Before Baby Arrives
Listening Inward — Finding Your Intuition Beneath the Noise
As a midwife, I have walked alongside hundreds of parents as they navigate the tender terrain of early connection with their baby — both before and after birth. And one of the most empowering truths I can offer you is this:
You already have everything you need within you.
The intuitive bond you share with your baby is not something to be learned. It’s something to be remembered. It is ancient, sacred, and biologically hardwired — woven into your nervous system, your heart, your hormones, and your energy.
But here’s the nuance I want to speak to today — the part that so many new (and seasoned) parents wrestle with quietly:
How do you know if what you’re feeling is intuition… or just noise?
We live in a world full of advice — some of it useful, much of it confusing.
Social media scrolls. Family opinions. Cultural expectations. Checklists. Timelines.
So often, it all gets so loud that it becomes hard to hear your own knowing underneath it.
That’s why this lesson isn’t just about awakening your intuition — it’s about learning to differentiate it. To know the difference between:
the voice that rises from your belly with calm clarity
and the one that speaks from fear, urgency, or comparison
Your intuition is often quiet. Subtle.
It doesn’t shout. It doesn’t rush.
It doesn’t need validation to feel true.
It often feels like a soft yes, a grounded no, or a full-body sense of “this is right for us.”
And it often comes after you’ve created just enough stillness to feel it.
This module is here to guide you home to yourself.
To help you discern what is genuinely you from what has been put on you.
To help you recognize your inner compass, even when the world is spinning fast around you.
“Your inner voice is not lost. It’s simply waiting for you to remember its rhythm.”
So pause with me here.
Let’s soften the noise.
Let’s attune to your truth — the one that lives beneath the expectations, beneath the overwhelm, and deep within your body.
You already know how to love your baby.
Let’s now honour how you know. a midwife, I have witnessed hundreds of parents navigating the tender terrain of early connection with their baby—both before and after birth. And one of the most empowering truths I can offer is this: you already have everything you need within you. The deep, intuitive bond you share with your baby is ancient, sacred, and biologically hardwired.
Yet, in today’s world—surrounded by advice, social media, well-meaning family members, and a culture that prizes intellect over intuition—it can be difficult to discern your inner voice from the external noise. This module is here to guide you home to yourself. To help you differentiate what is genuinely you from what has been put on you.
🌿 What Is Gut Feeling (Maternal/Paternal Intuition)?
Gut feelings are those subtle inner nudges, deep sensations, or quiet knowing’s that arise without logical explanation. They often show up as:
A sense of “yes” or “no” in your body
A whisper of guidance or caution
A pull toward or away from something
A calm clarity that doesn’t need external validation
From a biological perspective, gut feelings are part of your autonomic nervous system and limbic brain—the same system that processes emotions and forms early bonding with your baby. Oxytocin (the “love hormone”) and endorphins support this connection by enhancing trust, presence, and emotional resonance.
From a spiritual perspective, intuition is your soul’s compass. It’s how you tune in to the energy of your baby—who is not just a physical being but a conscious presence already responding to your vibration, intention, and inner world.
🌟 Why This Matters for Your Baby
🌟 Why This Matters for Your Baby
Babies aren’t just tiny bodies growing in the womb — they are whole beings, already sensing, adapting, and responding to the emotional world around them.
From as early as 20 weeks gestation, your baby’s nervous system begins tuning into the signals of your body — your heartbeat, your voice, your hormone levels. This is not only biology; it’s the first language of love and safety.
🧠 The Emotional Blueprint Begins Now
Your baby is learning about the world through you — not through words, but through felt experience. The emotional states you live in during pregnancy and early parenting become part of the environment your baby’s brain is wiring itself around. This is called neuroception — the body’s unconscious ability to detect safety or threat (Porges, 2011).
When you:
Breathe deeply
Soothe your own stress
Speak gently to your baby
Take moments to rest or anchor in nature
…your baby receives those cues as “The world is safe.”
This builds a blueprint of safety in their developing nervous system.
🤍 Your Self-Trust Becomes Their Safety
When you trust yourself — your instincts, your body, your decisions — your baby feels it.
Your inner calm becomes their calm. Your grounded presence becomes their home.
Oxytocin, the “bonding hormone,” flows between you both, helping regulate both your nervous systems in tandem (Uvnäs-Moberg, 2014).
This isn’t just poetic — it’s physiological. You are co-regulating even now.
And the more you’re supported to return to your inner knowing, the more emotionally secure your baby becomes.
🧬 Secure Attachment Starts in the Womb
Research shows that secure attachment — the deep inner sense of being seen, safe, and soothed — lays the foundation for:
Emotional regulation
Empathy and compassion
Healthy social connection
Long-term resilience in the face of stress or adversity (Siegel & Hartzell, 2003)
As a midwife and intuitive guide, I’ve witnessed again and again: when parents are supported to feel confident and connected during pregnancy, their babies arrive into a world that feels emotionally prepared to receive them.
