So what's the fuss about Positive Birth Affirmations anyway? Is it new age woo-woo or is there science behind the hype? We share why incorporating a Positive Mindfulness practice through the use of Positive Birth Affirmation Cards can be so beneficial: both in birth and daily life.

*HINT* It's why we started Best Birth Co.

 

What are Positive Birth Affirmation Cards?

Put simply Positive Affirmations Cards are visual card decks that have a single positive phrase, quote or mantra on them, designed to eliminate fear, inspire motivation, promote positive thoughts and reduce limiting beliefs.

 

The Best Birth Co's Positive Birth Affirmation Cards are no different, however, they were designed by a mum (me) in the lead-up to her baby's birth as a way to cement her Hypnobirthing and SheBirths' antenatal training.

 

How to use?

There are several ways to use the cards, here are a few suggestions:

 

1. Daily Draw

Make the statement your daily mantra and repeat throughout the day - a good way to practice this is to say the statement each time you see yourself in a mirror. Leave by your bedside so it is the last thing you see before turning off the light

 

2. Display

If you have space, string or pin the cards up in a prominent place around your home or office. Each time you walk by, take a moment to stop and take in the statements, feeling them in your belly and heart.

 

3. Meditate

Reflect on a chosen Affirmation card during your daily meditation practice. Either say it out loud over and over again or simply breathe it in and out, visualising the image or meaning of your chosen card.

 

4. Make it Regular

This is key! While there are no hard and fast rules around frequency some professionals recommend an affirmation be repeated anywhere from 3 to 33x a day. So, tailor this to fit your needs, but know that the more you repeat the better the chance of reinforcing the belief = more neural pathways = win-win!

 

5. Compliment your Hypnobirthing & Antenatal Practice

The power of visualisation can't be underestimated, couple that with the numerous studies coming out about the benefits of incorporating hypnobirthing to prepare for labour, and you have a winning combination.

 

For best results, we recommend carrying the cards with you wherever you go, anywhere upward from 26 weeks. Review whenever thoughts of doubt enter your mind, you wish to connect with your baby, or as a daily self-care routine (this last one is probably the best thing for you and bub and will the most beneficial come your birthing day).

 

However you choose to incorporate them, always do with kindness in your heart and a smile in your mind. The very act will lower cortisol, boost your love hormones (oxytocin) and send beautiful loving energetic messages to your baby that all is safe in the world.

 

Ready to start your Positive Birth Affirmation practice? Order your Card Deck HERE

 

Benefits of using Positive Birth Affirmation Cards

Reduce the rate of medical interventions during childbirth

Empirical studies suggest positive affirmations can:

• Decrease health deteriorating stress (Sherman et al., 2009; Critcher & Dunning, 2015);
• Help change the way we view “threatening” messages with less resistance and perception (Logel & Cohen, 2012);
• Self-affirmation has been demonstrated to lower stress and rumination (Koole et al., 1999; Weisenfeld et al., 2001).

But what about how it pertains to Birthing Outcomes? Well thankfully, we have some wonderful antenatal education programs here in Australia that have participated in rigorous studies, all of which have drawn impressive findings.

 

The following information comes directly from the CalmBirth Australia website and refers to a new study undertaken by Dr Jane Svensson, from the Clinical Midwifery Consultant Health Education at the Royal Hospital for Women, due to be published in two medical journals later this year, shows that the Calmbirth Childbirth Education program significantly:

• Reduces the rate of medical interventions during childbirth
• Reduces the use of pharmacological pain relief in labour including epidurals
• Enriches their birth experience as one that is positive, irrespective of how they birth
• Reduces the impact of perinatal anxiety which may then have a protective effect postnatal adjustment, and potentially depression, after birth." From: CalmBirth AU

And these aren’t the only incredible results coming out. The SheBirths program, which incorporates positive mantra's, Eastern Medicine philosophies and Hypnotherapy also found that their students had shorter labours, in particular during stage 2 (by 32mins), saw a 64% reduce in epidurals, 44% reduction in caesarean sections, 50% reduction in medical augmentation using artificial means, 53% reduction in resuscitation of babies and a 12% reduction in perineal trauma.

 

What about Manifesting? Is it similar?

Oohhh good question…. This is a favourite of ours! Manifesting is something that we have been incorporating into our lives for years and for good reason - IT WORKS! From jobs to friends, to holidays to lovers, we've brought them into our life.

 

But what is it? Call it goal setting, positive thinking or prayer, Manifesting is the process of setting an intention, focusing on it (by seeing it come to fruition in your mind), feeling it in your body, letting go of any negative thoughts or limiting beliefs (you have around said intention) and then sitting back and waiting for it to happen.

 

This is all thanks to what New Thought philosophy calls "The Law of Attraction." According to Wikipedia The Law of Attraction " is the belief that positive or negative thoughts bring positive or negative experiences into a person's life."

 

But how is Manifesting related to birth and Birth Affirmations?

 Because to have a birth that is free of fear, anxiety, interventions (unnecessary) and is a positive experience one needs to focus and set a clear picture in their mind of how they see the birth of their baby unfolding.

 

This means becoming educated about what options are available to you, what you can say yes and no to (very important!) and deciding on what you want out of your birthing outcomes. And then using this knowledge as a cornerstone to your Affirmation Practice. It becomes your compass and helps you move from being passive to being in control of your baby's arrival earthside and protects you as you step over the threshold from girl to a woman!

 

It was through an 8-year vision that I was able to manifest my baby's Home Birth arrival. For me, I put it down to my constant belief in the power and ability of my body AND visions of wanting to create a peaceful and natural labour, both of which were ever-present throughout my pregnancy.

 

The thought of having an epidural and doctors constantly monitoring me would have had disastrous effects on my nerves (and adrenalin) and I just knew that if I was in that environment the outcomes I was visualising would not come to fruition. So at 29 weeks, I said to my Doula "I can't birth my baby in the hospital, let's do it at home" and the very next day she found 2x midwives that were available. That is the power of the Law of Attraction!

 

So there you have it, your ultimate guide to why Positive Birth Affirmation Cards are a must for your pregnancy and birth preparation tool kit.

 

Does this sound like something that would be beneficial to you? Did anything resonate with you? Or do you have questions? We'd love to hear by sharing your message below.

 

Would you like your very own Positive Birth Affirmation Cards? Order them HERE