Create a Relaxing Environment: Surround yourself with soothing elements like soft lightning, calm music, or comforting scents to reinforce a peaceful mindset while practicing your affirmations.
Make an affirmation box: Fill a small box with uplifting affirmations and pick one each morning to set a positive tone for the day.
Birth Affirmations in Different Birthing Scenarios
Affirmations are remarkably versatile and can be applied in various birthing scenarios:
Natural Birth: For those opting for a natural delivery, affirmations can centre your mind, diminish apprehension and tap into your inherent birthing power.
Medicated Birth: Even if you choose pain relief or a C-section, affirmations can help maintain a positive mindset, ensuring that you feel powerful and in control of your birthing experience.
Emergency Situations: In unexpected scenarios, affirmations can help manage stress levels, helping you stay calm and make necessary decisions with clarity.
Key Takeaway
Birth affirmations are powerful tools that help change our approach to childbirth from uncertainty to confidence. These positive statements act as anchors during pregnancy and labour to keep us focused and calm when moments get intense. Childbirth can seem overwhelming, but practicing birth affirmations regularly builds mental strength. The real value comes not from memorizing these statements but from deeply believing in their message. Each statement about trust, strength, peace, or connection reinforces our natural knowledge of how to give birth. Birth affirmations affect each person uniquely. Take your time to pick or create statements that truly appeal to your personal experience. Your support team's understanding of these affirmations makes them more effective during labour.