Meditations, Affirmations, Scripts, and Visualizations « Back to Group Discussions

[Yeeska]

Does anyone have some favorites that they want to share? I just found this and the weekly thing is interesting, but I'd love some great fear releasing stuff too...

http://community.babycenter.com/journal/mmeemmapeel/3210313/collected_hypnobirthing_scripts_affirmations

[judybean]

Haven't read the link (I'll do it tomorrow when not on my phone)... but a good affirmation that really resonates with me is: " The power and intensity
of your contractions
cannot be stronger than
you because it *is* you."

And,"You have a set number of contractions needed to birth your baby. Each surge is one less to go through and one step closer to meeting your baby."

I need to begin collecting affirmations. I relied on simple reassurances like that for dd4s birth.

[katt]

no real affirmations, i do have visualizations though. 

I have a calm place to go to in my head, by a tree, then I walk down to a creek and flow down the creek ... and then i'm usually totally relaxed (well as relaxed as a working body can be).  

I also have a white light visualization.  It flows through and warms, heals, helps my whole body.  I would use it to wrap around the baby with love during the first trimester.  I need to keep doing this.

I also picture the white light flowing down through me, into the earth and connecting me with all the other mamas in the world going through the same thing I am.  I don't feel alone, i'm connected, we are powerful ...

[MissE]

NO real affirmations but I LOVED when my doula kept telling me "That contraction is over, you never have to deal with it again". First I thought it was silly but heck it helped. :)

I haven't even thought to find a hypnobirthing group on BC. I'm so wound up in everyone's drama over there LOL.

[MamanFrancaise]

Originally Posted by judybean 

" The power and intensity
of your contractions
cannot be stronger than
you because it *is* you."

I love, love, love this!

And katt, I love the white light. 

[help007]

Originally Posted by judybean 

" The power and intensity
of your contractions
cannot be stronger than
you because it *is* you."

I love that, too!!

The timing of this post couldn't be better. As I read through Ina May's Guide to Childbirth, I realized I needed to 'collect' the most inspiring thoughts. I was thinking of using a dry erase marker to write my favorites on the huge mirror that is in the basement near where the birth pool will be set up.

For my second birth, I used "I am going to open HUGE" (from Ina May's GtC) as my mantra. Perhaps that is how I ended up not tearing, even though his hand was up by his chin!

I am very, very vocal during birth, and the advice to keep all sounds very low helped a lot. When my sounds became high, that was a tipoff to my husband and midwives to encourage me and help me ground myself. What really helped, though, was when one of the midwives told me, during pushing or just before, "Direct your energy [that I was spending on vocalizing] down to your birthing baby." It was an amazing help! My son arrive soon after that.

[LibraryMo]

This thread is so helpful. I've been MIA for a while and I'm so glad to have come back. Thanks everyone!

[2sweetsparrows]

Hi Ladies,

I have been very MIA as well, I have been posting in the having your #1 in your 30's thread.  

I just thought of an idea- I want to get a few different peaceful large postcards- one of rain- one of an ocean scene and one of a lone tree- and see if they can assist the visualization process.  I am also loving riley lee right now- he does Zen music, I also want rain sounds.  

[Yeeska]

For some reason that reminded me of something I wrote on a trip to the beach while pregnant with #2. I'm so glad to come back to it! I wrote it mostly for me, so I'm not sure how it translates for others, but I figured, what the heck. So, here it is....

Surfing to Birth

I’m watching the waves crash, in their timeless, powerful grace, on the shore. I think of our birth that approaches. I consider the prehistoric power the two share and I realize, somewhere in my soul, that I have equal control over both.

            I’m thinking of how, like with birth, people approach the sea differently. There are those so intimidated by the possibilities of the sea that they never so much as venture, beyond their toes, into the water. They are so overwhelmed by the destructive possibilities that they never feel the beauty of the ocean’s intrinsic grace.

            Then there are those who venture cautiously. They experience some of this romance, but are checked, by fear, to dive in. Their fear of this lack of control keeps them from knowing the full joy. They submerge themselves in the water, but rally against what they cannot control. They emerge prematurely, exhausted and bruised, certain that this is the cost paid to experience something so powerful and yet beyond their control.

