I think I need some sort of relaxation to get through the prenatals...

[phatchristy]

I homebirth, but attend prenatals through a birth center. You know, I don't know what it is, why it is, but it seems that somehow people like to make administrative/communication errors/events when it comes to my pregnancies/prenatal visits.

Well, err....at least the last two pregnancies, my first two seem very uneventful in comparison to the last two pregnancies. Health wise I don't have any issues.

Anyhow, I don't need to get into the specifics of what has gone on. It's weird and long. The good thing is, everything always winds up fine in the end, but getting things sorted out is frustrating sometimes for me, and I'm left with the stress and the feeling like the *right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing over there* sort of feeling. When one person tells you one thing, a different person tells you something else and then it winds up being a different thing entirely.

And, sure they apologize, etc. when they realized that they made a mistake, forgot something, or realize that I was caused some extra stress.

OK, what I'm left with now is just stressful feelings when it comes to my prenatals. As in, pulse high, slightly higher bp, etc. I do self monitoring at home now. Which is reassuring that in my natural environment I'm just fine! I used to enjoy my prenatals. It was like going to see family. Now I just want to get through them quickly without any mess ups and it would be lovely to just skip on to the birth. Which isn't going to happen!

I'm wondering if anyone here can help me with some sort of thoughts for relaxation techniques, etc. that I can do for the appointments. I have a relaxation script I do for the birth specifically. But, I'm in the third trimester now and I want to have something that will get me through these prenatals more relaxed. Especially as they're increasing in frequency starting next week. In fact, I most likely have 8 or 9 left.

I am a very private, spiritual person when it comes to birthing. I don't ask a lot of questions at appointments or after hours so really am a non-demanding patient (because I either know the answer myself or can look it up) and with my history I'm a quick, easy homebirther. I just wish that I could have the prenatal visits be as low stress and easy going as the births are.

So, any advice/thoughts/relaxation techniques anyone here could share. And nobody tell me to switch practitioners. Based on our insurance this is the only option that works for us anyhow. I checked on all of that long ago. I'm comfortable with the midwives themselves, it just seems that there are breakdowns in communication a lot between everyone and the staff. Which I can see happens sometimes when dealing with a staff vs. a sole practitioner.

I just want to shield myself from that stuff and the stress as much as possible. Not good for me or baby. And, sure I believe in midwifery care and understand that there are a certain number of hoops I have to jump through in my state. It's just frustrating for me.

[Mooney]

I just had to plug Bach's Rescue Remedy. It really does work!
http://bachflower.com/Rescue_Remedy.htm

I also had stress issues with attending prenatals at the OB office when I was getting concurrent care and planning an HBAC. I had difficulty with all the different people I was shuffled through, as well as refusing all of the tests they wanted to perform on me. I felt like I needed to have all of my research at the tip of my tongue, to be armed so to speak, every time I went over there. I used a "vibraceutical" formula called "To thine own self be true" to strengthen my self confidence. Depending on your particular needs you'd choose whichever formula you're drawn to.
http://www.kaliana.com/vibraceuticals.htm

As for scripts, I like the "favorite place" relaxation idea. It is good because it gets stronger the more you use it. You pick a place you love and visit it in your mind. Fill in all the details: What are you sitting or lying on? What do you hear (birds, water, children)? What is the temperature like, wind? What smells are in the air around you? What is the light like, the sky if you can see it? Is there anything you eat here? What does it taste like?

You can also use a relaxation technique related to color progression. You picture yourself in a peaceful place and then focus your attention on something red in your field of vision. You sink into the color and allow your entire field of vision to become entirely red. Then pull back, and find something orange. Then something, yellow, green, blue and purple. Rest in the purple, the most relaxed color.

As an example, my "place" for this script is a mountain lake; I'm sitting on the edge of a dock, at dusk, and all my family has gone out to dinner with out me (no time or interruption pressure). I'm reading, and then I look up and see a cardinal in a tree near me. Then I look at the sunset across the lake. There's a field of yellow flowers. Above the flowers, broad-leafed forest of trees. I lie back and look at the far side of the sky, a deep blue, and then my vision rests back toward the center of the sky, where it is purple.