Is this meditation safe during pregnancy?

Yes. This is gentle guided practice with no breath-holding or physical exertion. Listen in any comfortable position. If a practice increases distress rather than easing it, stop and speak with your midwife, GP, or a mental health professional.

Do I need the app to listen?

No. Press play on this page for the full guided audio and transcript. The My Maternal Mind app adds offline caching, ambient sound mixing, and a daily meditation written for your current week.

The Work Your Body Does

Week 23

0:00−12:09

Background sound

Duration:: 12 min
Stage:: Pregnancy · Week 23
Best for:: When the body feels stretched, achy, or heavy

How to practise

In the second trimester, respect for the body's quiet, demanding work can show up quietly or all at once. This guided meditation makes room for the feeling without turning it into a lesson you are meant to pass.

By now the physical work of pregnancy is making itself felt: a body stretching and shifting to make room, the ordinary aches of carrying more than before. This practice turns toward that work with respect rather than judgement, honoring what your body is doing even on the days it is uncomfortable.

Find a position that supports you (seated or lying down; side-lying welcome). Press play and let the guidance move at its own pace. There is no correct way to feel, and nothing to visualize on demand.

This episode is written for week 23. It fits best when the body feels stretched, achy, or heavy, though you can return whenever the week feels heavy or unfamiliar.

Each week in the series stands alone. Listeners often join at their current week and circle back later; the arc rewards continuity, but nothing here assumes you have been listening since week one.

Full transcript

Welcome to Week Twenty-Three.

Your body is doing an enormous amount right now, quietly, around the clock, whether you notice it or not. And some of that work makes itself felt, as stretching, aching, or simply carrying more than you used to.

So today we are going to turn toward that work with respect, and bring some kindness to a body that is doing something extraordinary, even when it is uncomfortable. You can stay lying down for this one if you like. Let's begin.

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Let's begin by letting your body rest.

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Find a position that supports you. A pillow wherever you need one. Let the surface beneath you take your full weight, so your muscles do not have to hold you.

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Let your eyes close, if that feels okay.

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Take one slow breath in.

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And a long breath out.

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Let's steady with the breath. In… one… … two… … three… … four…

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And out, longer. Out… one… … two… … three… … four… … five… … six…

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Let the counting go.

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Let's bring a respectful, kind attention through your body. Not to judge it, just to acknowledge what it is doing.

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Notice your back, your hips, the muscles that are quietly carrying more these days. They are working harder than they used to. Let them soften where they can.

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Notice your belly, stretching and making room. There may be aches there, the ordinary kind that come with growing. You do not have to like them. You can simply acknowledge them, and breathe gently around them.

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And underneath all of it, every hour, your body is doing work you never have to think about. Building, nourishing, adjusting. An extraordinary, mostly invisible labor that asks nothing of your attention and just quietly continues.

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That deserves some respect. Not in a way that requires you to feel grateful for the discomfort, but in a way that lets you say, my body is doing something remarkable, even on the days it aches.

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Now, three quiet truths. Let each one land in the body.

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The first. My body is doing extraordinary, quiet work.

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Notice where you feel that, if anywhere.

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The second. I can respect what my body is doing, even when it aches.

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Let it settle.

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And the last. Stretched is not the same as failing.

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You do not have to feel certain. Just let these be true.

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Stay a little longer, resting, letting your body simply be supported.

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And when you are ready, begin to come back. Feel your weight. Feel your breath.

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Let your eyes open slowly, if they were closed.

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And be gentle with your hardworking body today.

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That is the end of this week's practice.

The ordinary aches of growing are part of this, and rest and gentleness help. But if you have pain that is sharp, severe, or that will not settle, please do check in with your midwife or GP. It is always okay to ask. You know your body, and your concerns are worth raising.

We will meet again next week.

FAQ

When should I listen to Week 23?: This practice is designed for when the body feels stretched, achy, or heavy, though you can return any time during pregnancy.
Is this meditation safe during pregnancy?: Yes. This is gentle guided practice with no breath-holding or physical exertion. Listen in any comfortable position. If a practice increases distress rather than easing it, stop and speak with your midwife, GP, or a mental health professional.
Do I need the app to listen?: No. Press play on this page for the full guided audio and transcript. The My Maternal Mind app adds offline caching, ambient sound mixing, and a daily meditation written for your current week.

Related practice

Practise with the full toolkit in the app

This episode is one of fifty-one in the Pregnancy Weeks series, with ambient sound mixing, streak tracking, and a daily meditation written for your current week.

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My Maternal Mind supports your wellbeing during pregnancy and birth preparation. It does not replace medical advice, midwifery care, or mental health treatment. Discuss your birth plan and any concerns with your care team.

Last reviewed: 2026-06-30