Beth Zalantai, MSc, is a clinically trained mental health professional with extensive experience delivering and supervising evidence-based psychological care. As a mom and therapist, Beth provides compassionate support for moms navigating their mental health.
During pregnancy, your body is doing incredible work to support your growing baby. As your body adapts to these changes, you’ll likely experience some discomfort, whether it’s heartburn, fatigue, nausea, aches and pains, or other uncomfortable symptoms. But you don’t have to put on a brave face and power through. It’s okay to admit that it’s hard and be gentle with yourself. Your body is supporting another life, and it’s expected that you’ll feel tired, achy, or overwhelmed at times.
One way you can support yourself during these tough moments is to acknowledge your feelings and speak to yourself with compassion. A helpful tool for doing this is reciting affirmations. Affirmations are positive statements that can help you stay connected to your inner strength. This doesn’t mean ignoring the struggle or pushing discomfort aside. Instead, affirmations can help you name the challenge you’re facing and offer yourself kindness in return.
When you name what you’re going through, you validate your experience. Instead of fighting against your feelings or judging yourself for having them, you create space for compassion. This shift can ease some of the emotional weight that comes with physical pain.
Affirmations are powerful tools because they don’t deny reality. They hold space for both the hard parts and the hope that carries you through. By speaking gentle truths to yourself, you remind your mind and body that it’s okay to feel exactly what you’re feeling.
Here are some affirmations you can use whenever your body feels uncomfortable:
You can use these affirmations anytime you notice discomfort. Choose an affirmation that resonates with you and your experience, and speak it softly to yourself, repeating it slowly until you feel more grounded. If you’d like, you can also create your own affirmations or adjust these to fit what you need in the moment.
Some people find it helpful to keep a journal where they write down their affirmations and return to them when needed. You might also write them on sticky notes and place them on a mirror or somewhere you’ll see them often.
For more support putting affirmations into practice, check out this article and reflection in the Moment for Parents app. It explores how using affirmations can reinforce your belief in yourself and help you stay grounded during uncomfortable moments.
Feeling uncomfortable during pregnancy is a sign of the powerful changes happening in your body and the incredible work it’s doing to bring new life into the world. By naming your experience and offering yourself kindness, you create space for compassion and resilience. Before you know it, your beautiful baby will be here, and you’ll have carried yourself through this journey with strength and grace.
If you’re looking for more ways to support yourself emotionally during pregnancy, we invite you to try the Unpacking Your Emotions About Pregnancy Journey in the Moment for Parents app. Pregnancy can bring up a wide range of feelings, sometimes all at once. This Journey will help you process those emotions with compassion as you connect to your core values. You can start your Journey here.