This doesn’t mean you never feel overwhelmed or unsure — it means you keep coming back to connection.
🌱 The Soulful Truth
Your baby may not remember this time with their thinking brain — but their body remembers.
They will come into the world already familiar with your presence, already shaped by your love.
You are building not just a relationship, but their sense of self — one soft breath, one grounded moment at a time..
🔍 How to Tell the Difference Between Intuition and Outside Noise
Intuition Feels Like
Calm and grounded
Subtle but persistent
You feel more connected to yourself
You don’t need to justify it
Comes from within
Outside Noise Feels Like
Anxious or pressured
Loud and urgent
You feel disconnected or confused
You feel like you have to explain it
Comes from others’ opinions
Here are some Examples:
“You’re told, ‘They’re not even born yet — they won’t remember any of this.”
But when you slow down and place your hand on your belly, something shifts.
You feel a flutter… a stillness… a sense of being met from within.
You start talking, and they respond with movement.
That pull? That’s prenatal bonding.
Science shows your baby can hear your voice, feel your stress, and soak in your love from the womb.
You’re not imagining it — you’re already building the foundation of your child’s emotional world.
That’s your intuition
You Sense something with your unborn baby, but you’re told, “Everything looks normal — don’t worry so much.”
But something inside you feels unsettled.
It’s not panic, just a knowing — a need to slow down, to ask again, to check in.
That quiet nudge? That’s your intuition speaking.
Research shows mothers often sense when something isn’t right — even before symptoms appear.
Your body and your baby are in constant communication. Trust that whisper. It’s there for a reason.
That’s your intuition
"Your told by someone that you should let your baby "cry it out."
But every part of you feels uneasy, your chest tightens, and you instinctively want to comfort your baby.
That tension? That’s your body saying, “This isn’t for us.”
That’s your intuition.
You’re told not to “spoil” your baby by holding them too much.
But when you pick them up, they settle. Your shoulders soften. You both breathe easier.
That calm? That’s co-regulation.
That peace? That’s your baby’s nervous system syncing with yours — and your intuition saying, “This is exactly what we need.”
That’s your intuition.
You’re told your newborn is just “fussy for no reason.”
But you notice they grimace before feeding, arch their back, or seem unsettled after a bottle.
That whisper of concern in your gut? That’s your attunement.
And it’s backed by biology — because babies communicate through cues long before words.
Your noticing matters.
That’s your intuition
You’re told, “Newborns don’t need much. Just feed, change, and let them sleep.”
But when you gaze into your baby’s eyes, something stirs.
They flinch at sudden sounds. They calm when you hum.
They seem to know your voice… and you feel pulled to stay close.
That sense? That’s newborn attunement.
Your baby’s brain is wired for connection — and your presence is shaping their world.
You’re not “doing too much” — you’re doing what evolution designed you to do.
That’s your intuition
TRUST YOUR INTUITION. IT KNOWS.
The Science That Supports Intuition:
Why your “gut feelings” as a parent aren’t just valid — they’re vital.
You were born with the ability to tune in, respond, and connect — and science is finally catching up with what many parents have always felt: intuition is real. And it’s backed by your biology.
Whether you’re growing your baby in the womb or cradling them in your arms, here’s what’s happening inside your body — and why it matters for you and your baby.
💓 1. The Limbic System: Your Emotional Intelligence Amplifier
During pregnancy and postpartum, the limbic system — the part of your brain responsible for emotion, bonding, and memory — becomes more active and sensitive (Schore, 2001).
This increased sensitivity sharpens your awareness of your baby’s cues, even subtle ones.
It also heightens your emotional attunement — your ability to feel what your baby needs, even if they can’t speak it.
In essence, your brain reshapes itself to be more emotionally available. That’s not weakness — it’s deep biological wisdom.
🌀 Why it matters: You may find yourself crying more easily, sensing things more deeply, or reacting strongly to your baby’s needs. That’s not overreacting — it’s your brain doing exactly what it was designed to do: protect and nurture through connection.
🧘♀️ 2. The Gut-Brain Axis: Trusting Your “Stomach Knots” and Body Wisdom
Have you ever felt something in your body — a “knowing” in your gut — before your brain had the words for it?
Science calls this the gut-brain axis — a real-time communication network between your digestive system and brain, connected by the vagus nerve (Mayer et al., 2015).
This system governs much of your emotional state, stress response, and instinctual reactions.
When you feel that pull in your belly to pick up your baby… or that knot when something feels off… your gut is speaking — and your brain is listening.
🌀 Why it matters: What you feel in your body is just as important as what you “know” in your head. Your nervous system is wired for survival and connection — and your baby’s presence strengthens that channel.
🤱 3. Oxytocin: The Hormone of Connection and Inner Knowing
When you touch, smell, hold, or breastfeed your baby, your body releases oxytocin — often called the “love hormone.”
Oxytocin deepens emotional bonds and helps you read your baby’s signals with more clarity (Uvnäs-Moberg, 2014).
