Birth affirmations are positive statements about yourself and your birthing experience. The purpose is to remind you of a truth that will help you reach your goal of a positive birth experience. Affirmations help you to be bold and go after what you want. They may encourage you to ask for the support you deserve, seek answers to questions that arise, and empower you to give birth with confidence emotionally, physically, and spiritually.
Benefits of Birth Affirmations:
They can rewire your brain to think positive thoughts and stimulate positive feelings. Affirmations can distract you from the pain and additionally help you have an unmedicated delivery. They can promote empowering thoughts so you’ll feel more confident. Affirmations may reduce your anxiety and stress. They can help promote natural childbirth and help you have a positive birth experience. They can provide you with strength and courage from the start of the labor.
How To Make Birth Affirmations Work:
Choose the best mantras that are more meaningful to you. Believe in your birth mantras. Repeat, repeat, repeat. Focus on the present moment. Remember the surges won’t last forever. You can manage these surges. Your body is wise and knows what to do. Breathe slowly and deeply. Remember that others’ horror birth stories aren’t your story. Only use positive visualization. Engage your senses. Anchor your affirmations with breathwork and essential oils.
A quick guide on how to use affirmations:
Read through affirmations and find a few that resonate with you for multiple stages of labor
Ask yourself- What would if feel like if I embodied this affirmation?
Ask yourself- What would it look like if I embodied this affirmation?
Write the affirmations down or keep them in your phone for future use
Keep in mind these affirmations will not resonate with everyone, and they may need alterations as labor progresses.
Use these birth affirmations as you are preparing for birth:
“My future self thanks me for the time I am put into making my birth a good experience today.”
“I have the power to do everything I need to accomplish today.”
“I have the power to change my story.”
“I accept myself fully and completely the way I am.”
“I am fearless and brave.”
“I let go of shame and guilt to live and birth in joy.”
“Perfectionism is a lie. I give myself permission to start messy.”
“I am proud of myself.”
“I believe in my body.”
“I celebrate the time, energy, and effort I give to myself for a positive birth experience.”
“The ability to give birth is a gift.”
“I am built for birth. My body and my baby know what to do.”
“All of the strength I need is inside me.”
For early labor:
“This is the day I’ve been waiting for. I am ready.”
“My mind is relaxed. My body is relaxed.”
“I trust my body. I trust my baby. I trust my birth.”
“I am safe. My baby is safe.”
” I am created to do this.”
“Each contraction is bringing my baby closer to meeting me.”
“I listen to my body”
“My baby and I are working together.”
“My body knows just what to do and I trust it.”
“Open, surrender”
“I can, I will”
“I accept and welcome labor.”
“My baby and I are doing this work together.”
“My baby is moving to a perfect position for birth.”
“My body is opening up for my baby.”
“This is the day I’ve been waiting for; I’m ready.”
For labor:
“I can do it because I am doing it.”
“I can’t go around it, I have to go through it.”
One word at a time. “Trust. Open. Relax.”
“I am surrounded by love and so is my baby.”
“Be here.”
“Breathe in ability. Breathe out resistance.”
“I will never have to do that contractions again.”
“Every contraction brings me closer to my baby.”
“Women all over the world are birthing with me right now.”
“My body opens, my mind quiets, my baby descends.”
“My instincts can be trusted and lead me to my baby.”
“It is my birth right to enjoy my birth.”
“With each contraction, I say goodbye to the part of me that could not do it.”
“I am stronger than I ever imagined.”
“I have a voice and a choice.”
“My body knows what it is doing. I was made for this.”
“I focus on right here, right now.”
“One at a time.”
“Sink into it.”
“Fear is a liar.”
“My body is capable and strong.”
“Each wave has a purpose.”
And now, affirmations to help you with pain during birth:
“Ride the waves.”
“I can do this because I am doing it.”
“It can’t last forever. Babies always come.”
“My contractions can never be stronger than me. They are me.”
“I can do anything for ten seconds. Count to ten. Repeat.”
“When I feel I cannot do it, I know I am close.”
