Peaceful Childbirth

​Guided imagery for natural childbirth teaches the mom-to-be how to relax, improve self-confidence, and alleviate unnecessary pain. It also helps them to ease discomfort from the beginning of their pregnancy and use these same techniques for meditation and relaxation after the baby is born.

It can also provide dramatic relief from morning sickness or heartburn during pregnancy. Mothers can learn to alleviate lower back pain and other discomforts due to body changes during pregnancy.

The deep breathing techniques help moms relax during labor and delivery. The inner mind-power ability mothers learn enables her to be more self-assured, confident, and in complete control of the birthing experience.

 

Hypnotic anesthesia techniques can also enable the mother to require less pain medication during labor and delivery. 

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The greatest benefit of peaceful child birthing is the mom is in a heightened state of awareness and can be more alert at the time of her baby's birth. A mother who is not exhausted or drowsy due to pain medication can fully enjoy a rewarding bonding experience with her baby. 

 

After the baby is born, the benefits of peaceful child birthing continue for the mother.

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Examples: Techniques to alleviate stress, tension, anxiety, and tiredness can provide the new mother with much needed periods of rest and relaxation and insure a new source of good health and emotional well-being.

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Psychology of Pain​​​

There are three basic components to be addressed when dealing with unwanted and unnecessary pain. These components are TENSION, ANXIETY, and FEAR.

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TENSION​

Tension is a learned response to ward off or fight back against pain. As we mature and experience pain, our tendency is to stiffen or tense up to protect ourselves. Tension causes muscles to tighten which exuberates the pain experienced on both a physical and psychological level. Muscle tension associated with pain can be alleviated with mental relaxation using guided imagery.

 

ANXIETY

Anxiety naturally follows tension in the pain experience. With tensed up muscles and a heightened sense of awareness or acuity to pain stimuli, we become anxious that the pain will not stop or worse yet, intensify. This anxiety or preoccupation with pain causes further constriction of the muscular system causing one to focus on the pain, which in turn, begins to intensify the actual pain. Anxiety (regarding pain) can be alleviated with "end result imagery".

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FEAR​

Fear is the most insidious of the three components of pain. Fear of anticipated pain and the learned fear of pain can be carried over into adulthood in the form of exaggerated fear to anticipated painful experiences, such as childbirth, dentistry, trauma, etc.

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TENSION, ANXIETY, and FEAR are the three evils of the pain experience which can be developed into a vicious cycle of agony. Fortunately, by breaking down any one of these components, the subjective experience of pain can be significantly reduced without relying on drugs. Pain alleviation products are presented as a panacea to all of life's problems. Pain management products are the best sellers, and every American has their own pain management library carefully stored in their medicine cabinets. With guided imagery and visualization, you have a product which allows you the privilege to provide a BETTER product and an educational experience that can be used for a lifetime. This enables one to prevent unwanted and unnecessary pain, be it physical or emotional pain. Since the experience of pain is very subjective, and coincides with the mother's current experience of tension, anxiety, and fear that relate to that pain. The focus it to teach the mom-to-be how to use imagery to make something bad become better or more tolerated. The primary goal of visualization and guided imagery for pain management is to elevate the person's pain threshold. The reduction of dependence on pain medication is considered a secondary gain rather than a therapeutic outcome!

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Endorphins - Theory of Blocking Pain​

Creating pain relief within our system by acting as a biochemical messenger to the cells so often this natural opiate (endorphins) is obstructed by our thoughts and feelings of tension, anxiety, and fear. When fear and tension are present, the endorphins become blocked, and the mother suffers pain. Although, if she remains relaxed and carries a positive attitude, this allows the endorphins to flow naturally, making childbirth comfortable and fulfilling. Visualization techniques and relaxation permit this to happen when the nervous system is in parasympathetic mode and happens as nature intended. 

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"End Result" Imagery​

"End Result" Imagery reinforces one's strength and belief system to realize the unconscious fulfillment of a specific image. "End Result" Imagery takes the expectant mother through a beautifully wonderful, relaxed, tranquil birthing experience by having her imagine the total pregnancy process continue through delivery. This emphasizes the natural process of all the muscles working together in perfect harmony during delivery.

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Natural Childbirth​

Deep relaxation and natural childbirth are a joyful family experience without any tension, anxiety, fear, or extreme pain. It is possible to have this kind of experience using a special process of deep relaxation that can be incorporated with the childbirth method of their choice. Tension, anxiety, and fear are NOT a natural body process, they are the result of undue pressure. We all need to learn how to alleviate one's tension, anxiety, and fear, especially during childbirth. Tension in itself can be the cause of pain, such as headaches can often be caused by nervous tension. Tension can also complicate the natural process of childbirth. 

In a natural process by childbirth there is a normal amount of discomfort; however, extreme pain is NOT a necessary part of the birthing experience. The discomfort of childbirth can almost be negligible when you are relaxed in both mind and body. Labor is hard work, but it does not need to be painful. Hard work should leave the body pleasantly tired and relaxed. Briefly then, the pain of labor is due to tension caused by fear - this pain then intensifies the fear, which in turn increases the pain substantially, causing a vicious cycle of three evils - tension, anxiety, and fear. This vicious cycle destroys confidence, relaxation, and self-control during labor. 

 

With the aid of a peaceful childbirth coach, trained in deep relaxation and childbirth, one can easily learn how to apply these techniques at work, home, or in the hospital. Deep relaxation is highly beneficial for both mother and baby, during pregnancy, labor, and delivery. 

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Deep relaxation childbirth techniques can help with the following experiences: 

·         Relief from morning sickness

·         Relief from lower back pain and other discomforts due to bodily changes during pregnancy. 

·         Relief of headaches and other pain that cannot be treated with medications during pregnancy.

·         Breathing techniques learned for labor and delivery can easily be remembered and performed without anxiety. 

·         Decreased need for pain medication during labor and delivery.

·         One's partner can participate in a joyful birthing experience - free of worry, fear, and anxiety.

·         Experience an immediate bonding with the baby.

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Deep relaxation or guided imagery is like day dreaming: you feel relaxed, drowsy, and comfortable, but you are very aware of what is going on around you. You can ask and answer questions, follow instructions and hear your baby's cry. 

 

Relaxation is the goal of a peaceful child birthing experience. Feeling relaxed helps mothers build self-control, confidence, security, contentment, and wellbeing. Guided imagery and visualization can assist with a calm childbirth so the body can lessen unnecessary tension, anxiety, and fear which creates pain. As a peaceful child birthing coach, I act as a guide to suggest and outline the course YOU wish to follow to attain relaxation of your body and mind. Childbirth is a natural body process, and the body works in harmony as the contractions use the muscles to push the baby down while the cervix opens the pathway for the baby to come through. It is almost like a symphony of muscles and hormones working together so beautifully to bring your little miracle into the world. It sounds wonderful, doesn’t it....going through your birthing experience with so much contentment, tranquility, and comfort with deep relaxation, giving birth with strength and ease and so very relaxed in mind and body. This peaceful child birthing method can be easily learned because it is a tested, proven, and safe technique.

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"The knowledge of how to give birth without outside interventions lies deep within each woman. Successful childbirth depends on the acceptance of the process."  Holistic Mumma