3 Affirmations to use in Prenatal Yoga
Pregnancy is a beautiful, life-changing journey filled with emotional and physical transformations. As yoga teachers, we know how essential it is to guide pregnant students into a space of safety, trust, and connection with their bodies during this precious time. One of the ways we do this is through the use of affirmations in prenatal yoga.
Affirmations are powerful tools that can help anchor pregnant women to positive thoughts, creating a mindset that encourages peace, trust, and self-love. During pregnancy, especially, affirmations can serve as gentle reminders that they are strong, capable, and deserving of care.
In this post, I’m sharing three empowering affirmations to include in your prenatal yoga practice. These simple but powerful statements can guide pregnant women into a state of confidence, calm, and connection, both with themselves and their growing baby.
1. "I am having a safe and healthy pregnancy."
Pregnancy is full of unknowns, and it’s normal for expectant mothers to experience anxiety or uncertainty about the health of their baby and themselves. This affirmation allows students to anchor into feelings of safety and well-being during their yoga practice. By repeating this statement, they invite a sense of calm and reassurance, trusting in the beauty of the natural process their body is going through.
Encourage your students to repeat this affirmation during their prenatal yoga practice at the start of class and also during slow, grounding poses like Child’s Pose or Bound Angle Pose. Breathing in deeply, they can visualize themselves and their baby being held in a space of complete safety and health.
2. "I am nurturing myself and my baby."
One of the most important things we can remind our pregnant students is the value of self-care and self-nurturing. As the body works hard to grow and nurture a new life, it’s essential that moms take time to nourish their own minds and bodies as well.
This affirmation helps pregnant women connect to the idea that by caring for themselves—through movement, breath, relaxation, and nourishment—they are also nurturing their growing baby. It can be particularly powerful when used in Restorative Poses or during the final relaxation (Savasana) to reinforce the importance of slowing down and taking time for oneself.
As they repeat this affirmation, remind your students that nurturing themselves is just as important as nurturing their baby. Encourage them to savor the moments of rest, and to see their prenatal yoga practice as an opportunity to refill their own cup.
3. "I trust that my body knows exactly what it’s doing."
Pregnancy is a time of deep connection to the body, but it can also be a time of doubt, especially for new moms. This affirmation allows expectant mothers to shift their focus from fear to trust. Their bodies are working in miraculous ways, adapting and evolving to support the life growing within them. This powerful affirmation can help release fear and welcome in a sense of awe and confidence in their body's wisdom.
Using this affirmation during Standing Poses like Warrior II or Tree Pose can be an excellent way to ground this trust. These poses embody strength and balance, reminding your students that they are rooted in their own power.
As they breathe deeply and focus on this affirmation, they can begin to trust in their body’s innate ability to carry and deliver their baby.
The wisdom is already within them—they simply need to tune in.
How to Incorporate These Affirmations into Your Prenatal Yoga Class
Affirmations are a great way to enhance your prenatal yoga classes by creating a positive and supportive environment for your students. Here are a few ideas for how to seamlessly weave these affirmations into your teaching:
Begin Class with an Affirmation: Start each prenatal yoga class by guiding your students through a few minutes of focused breathwork and setting an intention using one of these affirmations.
Use Affirmations in Restorative Poses: As students move into deeper relaxation, repeat affirmations softly to guide them into a state of peace and calm.
Encourage Personal Affirmations: Encourage your students to create their own affirmations that resonate with their unique pregnancy journey. You can invite them to silently repeat these affirmations throughout class or write them down to revisit later.
Are you interested in learning more about supporting pregnant women through yoga?
Consider enrolling in our 85-hour Prenatal & Postnatal Yoga Teacher Training at Island Prenatal Yoga. Gain the skills, confidence, and tools you need to safely guide expectant and new mothers through their yoga journey. 💖