With Isla when it got really bad, that transition stage I would say the word breath as I breathed. To remind myself to breath through it LOL. It helped I think.

Also this will sound weird. But with each deep breath in I pictured my cervix being pulled up kinda like when you pull a sock on, as you pull up your leg it becomes wider & thinner, As I breathed out i pictured the babies head moving down & out.

I think these helped me