A breath practice for stress, anxiety and worry during pregnancy

When I was newly pregnant I found myself worrying all the time. Worrying about baby's development, worrying about what mysterious thing could happen to me during pregnancy and worrying about the birth. I had no idea what I worry I could be, but I sure found out. Between the knowledge I had coming into pregnancy and birth as a prenatal teacher, combined with reading and internet searches, I found worry could be an easy constant companion in my pregnancy. I also found very quickly that I needed a practice to help me navigate that. Below is a practice I used during my pregnancy to help with anxiety and worry (the great thing? we keep having those feelings as parents to so you can continue to use this practice postpartum). 

---

​This practice can be done seated or lying down, however you will feel most comfortable. Ensure that if you are lying down you have props to support you like pillows, blankets or bolsters. This can help you to be more comfortable, but will also remind the body that you are doing a practice and that its not time to fall asleep. Once you find a comfortable position to sit or lay in, let your eyes close and follow the steps of the practice.

• Notice your breath. Pay attention to the inhalation and exhalation and feel your breath entering and leaving your body. Now imagine waves at the ocean rolling into shore and out to sea. As you inhale, imagine the breath is like the wave rolling into shower and as you exhale, imagine you breath to be that wave rolling out to sea. Inhale, wave rolls in, exhale wave rolls out. Stay with this imagery for 10 cycles of breath.
• Now bring the focus to the exhalation, the wave rolling out. Start to gather up in your mind anything you'd like to let go of: stress, worry, fear, body tension, pain and discomfort. See that with each exhalation anything that is there is released. See those things traveling out to sea on the wave of breath. Stay with this imagery for at least 10 breath cycles, or as long you'd like until you feel you have cleared everything you want to.
• Move the attention next to the inhalation, the wave rolling in. With the next several breaths start to imagine anything that you need: calmness, energy, relaxation. See those things traveling into the body just like waves traveling into shore from the sea. Stay here for at least 10 breath cycles or as long as you would like.
• Once you feel complete, return to your inhalation and exhalation, let go of the imagery and simply watch your breath traveling in and out of your body. Notice how you feel