Wellness
Stress and pregnancy: The two go together like peanut butter and jelly. No matter how happy you are to be expecting a baby, worries abound. Will you be able to deliver the way you want? Will your baby be healthy? Will your doula be able to make it to the hospital on time? Will you be able to manage the pain? Given the opportunity to dwell on hypotheticals too long, you can whip yourself into a panic attack pretty quick. That's why birth meditation apps can be a helpful option for moms-to-be with a tendency to worry. Thanks to some savvy software developers in partnership with therapists, there are a number of applications that can help you deal with and manage birthing anxiety.
Whether you're looking to incorporate meditation into your actual birth or just prepare for your birth by learning how to be more mindful, these apps can make it easier to keep up with your daily practice.
A few things to consider while perusing this list: Not all birth meditation apps are the same. Some are designed to increase calmness, others to empower. But the fundamental elements of meditation work for everyone, no matter what your path to a healthy birth experience. And having this ancient wisdom at your fingertips means you're a lot more likely to use it.
1
Expectful
Dubbed the “The Meditation and Sleep App for Fertility, Pregnancy, and Parenthood,” Expectful offers five, 10, and 20 minute daily guided meditations for $3 a month designed to help women through every stage of pregnancy, from the first trimester to healing after delivery.
2
Mind the Bump
Mind the Bump is all about promoting calmness in the sea of pregnancy. To that end, the free app provides tailored exercises to support mental health wellness from conception to 24 months after birth. But perhaps the best part is it’s not limited to just expectant moms. Mind the Bump is for mothers, fathers, single parents and same sex couples.
3
iHypnoBirth-Lite
The free version of iHypnoBirth, this app was designed by a psychologist & hypnatal practitioner and a mother-of-five and uses affirmations and relaxing music created specifically for labor and birth to create positive, empowering experiences for moms-to-be.
4
GentleBirth
Using a combination of mindfulness, hypnosis, cognitive behavioral therapy, and sports psychology, founder and midwife Tracey Donegan created GentleBirth. Each day app members are given brain training exercises to encourage “effective breathing and mindfulness.” Try it out with a free 7-day trial, or commit to a subscription plan ($13 a month or $95 a year).
5
Calm Birth
The free Calm Birth app is built around three meditation pillars: Breathe, Rest, and Heal. Users follow recorded meditations all lasting under 15 minutes to reduce stress and promote presence.
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