From Robin Elise Weiss, LCCE,
Your Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth.
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Affirmations are statements that you use to help instill a sense of positivity in your mind about a particular subject. You use these short phrases and sentences to help your mind her a positive message that you wish it to remember.

You can write your own affirmation, to use whenever you like. Remember they should be in the present tense, as if what you wish to happen is already occurring. For example, a friend of mine who was trying to get pregnant and having difficulty, would say, "I am a good parent to my child." She said this every morning, even during infertility treatments. She says she remembers visualizing it as she would wait for procedures and tests. She feels it really helped her from falling into despair. And when she became pregnant, she switched to daily pregnancy affirmations.

If you choose to write your own affirmations, start with phrases like:

• I am
• My mind is open to
• My body is open to
• My baby is
• My labor is
• Breastfeeding is
• I know
• My body knows

Some women use positive affirmations to help them overcome fear, to get pregnant or to simple remind themselves that pregnancy is not an illness. While affirmations are simple and easy, they are also effective for many women.

Here are some samples:

• I know how to take care of myself in pregnancy.
• My body knows how to give birth.
• My baby knows the true birthday.
• Birth is safe for me and my baby.
• My baby will be born at the perfect time.
• My body knows when to give birth.
• I am a good mother.
• My baby will find the perfect position for birth.
• I love my baby.
• My baby loves me.
• I am a strong woman.
• Contractions help to bring my baby.
• I will make the right decisions for my baby.
• My pregnant body is beautiful.
• My baby senses the peace I feel.
• I accept the help of others.
• My baby's head fit snuggly into my pelvis.
• I accept my labor and birth.
• I am surrounded by those who love and respect me.
• I trust my body.
• I know how to take care of my baby.
• My baby feels my love.
• I will make plenty of breast milk for my baby.

You can use index cards to write your affirmations and place them in locations to remind you to say them. They also make really nice mantras for labor!

If you'd like to have daily pregnancy affirmations emailed to you, you can sign up for the daily Pregnancy Affirmations delivered straight to your inbox.