It also calms your nervous system, lowers cortisol (the stress hormone), and helps your body feel safe — which makes your intuition easier to access.
Oxytocin isn't just about bonding — it's a biochemical bridge between love and instinct.
🌀 Why it matters: When you slow down, snuggle your baby, or spend time skin-to-skin, you’re not just making memories — you’re rewiring your brain for deeper, more responsive caregiving.
🌸 4. Neuroplasticity: Your Brain is Being Rewired for Connection
Parenthood — especially the first months — triggers neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to change and adapt. This is most notable in areas of:
Empathy
Emotional regulation
Stress response
Social intuition
Even if you didn’t feel “intuitive” before — you can become intuitive through practice and presence. Just by showing up.
🌀 Why it matters: Every time you pause and listen to your baby’s cues — or your own — you are strengthening neural pathways that help you parent more instinctively and calmly over time.
💛 Bottom Line: You Were Designed to Know
You don’t need to read every book, follow every rule, or match someone else’s path to be a good parent.
You need to listen — to your body, your heart, and your baby.
Your intuition is part of a biological, emotional, and spiritual design that guides you toward connection.
Even on the days you doubt yourself — it’s still there.
Even when the world is loud — it still whispers.
Final Reminder
You don’t have to do it the way everyone else does.
The parenting world is loud — full of advice, rules, books, and opinions. But your path doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s. Your baby isn’t “everyone else’s,” and neither are you.
You are allowed to choose what feels right — even if it’s different. Especially if it’s different.
You don’t have to override your heart with a checklist.
Preparation is beautiful. But birth and parenting are not boxes to be ticked — they’re relationships to be felt. When you get quiet and present, your heart often knows more than any to-do list.
What matters most is how connected you feel — to your baby, and to yourself.
You are biologically and spiritually wired to know your baby.
Your body, brain, and heart are literally designed to tune in. Oxytocin, brain changes, gut instincts — they all work together to help you recognise your baby’s rhythms and needs.
This isn’t just a feeling — it’s your system guiding you. And it’s sacred.
Even before your baby is born, you’re already learning how to read them.
Even without words, you’re already building trust.
You’re not starting from zero — you’re remembering what’s already within.
When you return to your own inner voice, you return to the sacred connection that’s always been there.
You don’t have to search outside for every answer.
You are the one they chose. You are their safe space.
And as you learn to trust yourself — your body, your intuition, your rhythm — you strengthen the invisible thread between you and your baby. That thread is love. That thread is presence.
Quiz:
Trusting Your Gut Feelings
Q1. How do you most often recognise a “gut feeling”?
A. A strong inner yes/no
B. A bodily sensation
C. Hindsight clarity
D. I’m unsure what that feels like
Q2. When you’ve followed your intuition in the past, what was the outcome?
A. It guided me in the right direction
B. It helped me feel more at peace
C. It was unclear
D. I usually follow others’ advice instead
Q3. What most often clouds your intuition?
A. External pressure
B. Fear of making a mistake
C. Information overload
D. I’m disconnected from my intuition
Q4. When you pause and ask, “What feels right?” — what usually happens?
A. A calm knowing appears
B. Conflicting thoughts arise
C. I get distracted
D. I feel confused or unsure
🌿 Results:
Mostly A’s: Rooted and Receptive
You’re deeply in tune with your intuitive compass. Keep honouring that voice — it’s shaping your confidence and your baby’s sense of safety.
Mostly B’s/C’s: In the Process
You’re in the sacred middle — listening, questioning, learning. That is the work. Trust will deepen with time and gentle practice.
Mostly D’s: Reconnecting to Self
Start with stillness. Your gut wisdom is alive beneath the noise. With support and intention, it will speak more clearly — and you’ll remember how to hear it.
Journal Prompts for Trusting Your Gut Feelings
Theme: Self-Belief, Embodied Wisdom, and Navigating Doubt
🌬 1. A Time I Trusted Myself
“When was the last time I followed my gut instinct — and what did it teach me?”
Reflect on how it felt in your body to know, choose, and act from inner guidance. What strength did it unlock?
💞 2. What Gets Cloudy
“What makes it harder for me to hear or trust my intuition?”
Explore the stories, fears, or external influences that make you hesitate. What would it look like to lovingly interrupt those patterns?
👂 3. Signals from Within
“How does my body communicate clarity, and how does it signal doubt?”
Tune into the language of your nervous system. Where in your body do you feel a ‘yes’? A ‘no’? Confusion? Calm?
🌀 4. Practicing Inner Listening
“What helps me return to myself when I feel overwhelmed or disconnected?”
Name the grounding tools or support you have — breath, solitude, support people, affirmations. What recent moment helped you reconnect?
🔗 5. My Intuitive Parenting Voice
“What kind of parent do I become when I lead from intuition, not instruction?”
Describe the tone, rhythm, and essence of the mother you are when you follow your gut. Let that archetype speak.
🌿 Closing Reflection
“Even when I doubt, my body remembers. Even when I pause, my wisdom waits for me.”
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