            I contemplate ocean goers like myself. I love the ocean, its vast endless body. I begin timid, but inevitably find myself diving through waves laughingly. I’ve had my share of bumps and scrapes. I am, at once, intimidated and fascinated by the violent possibilities surrounding me. I have been known to fight the current as often as I’ve ridden it, but am mostly secure in my ability to succumb to the ebb of the flow. I take comfort in the contrast of courage between myself and those so restrained, checked.

            Then I realize I’ve forgotten some souls. I have a passing image of a champion surfer. This is the body who works hard; she paddles fast and furiously beyond the peaks, only to rise with them, sailing through the sky. She is glorified by the power of the sea! She celebrates her lack of control! What a powerful notion! Standing tall and strong on the frothy peak of nature’s power embodied in the substance we most need. I’ve always thought that surfers were just a certain kind of person, that I lacked the ability to ride those powerful crescents. I know, now, that –while surfing might come naturally to some with no help; those who are born knowing the soul of the sea- anyone can surf. Some of us have to learn, be lead, be shown how to mount those waves, but we all can. 

We are created in water, born from water, and birth like the biggest body of water there is. The waves are powerful and intimidating. The underlying possibilities can be overwhelming. Like the ocean, there are many ways to deal with these waves, with the undertow that might sweep us out to certain destruction. Some may be handicapped by the unknown, some held in check, holding the full sensation at arm’s length. I’d always thought the best I could do was maintain myself, appreciate the waves and let them happen. There is more! I will NOT be held back by my lack of control. I will do more than tolerate the ebb and flow around me. I can ride gloriously atop the power of the swell! I will be empowered in the timeless dance I am a part of. I will release my control to a force bigger than myself and find, in doing so, the most powerful peak possible. I will surf my way to birth!

April 9, 2005

[LibraryMo]

It's just beautiful Yeeska.

[2sweetsparrows]

That is beautiful!

[help007]

I have been getting 'flashbacks' to various parts of my previous births, and I so clearly remember thinking (moments before needing to push) that it was all too much, too powerful. Along the lines of Judybean's post, I will be working to reframe those thoughts to: "Wow, my body is amazing! My body is powerful!" When it gets to that stage, it can feel so much like our conscience minds are just along for the ride, that what is happening is being done 'to' us rather than 'by' us. So, this will be my latest mantra =)

[judybean]

Originally Posted by help007 

I have been getting 'flashbacks' to various parts of my previous births, and I so clearly remember thinking (moments before needing to push) that it was all too much, too powerful. Along the lines of Judybean's post, I will be working to reframe those thoughts to: "Wow, my body is amazing! My body is powerful!" When it gets to that stage, it can feel so much like our conscience minds are just along for the ride, that what is happening is being done 'to' us rather than 'by' us. So, this will be my latest mantra =)

I totally need the mantra.  Because somewhere in my head I *know* this... but... at the same time, I'm kind of terrified of it.  I find it scary to completely surrender to it all and have troubles getting to that point of just letting go.... So keeping in mind that my body is amazing and powerful will hopefully keep fear at bay and let empowerment surge forward!

[Yeeska]

You know, it's funny, but -with my third- I had this weird matter of fact thing happening. It was kind of like I was observing myself in labor like I would a client. Oh, vocalizing, that's a new level. Okay,, more pressure, it's probably time to go. Uh oh! Pushing and we're not there yet. Only 8cm? Now don't freak out. This is the part where you freak out. Just like everyone else.

Something about that kept me from really freaking out. I think I just sort of shut down, though. When I'm at a birth, I can't be good supported if I make it all about me, so there's . Well, somehow it wasn't all about me when it WAS me either. lol This worked and did get me through a precipitous labor with very little drama, but I think it also took away some of the gravity in a positive way. Not only did my disassociation allow me very good coping, but it denied me the joy and awe I felt in the second (where I did also freak out).

It's an exchange, I suppose. And, if there were perhaps a lot of choices or complications to be concerned with, it might be good to be able to disassociate from the labor brain. But in a natural, normal labor, the fear, the anticipation, the "freak out" is part of the experience if one wishes to have the full experience. At least, I think so ...and I think many experts on normal birth would too.

[help007]

I have a large white board next to where we'll set up the birth tub.  I have started to fill it with affirmations and comfort suggestions, and I thought it would be a good time to bump this thread =D

I hope we all have Inspired Births, regardless of our circumstances!!

[judybean]

Thanks for bumping this, help007, I was just thinking this needed to be brought to light again as we all begin earnestly working towards birth now that we're in September!