Continue to feel your breath.
We'll be using the breathing techniques from the daily meditation.
The shape of a contraction is something like this.
It starts mild and slow and then starts to build an intensity until it peaks and then becomes softer and softer until it's completely gone and you can rest.
Let's listen again,
This time breathing through it together.
Take a deep breath as the contraction starts to build.
Keep breathing slowly and deeply.
You're now at the peak.
Keep breathing slow and deep.
Okay,
Now it's starting to go away.
Almost gone,
Send it away with a final exhale.
Now you rest.
Remember,
For most of your labor,
Your contractions will last about one minute or less.
At most they will last up to two minutes.
This is only towards the end of your labor when you're getting very close to meeting your baby.
Because the shape of a contraction is like this,
You will spend less than half of each contraction in full intensity.
In fact,
Most of your labor will be spent here,
In rest.
The body gives you lots of rest time.
The key is to practice allowing your mind to rest instead of anticipating or fearing the next contraction.
To allow yourself from going from rest period to rest period instead of contraction to contraction.
Now take a moment to visualize yourself lying on the shore.
Feel the sand beneath you,
The warm sun shining on your face.
Now feel as a small wave comes and the water laps at your body.
Without moving,
Without needing to do anything at all,
You know that the water will recede.
But if you fight the water,
If you start slapping at it,
Trying to run away,
You will likely end up very wet and very tired.
You can think of contractions in the same way.
We know it's hard,
But the more you can lean into the sensation,
The more you can let it lap over you a bit,
The easier it will be for it to recede and for you to rest.
Remember,
It will always recede.
It is always temporary.
We're going to play for you two one-minute contractions with a couple minutes of rest in between.
As a reminder,
The overall shape of the contraction will sound something like this.
With this being the sound of the peak.
Practice breathing deeply during the contraction and resting in between to keep you in the flow.
You can even practice using some different coping movements,
Maybe swaying side to side,
Circling your hips,
Whatever feels good or comes naturally to you.
Okay,
Here we go.
Breathing deeply during the contraction and resting in between to keep you in the flow.
Breathing deeply during the contraction and resting in between to keep you in the flow.
Breathing deeply during the contraction and resting in between to keep you in the flow.
Breathing deeply during the contraction and resting in between to keep you in the flow.
Breathing deeply during the contraction and resting in between to keep you in the flow.
Breathing deeply during the contraction and resting in between to keep you in the flow.
Breathing deeply during the contraction and resting in between to keep you in the flow.
Breathing deeply during the contraction and resting in between to keep you in the flow.
Breathing deeply during the contraction and resting in between to keep you in the flow.
Slowly start to return to your body.
Feel the ground below you as support.
Wiggle your fingers.
You can place your hands on your belly if they aren't already.
Remember,
Yours and baby's chests will rise and fall in unison.
So take a few breaths and feel and watch as they rise and fall together.
Turn the sides of your lips upwards in acknowledgement of how wild it is to be growing another human inside of you.
Gently turn your neck to one side,
Now to the other.
When you are ready,
Slowly open your eyes.
