The holidays are upon us and so (at times) is stress, anxiety, and a bit of chaos. To limit unwarranted emotions from impacting your pregnancy, we encourage you to incorporate mindfulness exercises into your daily routine. Mindfulness activities can positively prepare you for the stressors of life and labor.

Mindfulness is not one size fits all and can be practiced in many different ways. From reading a book, taking a bath, or journaling, mindfulness is meant to be a type of meditation in which you focus on being intensely aware of what you're feeling in the moment, without interpretation or judgment. Mindfulness meditation is increasingly being used as a way of managing pain, reducing stress and anxiety, and can be used as a strategy during labor.

Nancy Bardacke, a nurse-midwife and mindfulness teacher shared how mindfulness training is effective for working with physical pain during labor. She said, “By using mindfulness to work with the contractions of labor, noticing that they are temporary and that there are spaces of ease in between, expectant parents learn a skill they can use later in parenting.”

Like any new habit, mindfulness takes practice. We invite you to explore the mindfulness exercises created by the folks at Tommy John to take small steps towards managing the pain experienced in our lives and during labor. Follow the instructions below outlining each activity.

Box Breathing

Instructions:

Find a quiet, tech-free space without distractions.
Set a timer for 1–3 minute intervals and place your finger on the blue circle on the top right corner of the blue box.
Breathe in for 4 seconds, completely filling your lungs. Lower your finger to the next corner.

4. Hold your breath for 4 seconds. Move your finger to the next corner.

5. Exhale for 4 seconds, being sure to expel every last bit of air. Move your finger to the next corner.

6. Hold your lungs empty for 4 seconds. Move your finger back to where you started.

7. Repeat as desired.

Benefits:

Reduced worry and anxiety
Increased circulation
Increased mental clarity
Improved ability to manage stress

Five Sense Reflection

Instructions:

Set a timer for 10 minutes. Choose a positive memory and start to recreate it in your mind.
Visualize and record all the details of the memory.
Any time you find yourself losing focus, acknowledge the distracting thought, embrace it, and then let it go. Patiently return back to your story rather than letting unrelated thoughts frustrate you.

Benefits:

Centers and grounds you
Reminds you to be mindful of the positive details of life
Clears your head and frees up mental energy for the next day

Gratitude Mapping

Instructions:

Find a quiet, tech-free space.
Take a series of deep breaths for at least three minutes before you begin writing.
Set a timer for 10 minutes. Record everything that you are thankful for within each category. Be as specific as possible and focus on the feeling of gratitude as you’re writing.