Thursday 19 March 2015

Picturing a Pain Free Labour.

Adapted from Susan Jeffers and taught at my parentcraft classes, I thought you would like it...

Visualizations
Make yourself comfortable in your chair, back straight, feet on the floor, hands comfortable on your lap. You have nothing to do but listen to my instructions and let whatever comes up for you come up. There is no right or wrong way to do a visualization. Just accept whatever comes to mind.
Now close your eyes … and keep them closed throughout the visualization. Take a deep breath … inhale all the loving energy in the universe … and exhale all your loving energy back into the universe. Once more … in … and out … And once more … in … and … out. Feel how good it feels to begin to totally relax. Begin at the bottom of your feet and work your way up to your head … relax. Let go of the muscles in your feet … feel your legs becoming heavy and relaxed … your abdomen is relaxing … your chest feels heavy, every breath feels so light and tension free … arms and hands are feeling relaxed … your shoulders suddenly give up their tension and they are feeling so heavy and soft … your neck feels relaxed … just let go of any tension in the little muscles around your eyes and then your mouth … all tention free and nice and relaxed. You have never felt so relaxed. Every breath you take eases more tention out of your body.

Just totally let go … checking out any part of your body that may still be holding tension … and release it.

Now I want you to think of a goal that you have in life … a specific goal … and you know that FEAR is keeping you from moving forward toward that goal.
Now what I'd like you to do is to imagine yourself approaching that goal “as if” you had no fear.

I want you to see yourself approaching that goal with a sense of power and confidence in yourself … confidence that it will all be all right.
What would you be doing in your visualization … if you had no fear?
See yourself … What would you be doing next … if you had no fear?
Within the visualization look at the people around you. How are you relating to them … with no fear?
How are they relating to you?

Just enjoy this sense of power and notice your ability to love … and contribute.

And know that this is a feeling always within you … always a part of you if you choose to use it.
And it is within your capability to move forward in life with that power and with that confidence.

See yourself … achieving your goal … with your power … with your confidence … with your love … and with your contribution. Imagine how good it would feel to approach your goal with utter confidence in your ability to be a success. Nothing could stop you.

And slowly … start to bring yourself back to this room … knowing that the power is available to you … as soon as you begin to act … the power you need will come forward.

Feel yourself in your chair … be present in this room … listen to the sounds around you … and when you are ready, open your eyes … no need to rush. When you are ready, open your eyes.
Stretch and just feel the deliciousness of your power. It's all there for the taking. 

Then I would ask my parents, when using this visualisation method, to imagine they are in labour. What if they approach labour with confidence and strength, imagine going into labour and feeling perfectly safe. What if you sat at home on your couch in labour, feeling the contractions and they are causing you no pain. Wonder and joy course through you and you know you can do this. Know it is within your power. What if?