How do I get to my focus?

[MissM]

This may sound like a really silly question - but after watching Deliver me on fox last night it got me wondering if there is something I can do to help myself.

The woman on Deliver me pushed her baby out in 3 pushes. (oh how wonderful that must have been! LOL) This woman's birth was amazing - no drugs (including gas) at all and she simply used breathing and movements through the contractions.

I know this is not the case for everyone, but is there any way I can help prepare myself to 'Focus' and Zone in on the birth?

I am hoping to have the ability to focus and zone in on myself and birthing this wonderful little bundle, but am a little worried I wont be able to focus. I know I can do it, and can def do it again this time! I am trying to mentally prepare myself for the birth.

How do i surrender my mind and let my body take over? I want to give my body control (have become quite the control freak since the birth of DD1)

Any tips or advice? I hope this makes sense?!

[onthefly]

some people find an affirmation helpful - I used: I welcome every contraction. [while breathing in] Each one brings my baby closer. [While breathng out]
Or maybe a visualisatino - some people imagine their cervix opening, or their baby descending, or maybe they're riding waves (contractions)
moving in a particular way or doing some sort of vocalisation may also help. sometimes it's hard to know what will till you're doing it. what did you do last time?

[Arcadia]

I try to surrender to the power of my body, so when it gets full on I just repeat in my head 'it's just your body, it's normal, it's just your body'. I also had affirmations such as 'I choose to say yes to the pain and poser of my body and accept myself completely'.

Birth is like sex...try not to overthink it. Go with it, and pushing will feel like an orgasm...well not literally! Lol!

[Babyluv]

I had a drug free birth & I found knowledge to be key. I read birth skills by juju sundin over & over because it made sense to me. Knowing what my body was doing & what I could do to utilize the natural pain relieving hormones meant I didn't panic. I felt like I knew enough to be in control of my labour. Read it if you get a chance, it's great. Tens machine was fantastic, kept me at home for most of the labour. But mostly I used what I'd learnt in the book. I have no regrets about bubs birth and will do it this way next time.
Good luck Hun. Educate yourself & go after what you want because you can have it. Oh & ignore the horror stories ppl love to tell you.

[MissM]

or maybe they're riding waves (contractions)

I like the riding waves ones - this makes total sense!

what did you do last time?

Last time went very fast for me, I had a hard fast labor (4 hrs worth, not as fast as some LOL) first contraction at 11am ish, hospital by midday waters broken by the middy not long after getting there, walked for a little bit inside the birthing room took ages to get up on the bed and by that time bubs was so close i got comfy and needed to push. Once I started pushing i kept lifting myself off the bed (midwife told me later I should have pushed 'down' and left my bum on the bed my labour probably would have been shorter but I guess i was tensing my muscles in that area which possibly made it worse for myself) I also gave birth sitting up

I also tore because i thought if i push the labour would be over faster only a small tear but will definately know this time to push when needed and to push in a downwards motion itms?

Baby luv - I agree knowledge is power and it would defiantely benefit me by doing some reading. Would my library have the birth skills book? or is this something i will need to purchase?

Arcadia - I have heard of women describing birthing like an orgasmic feeling. Kinda freaked me out a little because I dont find pain pleasurable at all I presume it feels 'orgasmic' because of the relief tho

[kristi14]

I recommend reading Ina May's guide to childbirth book.

I found it very helpful to read and highlighted alot of things in it. This book will explain the "orgasmic" birth that PP have been talking about, it explains alot, definitely get it and give it a read. I got my copy from the book depository online for about $18 and free postage

[MissM]

Awesome thank you

[Cassius2]

it's really all about keeping your adrenalin at bay. adrenalin causes a drop in oxygen in your blood and has an immediate effect of causing the waves (contractions) to be harder and much more painful. one of the best ways to keep the adrenalin in the closet is really to use as much deep, slow and measured breathing as possible. i did a calmbirth course which combines breathing and some good visualisation and affirmation techniques. so if i were you i would really look into those kind of trainings. either through a course (which i HIGHLY recommend) or by getting stuck into some exercises for it (which no doubt you can google). every little bit will help. basically it is all about telling your conscious brain to take a break by focussing on your 'happy place' (visualisation) or your affirmations (to work in combination with your body). this way your subconscious can take over and send you all those beautiful happy hormones that all those hippies harp on about....and have a point about lol!

[MissM]

Thanks cass willdef look into the courses :-)

From SE Xperia x10a