Imagine a contraction coming, imagine a period pain really low down in your bump, with every breath the feeling moves slowly up your bump, and at the height of the contraction, your whole bump is covered with the feeling. After 2 more breaths the contraction starts to ease, first the feeling eases from the top of your bump, and with each breath it moves back down to the base of your bump. Once your contraction is over, its really important to relax, change position if you are not comfortable, take a sip of water and try and save all your energy for your next contraction.
The breathing exercises I will explain are for you to concentrate on while the contraction progresses, you start them when you feel the contraction starting, and you will soon learn when your at your peek of your contraction, and so can look forward to the downhill part of it. Remember to be completely comfortable, relax your jaw, relax your muscles, and concentrate on the thing you are visualising.
This is my favourite one. you start at 10, and with each breath you breath out you count down. Niiiiiiiiiiine.. breath in.. eiggggght breath in. seeeeven breath in...... when you reach onnnnnne. you stick a finger out (the idea is you count with your fingers how many times you count down from 10 to one in a contraction). I found that by the time I had done this 8 times I was at the peak of my contraction, so knew I have 8 more to go for it to be over. I found it really comforting to know exactly how long I had to go with each one, as I could just concentrate getting back to 0.
For my second labour.. although i still struggled with visualisations still.... I could deal with this one..
Each time your contraction starts, you breath in through your nose, and as you breath out through your mouth (make it a loud out breath). I imagine a big dollop of paint on a plastic sheet in front of me, and when I breath out I blow the paint along the floor to make to make the rectangle. (slow outbreaths to do the long sides, and shorter in breaths to suck the paint along the shorter sides). and as the contraction gets stronger I try to make the rectangle bigger and bigger by breathing out harder and faster..... as the contraction fades it becomes smaller again.
Each time your contraction starts, you breath in through your nose, and as you breath out through your mouth (make it a loud out breath). Imagine a feather is hovering in front of you. When you breath out it blows a little higher. when you breath in the feather falls slightly, as your contraction gets stronger it takes more effort for blowing out to keep the feather afloat.... as the contraction fades it becomes easier again.
Each time your contraction starts, you breath in through your nose, and as you breath out through your mouth (make it a loud out breath). Imagine a car speedo is in front of you. When you breath out it the needle moves to a faster speed. When you breath in the needle falls bath slightly, as your contraction gets stronger it takes more effort for blowing out to keep the speedo height.... as the contraction fades it becomes easier again.
Each time your contraction starts, you breath in through your nose, and as you breath out through your mouth (make it a loud out breath).Imagine that exhalation as a fine golden thread spinning out of you lightly parted lips, and follow that golden thread as it drifts off as far as you can imagine. When you breath in the thread ends, but repeats with your next out breath, as your contraction gets stronger it takes more effort to blow the golden thread away... as the contraction fades it becomes easier again.
I start using the birth prep CD from around 30 weeks, The Birth ball is great for sitting on late in pregnancy to help baby get into a good position, and then for using to lean on during labour to get into a good position. The Aromatherapy oils I mainly used during labour were clary sage oil on a flannel for breathing in during a contraction, and frankincense in a defuser. The Tens machine was amazing (not to be used IN the birth pool).
The Diprobase cream will be your best friend if you had a natural birth, use toilet paper to apply it before and after a wee and you will feel no pain :)
The Epsom salt is for bathing in, add a cup of Epsom to a bath along with a few drops of lavender oil. not only will this help heal any cuts and grazes after delivery, but it will also increase your magnesium levels, which normally drop after pregnancy and birth. You need Magnesium for pretty much everybody function, so its really important. The Arnica will also help heal any bruising you have. The Rescue Remedy is a great pick me up for when you are struggling emotionally.
The sling will help you get on with tasks and help sooth the baby. They call the 3-4 months after the birth the "4th trimester". Baby is still adjusting from no longer being tucked up inside you, so being kept close to your skin, and hearing your heartbeat is a lovely way to ease your baby into being earth-side. It also means your hands are free for other tasks. The toddle pod used with the angel care and side cot was great for naps. I could feed the baby to sleep while still in the pod, then move away and know the baby is safe inside the pod without having to disturb him. Please note the toddlepod instructions say you are not to leave the baby unattended asleep in the pod
These are great for making night time changes easier, no poppers you can just pull up over the bum.
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