The benefits of meditation during pregnancy

During the 9 months of pregnancy, the body undergoes major changes. Being aware of her body enables the mother-to-be to fully experience these physical, physiological, and emotional transformations with serenity and free from any apprehension.

This is the context in which meditation can play an essential role, rounding the corners of this metamorphosis and gently preparing for the baby’s arrival. Florence Faisan, a reflexologist at the Sofitel Quiberon Thalassa Sea & Spa , accompanies women throughout their pregnancies. She agreed to share the benefits of meditation for both body and mind.

What is meditation?

Derived from ancestral practices, meditation is a simple technique defined as the ability to face one’s thoughts and anxieties with distance and calm, instead of blocking them out, thanks to mindfulness. Meditation is excellent for refocusing on the present moment, the body and the surroundings, focusing on the breath and the body’s response to mental stimuli as much as possible. Meditation is also a fantastic way to take care of yourself, take a break, and develop your ability to welcome life’s events as they come.

Why should you meditate during pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a time when it is extra important to take special care of yourself. Every woman is unique, and has to learn to deal with many changes on both emotional and physical levels. This is a key period in which you need to focus on your well-being, prioritizing stress reduction, and ensuring that you have all the tools you need to go through your pregnancy in a state of total calm. Meditation is the perfect activity for any woman looking for a gentle way to prepare her body and mind for this new stage of life.

Meditation during pregnancy: find professional guidance

Being accompanied during meditation exercises enables pregnant women to be guided through each stage of their pregnancy, and to experience each of the changes this period brings step by step, without feeling any apprehension. To avoid any contraindications and so that you can enjoy the benefits of meditation with total peace of mind, it is best to speak to your doctor, gynecologist, or midwife as soon as possible.

“Pregnancy support through sophrology is wonderful because it is so effective. Meditative techniques help pregnant women to realize that everything is a form of change on some level. By accompanying this physical, physiological, mental, and emotional upheaval, we can help to make these nine months a serene experience while she prepares for the arrival of her child in the best possible conditions.”

Every mother’s new life begins on the very first day of pregnancy. Pregnant women then have nine months to create a bond that will last for the rest of their lives. The more she feels good about herself, the easier it will be to prepare for childbirth, and the better it will be for her baby.

The benefits of meditation for a serene pregnancy

Be kind to yourself

The practice of meditation teaches patience and perseverance, while reducing anxiety. It enables every woman to recognize her own uniqueness and to discover the benefits of doing something good for herself while taking care of her mind as well as her body.

Ease your worries

Meditative techniques help to alleviate any anxiety linked to bodily changes, childbirth, and the first months with baby. They can also help you to free yourself from social pressures and accept your changing body. This is essential for experiencing this period calmly, which also helps to soothe the unborn child.

Relaxing mindfully

There are many benefits to meditation. In particular, it calms the mind and strengthens emotional stability. By focusing more on relaxing, pregnant women allow their bodies to regenerate, recuperate more effectively, and enjoy every moment of their pregnancy to the full.

Managing pain, nausea or discomfort

Meditation techniques have tangible effects on pain management and any discomfort (backache, nausea, heavy legs, fatigue, contractions, etc.). They can also help you to move through this temporary state with a peaceful, unworried outlook.

Nothing is fixed, everything is in a state of perpetual change, including moments of discomfort. This is why it is so important to learn how to deal with your fears and apprehensions, so that you can face them with a greater sense of serenity.

Preparing for childbirth

Meditation enables you to work on breathing and letting go, managing contractions and controlling your breath. It prepares you for a more relaxed and positive approach to childbirth.

Better quality of life postpartum

This can be a delicate period for any woman facing the emotional challenges following childbirth and dealing with drastic changes to daily life. Becoming a mother is a gradual learning process, and the body needs time to adapt to this new reality.

This postpartum upheaval is also temporary. It takes about nine months to give birth, and just as long to fully recover. It is crucial that you give your body the time it needs to recover. Sofitel Biarritz Le Miramar Thalassa Sea & Spa offers the "My mum and baby getaway" program, a bespoke offering designed to support women in their new, post-pregnancy life as parents.

What meditation exercises are best during pregnancy?

There are various techniques for achieving a meditative state, such as relaxation practices and breathing which can help you learn to let go. And when you are relaxed, your blood pressure drops, your heart beats more slowly, and you secrete “feel-good” hormones.

“To be effective, any meditative practice requires discipline and regularity. All it takes is 10 minutes a day to feel the positive effects of meditation.”

Meditation allows you to create a bubble, to connect with yourself, in silence and in stillness.

Take the time to breathe properly

Mindfulness means breathing with the awareness that you are breathing, and being conscious of how you are breathing. Taking the time to relax three times a day, to breathe quietly, soothes the body and mind while providing an immediate and profound feeling of well-being.

“The cardiac coherence technique is very simple and promotes this state of relaxation, which certainly benefits the fetus.”

Walking

Meditative walking is a beneficial practice for pregnant women, offering deep relaxation and a sense of well-being. As they walk, they synchronize their breathing with their steps, calming both mind and body, and slipping into a form of active meditation. This also encourages full awareness of physical, mental, and emotional sensations, offering a comprehensive experience of well-being.

We recommend walking as often and for as long as possible (without discomfort, of course), preferably in parks, forests, and by the sea, all of which are conducive to relaxation and letting go. Meditative walking can easily be integrated into your daily life.

“When we take a break in nature, it can be good to take the time to contemplate the landscape around us. Trees are incredibly rejuvenating.”

Family meditation

Of course, it is possible to involve the child’s second parent in these meditation exercises. This can help the pregnant woman to feel more supported, while the active participation of her partner helps to create a three-way bond with the unborn child. For example, by simply placing a hand on the belly of the mother-to-be, the warmth of the touch can be felt by both the partner and the baby.

Of course, it is also possible to invite older children to join in the meditation to expand this gentle family bubble.

Activities and treatments in swimming pools for pregnant women

Water is an element generally highly appreciated by pregnant women.

“Meditation techniques teach us to abandon ourselves in the water, letting go of all our bearings and unwinding completely. The pregnant woman can let herself be carried, just as she carries her child.”

Contrary to popular belief, many spa treatments can be enjoyed during pregnancy . Take advantage of your stay at one of our hotels to try your hand at meditation while discovering treatments for deep relaxation.

Pregnancy meditation: the gift of gentleness

Pregnancy should never be seen as an illness or a period of suffering and self-doubt, but rather as a time for introspection and self-care.

The practice of meditation offers expectant mothers the opportunity to nurture a gentleness whose positive effects will be passed on to her child throughout the various stages of her pregnancy. Despite any discomfort experienced during this period of transformation, meditation can help the mother-to-be to focus on the present moment, establishing a deep connection with her baby and promoting the creation of the first bonds in the best possible conditions.