Things to remember when in labour.

[pucci]

I'm putting together a list for myself to take to the hospital, of things to remember while in labour. Quite possibly the list won't even be remembered at that point but I want to be prepared. I'm hoping for a natural and relatively intervention free birth. I have a doula attending (hopefully, she has some distance to travel).
This is what I have so far. Does anyone else have anything insightful to add?
It's aim is to reduce panic and anxiety which I'm prone to in health related situations.

Millions of women do this every year.
Women in other countries can do this alone and in the bush.
This is only a short time out of your life.
This is good pain.
You only have to go through each contraction once.
Once each contraction is complete, you never have to endure that contraction again.
Your body was designed to do this.
Your body knows what to do.
You are doing this to meet your baby (finally).

[ss_storm]

The midwife said in our childbirth classes that it helps to remember that the pain associated with contractions is a good thing- i.e. it means something is happening, as you've said above it's a "good pain". Maybe visualise your cervix dilating and your pelvis opening up with each contraction, making a path for your baby to travel through. And once it's all over (as I keep getting told!) it will all be worth it and you won't even remember how much it was hurting.

I'm starting to freak out a little bit...I think not knowing what it is going to be like- not knowing what the contractions will feel like and just how much they are going to hurt- is probably the worst bit for me.

[Inertia]

100% Ladies. The first time is always the scariest. I found the anxiety to be debilitating. I think sometimes it held up labour because my body wasnt going to get ready while my mind wasn't.

So forget waiting for labour - repeat these mantras now!

I can do this!
I am strong enough to do this!
Its one day of my life that I will treasure.

[Oorki Galoorki]

with each contraction you are one step closer to meeting your baby.
all the pain is gone when baby is out.

[Lulu]

It's always darkest before dawn.

Meaning - it will get to a point that you may feel completely overwhelmed, it's too much, I wanna go home type stuff. This is GOOD, because it usually means you are in TRANSITION which means you will meet your baby very soon. Transition is GOOD!

And my fave, when my head might say I can't do this - I CAN do this, I AM doing this!

[Tinks]

I visualised the contractions were waves and every wave took me closer to shore.

Remember to BREATHE!!!

[[M]umma[M]ia]

i visualised the contractions opening everything up (cervix). I dont know why, but it helped me. Everycontraction i visualised it was a little bigger, hence being closer to meeting bub. Also i kept saying to myself, "the pain wont last forever, it will go away"