Labor/Birth Affirmations Thread.

[tutucrazy]

So I am collecting birth affirmations for myself and I thought it would be fun for all of us to have a thread and contribute one or two for the group. I'm going to print them off and hang them around my house where I can read them. You can make them up or find them in books or online.

Here are a couple I have been thinking on lately:

Your instincts are the best information you have.

I release my birthing over to my body and my baby. My baby is safe.

[lifeguard]

I like your first one tutucrazy - that's something important for me to remember.

For me I think something along the lines of "focus on now" 'cause I have the tendency to start thinking about how much longer things are going to last & if I can handle &....

I do compare childbirth to my workouts & "just get through this one" is how I get through the tough sets.

[Leiahs]

Lovely and perfect thoughts!

The one thing I always find myself saying inside my head is "My body is amazing and strong!"  Or, I think as encouragement, maybe?, I often think, "If I can do this, I can do anything!"

Religiously minded as well, I also think "God designed women exactly right, no mistakes. As long as I trust in the process, everything will be okay."  (Knowing full well that a good design is never 100% full-proof, but I choose to think positively during the birth, of course!)

[tutucrazy]

Beautiful. I like the idea of focusing on now lifeguard!

Leiahs, One of yours reminds me of:

Life only demands from you the strength you possess.

[Amy May]

Tutucrazy- what a great idea!

Before my first marathon, I made a little deck of "Amy's Marathon Mental Toughness Cards" which had little mantras and reminders (i.e. relax your shoulders!).  I'd always look at them before races and during the race, often chanted the mantras in my head to keep my rhythm.

Here are some of my favorite running ones, and I am sure they can all be adapted to labor as well!

• I like to run it makes me smile, I think I'll run another mile (maybe I like to birth it makes me smile, I'll see my baby in a short, short while!)
• I am Amy, I am strong, I can run the whole day long (I am Amy, I am strong, I can birth the whole day long)
• Easily, gracefully, effortlessly (this really helped me when I needed to focus on my breathing, because each word was a breath)
• Yes I ca-aa-aan, Yes I can!  (This was good on hills)
• Just one step at a time (boom boom boom) just one step at a time (also good for hills, could easily be just one breath at a time, or just one surge at a time)
• I am like a bumblebee (aerodynamically, it is physically impossible for a bumblebee to fly because of the weight of its heavy body and small wings.  Luckily it doesn't know this and just keeps flying like it is nobody's business).

Other images I plan to incorporate for birth include opening (like a flower), and melting like butter (to relax).  I'm sure I have a ton more, I will post when they come to me!

[tutucrazy]

Labor works best when you are OUT of your mind.

Women deliver their own babies into the world under their own power every single day.

People talk about how painful contractions are because they're so strong. But what women should know is that the strength of that contraction is the strength of their own bodies. They are as strong as the contraction is. And so they are able to manage it.

My muscles work in complete harmony to make birthing easier.

[AKislandgirl]

I love this. I'm doing a hypnobabies home course which involves listening to an affirmation CD daily. Here are some of my favorites...

• I deserve to have an easy, fast and completely comfortable birthing, and I will!
• I believe in my ability to give birth easily
• The stronger my birthing waves become, the more deeply I relax
• I am prepared and ready to welcome my baby

I also like to just breath deeply and say to myself, "Surrender".

[Trinket90]

Originally Posted by tutucrazy 
People talk about how painful contractions are because they're so strong. But what women should know is that the strength of that contraction is the strength of their own bodies. They are as strong as the contraction is. And so they are able to manage it. 

Wow. I think that just changed my whole outlook on labor. That's incredible!

[tutucrazy]

Trinket, you can thank Ms. Erin Fullam for that gem! I read it in an NPR article about birth and knew I need to save it as an affirmation. Stunning statement!

[lifeguard]

Thanks tutucrazy - that is a fabulous way to look at it!