Share the love – with your unborn bub!

It’s Valentine’s Day but that doesn’t mean you get to miss out if your bub is still on the inside! Here are five ways you can send warm, fuzzy vibes to your unborn baby…

Heart to heart breath

Sit in a comfortable pose with your spine lengthened and shoulders relaxed. Take three slow, deep breaths – making a gentle sigh with the exhale.

Then take one hand to your heart centre and the other to your baby’s heart.

As you inhale feel the love that your baby is sending you travelling directly to your heart. And as you exhale send that breath (and love) straight back to your baby!

As you practice enjoy this sensation of the two of you bathed in love. Feel the gentle warmth from the loving touch of your hands bringing loving energy into your heart centre and your baby’s heart centre.

Remembering that you may have chosen to have your baby but did you know your baby chose you as his or her mum? And that YOU are the best mother for your baby… Repeat this gentle breath and visualisation as many times as you would like

 

Sweet nothings

Once your baby is past 28 weeks they can hear you! So chat to them – if you have a partner encourage them to gently whisper to your bub – whispering loving messages and soothing words…

 

Baby massage begins now

Yes that’s right baby massage begins in utero… while sitting, take your right hand and begin to massage gently over your bump – from your right to left sides (so this is also great for digestion!) – and use an oil from a single plant source (jojoba, sesame, almond oil or even virgin oil).

Send loving thoughts to your bub while you practice. Once you get used to this stroke then you can add the left hand too!

Think of your belly like the face of a clock – your right hand continually strokes in circles and then stroke with your left hand from 11 0’clock – take it off at 5 0’clock and repeat!

As you continue to massage your bump, you will really get to know your baby – generally larger softer circles are bums and harder, smaller circles are heads!

I remember when I practised this my baby’s would give me a gentle nudge as I massaged them  😉

For other massage moves please check out either of the DVDs – yoga for pregnancy and birth and yoga for mums ‘n’ bubs!

 

Baby rollercoaster of love:

On all fours (in Cat pose) with your knees under your hips and hands under your shoulders, simply rotate your hips in big circles – go both directions and then imagine your baby (who is by now smiling broadly) loving this baby rollercoaster ride.

 

Baby love meditation

Sit comfortably and take three slow deep breaths.

Then picture your baby in your mind – imagine his or her tiny toes, legs, spine, arms and hands.

Know your baby is comfortable and content within you.. that your baby has all that they need…

Now imagine your baby’s face – your baby’s lips, nose and eyes. Imagine holding your baby in your arms for the first time – the gentle touch of your baby’s velvet skin.

Then the love reflecting from your baby’s eyes as you gaze at one another.

Continue to breath slowly and deeply as you hold this image in your mind.

You can stay here as long as you wish, but please remember to say goodbye to your baby before ending the meditation, knowing that you can check in with your baby in this way at any time you wish – and you will be holding your baby in your arms and basking in their gaze very soon!

 

One of the things most mums are surprised about is the depth of love their baby has for them when they are born – we tend to focus on how much we love our baby but forget that all the time they are forming a bond with us while in-utero. Then can only focus about 20-25 cms during their first few weeks – perfect for gazing adoringly at your face!

Of course it can sometimes be difficult to imagine your are pregnant – let alone forming a bond with your baby, but it’s a lovely idea to practice all of these things as often as you can – which helps to deepen the bone and form a loving connection. If you liked this article – please share! And check out other practices in my book – Mother Me.

And please let me know how you connected with your baby while she or he was on the inside – Happy Valentine’s Day!