Affirmations you used during labor?

[3cuties]

What affirmation are you planning to chant during contractions? Or what ones worked particularly well for you? Thank you!

[indeospero]

In my labor with dd, the one thing that kept cycling through my head (though I don't think I vocalized it) was "It's an interesting sensation that requires all of my attention." (It came from some book -- probably Ina May.)

I'm watching this thread and taking notes! I feel like I need some new material!

[mommathea]

Durring my last labor was the first time I used affirmation. I was all mental. I never said it out loud, but it was "This is just 1 contraction. I can do 1 contraction." Then when the contraction ended I told my self. "I did this 1 contraction, I did good."
When teh next contraction started I did it all over.

[newmama8824]

I kinda did what PP did by telling myself "I can get through one contraction" Then I would ask my doula the time and then I would say "You got through xyz time, good job." I would just tell myself "just get through one more hour. you've gotten this far" and after some more contractions I would ask again. I just kept a really positive mindset and I think the more time that passed it was easier.

[alison_in_oh]

It wasn't a chant but I focused on Ina May's Law of Sphincters. I knew that for my body to open up for my baby, I had to be totally relaxed. I focused on keeping my jaw unclenched, and on breathing. I tried to make every muscle in my body as limp as a wet noodle.

[emaye_to_2]

I pictured a flower blooming alot. Also I just tackled the contractions in my head, like bring it on!, and really accepting each one for the important job it was doing, progress towards the finish line. I did have a fast labor and actually felt myself dilating.

[*Melissa*]

I had affirmations and chants and scripts all ready when I went into labor with DS1, but in the end, what really worked for me was:

"1....2....3....4....5" with a breath in between each one.

Seriously, that worked awesome for me.

[coobabysmom]

"open, ooopppeeennn" and thinking this is exactly what my body needs to do to gently and safely bring my baby to me.

you're getting close! I hope you're doing well!

[lovemy4boys]

Well, I didn't set out to have any particular affirmations, but..... I started doing yoga to dvd's during pregnancy and I found the funniest thing keep popping into my head...... "squatting shortens the birth canal by 20%". It kept playing like a broken record in my head and put me in a real focus. I wanted to bust out laughing, but I was really busy. Afterwards, my midwife told me she never saw anybody squat as long as I did. It's a good thing I practiced a lot!

[~Boudicca~]

"This is normal" and "My body won't give me anything I can't handle!"

[DoomaYula]

"My body is perfect."

"I am ready."

"I can do this."

Nothing mind-blowing, but it helped

I also focused on one of the happiest days of my life (other than giving birth): my wedding day, and kept thinking that today will be as wonderful as that day.

[3cuties]

These are great, thank you!

[Mosaic]

I focused on "open" and "release"... worked great!

[mwherbs]

I sang during labor, learned to try it from an opera singer neighbor she sang with all her labors- for me I sang just what came to mind mostly nursery rimes.
I visualized my mom's old draw string purse that opened as well.

[Qestia]

When the nurses were telling me I had a tiny pelvis, and that I shouldn't have been doing kegels while pregnant because they' d make me too small or something (pul-leese) I remembered a line from a birth story in Spiritual Midwifery "you're gonna get so big!" and ignored them and focused on that.

[blue_bug]

Originally Posted by mommathea

Durring my last labor was the first time I used affirmation. I was all mental. I never said it out loud, but it was "This is just 1 contraction. I can do 1 contraction." Then when the contraction ended I told my self. "I did this 1 contraction, I did good."
When teh next contraction started I did it all over.

i LOVE this, gave me warm fuzzies just reading.

[navessa]

i prayed .

my doula was also a christian and she whispered various scripture passages in my ears.

[Spark]

This is what I have my partner say to me during surges... very slowly one at a time. I actually print out this list & have 3-4 copies around the house scotch taped to the wall (the paper can be removed & the tape still sticky enough to stick to a new place if needed). Last birth, I had a copy in the bathroom & our bedroom. When labor hit like a freight train, my DH just moved the list close to where his head was so he didn't have to squint or try to remember the wording. Worked really well for us! (I do hypnosis for childbirth also, but during actual labor, I just like these reminders.)

Mama and Baby working together.

Breath up each surge and make it work for you.

Each surge brings our baby closer to us.

Totally relaxed. Totally at ease.

Your cervix opens outward as baby moves downward.

Feel the natural anesthesia flow through your body.

[Catherine12]

The only thing I said aloud was "Open, Oooopen"... some affirmations I said to myself were "it's not really pain, it's muscles working hard to open my cervix" accompanied with visualizing my cervix opening (this actually did seem to decrease or eliminate the pain from all but the last 20 minutes of contractions) and focusing on feeling the sensation in my uterus as muscles pulling. I used a lot more visualization this time, and I also had a much faster labor - don't know if there is a connection though.

[Hey Mama!]

While laboring at home at night an Incubus video came on, the song that says, "whatever tomorrow brings I'll be there, with open arms and open eyes, yeah. Whatever tomorrow brings I'll be there, I'll be there." That helped me through some of the not so easy moments. While in the tub I chanted "ride the wave, ride the wave" during a contraction, and visualized body surfing. Can you tell the baby was born in Hawaii?