Pregnancy is all about physical and emotional changes – both sweet and exciting...

and challenging and difficult.

 

So many women are exhausted but can’t sleep, have relentless anxiety and stress, feel new and sometimes bizarro pains, or simply find themselves struggling. It can feel impossible in the midst of all

of this to truly connect to yourself, your body, and your baby.

 

I have found that meditation is the best way to re-center, calm my body and mind,

and actually access peace even in the chaos of life, especially during pregnancy.

Why is presence during pregnancy so important?

 

There is so much focus on the future during pregnancy - preparing for labor and birth and parenting, worrying about postpartum physical and mental health and breastfeeding pumps and wraps and slings and carriers, and calculating exactly how many onesies you really need…

 

But pressing pause and learning to fully be present using meditation during pregnancy offers incredible benefits, both to moms and babies. The research is pretty compelling:

 

• Moms who meditate have happier babies (seriously!)

• Lower stress levels and less anxiety for everyone

• You’re more likely to have full-term pregnancies

• Improved immune function for mom and more protection for baby

• Pain is less intense during labor and postpartum

​

This two-hour workshop will cover the basics of meditation with instruction, short exercises, Q&A, and discussion. It’s open to expecting moms with all levels of experience and backgrounds and is designed to offer a broad introduction to meditation, specifically during pregnancy, and includes how to start or sustain a practice at home.

 

Whether you’re a total beginner or an advanced yogi, if you’re interested in learning meditation, deepening your practice, lessening your anxiety, sleeping better, preparing for labor and birth, this class is for you!

 

​

 

 

 

 

About the instructor, Alison Laichter

 

After practicing meditation for over two decades and teaching for many years, I was shocked by the waves of anxiety and fear and physical discomfort that appeared almost immediately after the happy discovery that I was expecting. And, after looking for resources that included meditation and mindfulness to thrive at this time, I was disappointed to find that most classes and programs were geared only to the end stages of pregnancy and labor and birth, totally skipping out on the present tense. So, I created this program as a way for pregnant moms to not only be deeply present and move through the ups and downs of pregnancy with balance and inner stability, but also to gain skills and techniques that will allow you to access peace and calm through childbirth, parenting, and whatever comes next!

 

I’m a meditation teacher, consultant, urban planner, community organizer, and former Brooklynite, now based in mostly sunny southern California. I’ve taught meditation classes and retreats for people of all ages throughout the world, including workshops for children and teens in schools and community centers, doctors and nurses at hospitals, social entrepreneurs in Jerusalem, humanitarian activists in Mumbai, and have been the "mystic-in-residence" at festivals in Mexico City, at the Ace Hotel in Palm Springs, and currently at the Skirball Museum in Los Angeles. I believe that truly sustainable repairing the world happens from the inside out and love working with individuals, especially parents, and communities to create inclusive, resonant, and radically amazing experiences. I live in San Diego with my husband, ridiculously sweet dog, and am expecting my first child in October 2018.