How to Create a Nourishing Pregnancy Ritual (That Actually Fits Into Your Day)

Pregnancy invites us inward. It’s a time of immense transformation, not just physically, but emotionally, energetically, spiritually. But amidst the appointments, to-do lists and everyday life, it can feel hard to find space for you.

One of my clients - let’s call her Sophie - came to me around 28 weeks pregnant with her second baby. She was working almost full-time, juggling nursery runs and a never-ending mental load, and she told me that pregnancy just felt like something happening to her this time.

“I know I’m lucky. But honestly? I feel like I’m just rushing through the weeks, ticking boxes. When I do stop and think about it all, I just feel panicked... like I’m not doing enough. There’s too much to read, too much to buy, too many decisions. And I don’t even know where to start with birth prep again.”

We started simple. No pressure. No rigid schedule. Just small, nourishing ways to help her come back to herself, and connect with her baby — often in moments she already had, like those five quiet minutes after her daughter had gone to bed, or the first sip of tea in the morning.

Within a few weeks, something shifted. She began to feel excited about birth again. More grounded. More intuitive. More like a woman on a journey — not just a list of appointments and recommendations.

Why rituals matter in pregnancy

Rituals bring meaning to the everyday. They remind us that this isn’t just any season of life, you are becoming a Mother. Whether it’s your first baby or your fourth, each pregnancy is a portal. And simple, intentional rituals can help you move through it feeling more grounded, calm and connected.

They don’t need to be elaborate or expensive. In fact, the most nourishing ones usually aren't.

Ideas for gentle, grounding rituals...

Here are a few of my favourite ways to bring ritual into pregnancy - drawn from my own experience as a mama, doula, and space holder for hundreds of women:

🌿 Morning connection moment: Before you reach for your phone, bring your hands to your belly. Say hello to your baby. Take three deep breaths. That’s it. You’ve already begun your day with love.

Want to deepen it? Try saying:

“We’re in this together.”“I’m listening.”“You are safe. I am safe.”

🌙 Cacao + candlelight check-in: A warm drink, a lit candle, a journal. Ask yourself:

How am I feeling today?

What do I need?

What does baby need?

Even five minutes can shift your state. You might be surprised what comes through when you offer yourself stillness.

🌸 Pregnancy altar or sacred space: A small shelf or corner with meaningful items - a scan photo, crystals, affirmations, flowers, a gift from your babyshower/ blessingway.

A place to pause, connect, and remember the sacredness of what you’re doing.

You don’t have to “do” anything here. Just sit. Breathe. Receive. Listen to your calming playlist or hypnobirthing tracks.

🌀 Movement + breath: Just 5-10 minutes of gentle movement - hip circles, cat/cow, a slow barefoot walk in the garden, paired with some deep belly breathing can shift your energy dramatically.

We explore this a lot inside my free/ low cost pregnancy group - NE Bump Club, because it’s so helpful for encouraging optimal baby positioning and preparing the body for birth.

🧘‍♀️ Guided meditation or birth track: Pop on a hypnobirthing track or gentle meditation while resting, having a bath, or even doing the dishes.

You’re not just relaxing - you’re building your birthing mindset, day by day.

Need a starting point? My favourite prompt is simply:

“What would it feel like to trust my body fully?”

What matters most is that it feels good to you. It’s not about adding pressure or “doing it right”, it’s about offering yourself little pockets of presence.

In a world that rushes pregnancy along, these rituals are your quiet rebellion. A way to say: I’m not just ticking boxes. I’m tending to something sacred.

Whether it’s your morning belly breaths, your cacao by candlelight, or a weekly circle with other women - this is your reminder that you get to feel connected, calm and sovereign during your pregnancy. You are not just a passenger. You are the wise, intuitive guide.

Want more of this?

This is exactly the kind of space we create in the NE Bump Club — a pregnancy circle for local mamas who want to connect, unwind, and feel held. We gather fortnightly at my cosy studio in Chatton, with cacao, gentle movement, birth tips, and honest conversations.

Find out more...

Or if you’re longing for deeper, one-to-one support in pregnancy and birth, I’d love to invite you to explore my doula support. You don’t need to walk this path alone.

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Jessica Ord is a multi award winning doula, birth educator and author. She lives on her rural family farm in Northumberland with hubby Farmer Richard and their 2 wildlings Monty (7) and Primrose (3).

To date her birth preparation and hypnobirthing courses have helped over 600 free thinking parents across the world have birth experiences which left them feeling healthy, happy and whole.

She runs monthly in person birth prep courses from her welcoming antenatal studio on the farm, has an award winning Online 'self study' hypnobirthing course, and serves families across the North East as a birth Doula.