“Pain is part of the process. I let it be. I know it will be over soon.”
“I welcome surges. I don’t fight against them.”
“I look for the breaks and sink into them.”
“Pain is power. Pain is progress. Pain brings my baby to me.”
“There is nothing to fear.”
“She believed she could and so she did.”
“Change makes change.”
“With every contraction, I reach through heaven and hell, life and death and bring new life to this world.”
“My body achieves what my mind believes.”
Birth Affirmations For Pushing
“I am ready to meet my baby.”
“I keep breathing. I keep relaxing. I listen to my body.”
“Baby is going to be here very soon.”
“She is turning a corner.”
“I slow down and take my time to keep my body safe.”
“I want to meet my baby now!”
"I keep breathing and relaxing. I listen to my body.” “My baby will be here very soon.” “My baby is in a perfect position to go out.” “My baby is ready to meet me.” “Soon, my baby will leave my womb but will never leave my heart.” “I was born to do this.” “I’m a powerful, life-giving warrior.”
For Spouses/Birth Partners:
“I am just who my family needs.”
“I let go of my fear and stay centered in the moment.”
“I can do this. I am doing this.”
“I intuitively know the right thing to do.”
“My efforts are appreciated now and in the future.”
“My family is safe.”
“I can take time to care for myself as well.”
“I guide. I protect. I wait. I hold space.”
“I embrace my partner’s strength and beauty at this moment.”
“This is my experience too.”
“I am proud of you.”
“You are strong.”
“Lean on me.”
“I’m with you.”
“You can do this.”
“I believe in you.”
“Let me help you a little bit more.”
Birth Affirmations For When Your Plans Change
“I make this choice out of love for my baby and myself.”
“I am strong enough to let my baby be born the way baby needs.”
“I am enough. I did enough.”
“I let go and be present.”
“I surrender to what is and let love heal me.”
“I continue to ask for what I need.”
“I have time, support, and all the tools I need to process my experience and find myself in it.”
“I allow my baby to feel my love, even when I am hurting.”
“Our start does not determine our future.”
“It gets better from here.”
“I will heal.”
Affirmations For Courage
“I create my life and birth.”
“I am becomming more and more confident with every passing day.”
“My birth is full of possibilities.”
“I am able to encourage myself no matter the circumstances I find myself in.”
“Just because it’s hard, doesn’t mean it’s mpossible. I can do it.”
“I gracefully surrender to the process of creating life.”
“I trust that I have all the skills, talents, and abilities within me that I need to birth my baby.”
“I am proud of who I am.”
For Natural Birth:
"It is not pain I am feeling, it is my body doing what it is made for."
"When I feel I can do it no longer, I can, and I will."
"I look forward to my birthing day."
"My baby is making its way into the world on waves of contractions"
"Inhale strength and exhale pain"
"Soon I will meet my baby, and the pain of birth will dissipate."
"I do not need validation from others. My body, my baby, my birth."
"I am joining the generations of mothers who have birthed before me. They did it and so can I."
"Childbirth is a natural process. Whatever happens, it will be my birthing experience and I will embrace it."
"For water births: The warm water is welcoming my baby, helping it gently from my body and into the world."
"We are all born through our mother’s pain. With this pain, I am giving my child life."
"I will be present at every moment. I will not try to escape this birth."
"Instead, I will embrace it and the life I am giving to my child."
C-Section Birth Affirmations:
"The safe delivery of my baby is the most important thing."
"Every birth is a valid birth."
"Allowing medical intervention shows love for my baby."
"I am giving my baby the best birth possible."
"The story of my baby’s birth is amazing because it is our birth story."
"My love for my baby is what makes me a mother, not how I give birth."
"Our delivery team wants only what is best for me and my baby."
"There is no weakness in cesarean birth because to give up my plan shows strength."
"I am in the right place, doing the right thing."
"My choosing a cesarean is not a failure. It is an empowered, informed choice."
"Birth is miraculous, no matter how it happens."
"As I see my baby lifted from my body, I will feel the joy surge through me."
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