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.

When Sleep Is Hard

Week 31

0:00−11:59

Background sound

Duration:: 12 min
Stage:: Pregnancy · Week 31
Best for:: A wakeful night; lying awake unable to sleep

How to practise

In the third trimester, resting the nervous system when sleep is broken; permission to drift 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.

Insomnia is common in the third trimester, and the harder you chase sleep, the further it tends to go. This practice does the opposite of chasing. It uses simple imagery and a gentle release through the body to rest your nervous system, whether or not sleep arrives. If it comes, you can let it. If it does not, the rest still counts.

Find a position that supports you (lying down; side-lying with pillows). 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 31. It fits best a wakeful night; lying awake unable to sleep, 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 Thirty-One.

If you are awake when you would rather be asleep, this practice is for exactly this moment. We are not going to chase sleep, because chasing tends to push it away. We are simply going to rest, gently, and let sleep come if it wants to.

There is nothing for you to do well here. Just lie comfortably, and let my voice do the rest. Let's begin.

…

Settle into whatever position lets your body rest most easily. On your side is good, with a pillow to lean into.

…

Let your eyes close.

…

There is nothing to figure out now. Nothing to decide. Just your body, here, and your breath.

…

Take one slow breath in.

…

And let it out, slowly, like a long sigh.

…

Let your breathing go on by itself. You do not have to control it. Just let each out-breath be a little longer than the in.

…

Now we will let your body grow heavy, a little at a time. Nothing to do but notice.

…

Let your feet grow heavy. Soft, and heavy, sinking into the bed.

…

Let your legs grow heavy. Nothing to hold. Let them be loose and warm.

…

Let your hips and your lower back soften. Let the bed take all of their weight.

…

Let your belly soften, and your chest. Let your breath move there, slow and easy, without any effort from you.

…

Let your shoulders melt down, away from your ears. Let your arms grow heavy and still.

…

Let your jaw loosen. Let your face soften. Let the space between your eyebrows go smooth.

…

Your whole body, heavy now, held by the bed. Nothing to carry. Nothing to do.

…

If your mind is busy, that is alright. You do not have to empty it. Just let the thoughts drift past, like clouds you are watching from far below, while your body stays heavy and warm.

…

Let three quiet truths settle over you, softly. There is no need to repeat them. Just let them land.

…

I can rest, even if sleep does not come.

…

A wakeful night is not a failure.

…

I am allowed to let go now.

…

There is nothing left to do. Your body is resting, and that is enough on its own. Rest is doing its quiet work, whether or not sleep arrives.

…

If sleep comes, let it. You do not have to stay with my voice. You can let it fade.

…

And if sleep does not come tonight, that is okay too. You are still resting. You are still cared for. You can simply stay here, heavy and warm, breathing slowly, for as long as you like.

…

Let yourself sink a little deeper.

…

Heavy.

…

Warm.

…

Resting.

…

Nothing more to do.

…

*(For a sleep episode, there is no spoken return-to-day outro; the audio simply fades after the final drift. Any safety note lives in the show notes, not the audio.)*

Show-note line: If sleeplessness is persistent or it is wearing you down, it is worth mentioning to your midwife or GP. You deserve support with rest, too.

FAQ

When should I listen to Week 31?: This practice is designed for a wakeful night; lying awake unable to sleep, 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.

Download now

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