A Soft Focus For Early Labour
Listeners can expect a gentle, supportive guided meditation track designed specifically for early labor. Lauren invites the listener to settle into a comfortable, safe space and uses calming breathwork, body relaxation techniques, and visualizations—such as grounding with the earth and riding waves on a peaceful beach—to promote a sense of calm and empowerment. Throughout the meditation, soothing affirmations and visual imagery help the listener navigate contractions, foster relaxation between surges, and build trust in their body’s natural process. By the end of the track, listeners are left feeling grounded, confident, and deeply supported as they move through the early stages of labor.
Transcript
Ensure you are in a comfortable,
Safe space for early labor.
This might be your living room,
Bedroom,
Or bathroom,
Wherever you feel most at ease.
Dim the lights or close the curtains if that feels better.
You can have pillows,
A comfy chair,
Or a birthing bowl to sit on.
If you want,
Play soft,
Calming music in the background.
Now either sit upright with your back supported,
Against cushions or your partner,
Or lie on your side if that's more comfortable,
Or even perhaps getting on hands and knees if that relieves any pressure.
Any position is fine as long as you feel supported and can relax.
Gently close your eyes or keep them softly open with an unfocused gaze.
Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out with a sigh.
This is the beginning of an important journey,
And you are safe.
You have everything you need within you for this process.
Bring your attention to the points of contact between your body and the floor,
Or your body and the ground,
Or your body and the furniture you're on.
Feel the solidity of the floor underneath your feet or knees,
The support of your cushion or bed under your body.
Imagine roots extending from your body into the earth,
Anchoring you.
The earth is strong and steady beneath you,
And it supports you and your baby.
With each breath,
Draw up a sense of stability from those roots,
And if you feel a little unsteady or nervous,
Know that that's absolutely okay.
Just notice it and let the strong ground beneath you help you to feel more secure.
You may even press your hands down on your thighs or on the arm of a chair for a moment,
Feeling the firmness and using it to remind yourself that right here,
Right now,
You are grounded and supported.
We'll establish a slow,
Soothing breath rhythm to calm your nervous system.
Place one hand on your belly and one on your chest,
If you like,
Feeling your breathing.
Take a long breath in through your nose for a count of four.
In,
Two,
Three,
Four.
Now exhale through your mouth for a longer count of eight.
Out,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
If eight feels too long,
Exhale for six.
Let's do that again,
Breathing in deeply,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
And breathing out slowly,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
As you exhale,
Imagine you are literally blowing away any tension,
Like a gentle breeze blowing out a candle.
Continue with this,
In for four,
Out for six or eight,
Breathing at your own pace.
Breathing in deeply,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And breathing out slowly,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Breathing in deeply,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And breathing out slowly,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Breathing in deeply,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And breathing out slowly,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Breathing in deeply,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And breathing out slowly,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Breathing in deeply,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And breathing out slowly,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Breathing in deeply,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And breathing out slowly,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Breathing in deeply,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And breathing out slowly,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Breathing in deeply,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And breathing out slowly,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Breathing in deeply,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And breathing out slowly,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
This kind of slow,
Extended exhale breathing signals your body to relax,
Activating your natural relaxation response.
Feel it working.
With each exhale,
Your heart rate eases and your muscles loosen.
You might start to feel a bit heavier in your limbs as you truly begin to relax.
If a contraction comes while you're breathing,
Try to maintain this slow rhythm,
Breathing in through the nose and out through the mouth,
Nice and steady.
Breathing in deeply,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And breathing out slowly,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
It helps to imagine breathing in calm and breathing out tension.
Breathing in deeply,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four.
And breathing out slowly,
One,
Two,
Three,
Four,
Five,
Six,
Seven,
Eight.
Gently floating your awareness to your face.
Ensure your forehead isn't scrunched.
And if it is,
Consciously relax those muscles.
Let your eyebrows soften and the space between them go smooth.
Relax your eyes and cheeks.
Part your lips slightly and let your jaw be slack.
Perhaps even sway your jaw slightly side to side.
Or let your mouth hang open with a soft ah sound for a moment,
Releasing any tension here.
As you relax your jaw and facial muscles,
Notice your pelvic area responding.
Your pelvic floor and hips loosen as well,
Opening and releasing along with your jaw.
Let your shoulders drop down from your ears.
Maybe roll them back once,
Then let them settle.
Unclench your hands if you were making fists or gripping anything.
Invite your fingers to be soft and loose.
Feel the same softness travel down through your legs all the way to your toes.
You can wiggle your toes and then let them completely relax.
Now do a quick mental scan.
Are you holding tension anywhere still?
Common places are the forehead,
Jaw,
Shoulders,
Hands or pelvis.
If you find any tight spot,
Send your loving breath here.
Imagine breathing in warmth to that area and breathing out the tightness or discomfort.
On each exhale,
Consciously let go.
Sigh out,
Moan or just feel that spot loosening.
Between surges,
Your job is to rest and release.
Your body will do the work it needs to do.
You can help it best by staying as loose and limp as possible,
Like a rag doll between contractions.
We will use guided visualization to help you handle each contraction or surge with calm and confidence.
Imagine now that you are standing on a warm,
Peaceful beach.
The sand is soft under your skin.
The sun is gentle on your skin.
And you hear the steady rhythm of the ocean.
The waves of the ocean are like the waves of your labor.
As you stand at the water's edge,
A small wave approaches.
You know how ocean waves work.
They build,
They reach a peak and then they flow back into the sea.
See if you can synchronize this image with what your body is doing.
Each contraction is a wave.
When you feel a contraction building,
Visualize a wave forming in the ocean.
It rises up,
Gradually growing.
This is the sensation building in your body.
You take a deep breath in.
And as the wave in your mind rises,
You are riding it.
Just like a surfer or a boy bobbing on the water,
You move with the wave.
You don't resist it.
You allow it to swell.
You know it will crest and then subside,
Just as every ocean wave does.
At the peak of the surge,
Maybe it feels intense.
But you are still okay.
You are still breathing.
Now see that wave in your mind begin to curl and recede back into the ocean.
As it does,
Imagine the intensity in your body receding as well.
The wave is passing.
You exhale slowly and fully as the sensation softens.
The wave dissipates on the shore,
Leaving behind only a bit of fizzling foam that quickly sinks into the sand.
Between waves,
The ocean might be calm or have only gentle ripples.
Likewise,
Between contractions,
Your body is calm.
Take that time between surges to really let go and relax completely,
Floating in the calm water.
Perhaps visualize yourself floating on your back in a tranquil sea during the break between waves,
Feeling weightless and supported by the water.
The warm water holds you up effortlessly.
You don't have to do anything in that moment but rest.
When the next wave begins to form,
Remember you can ride it just like the last.
You are not afraid of it because you know it's bringing your baby closer and it will flow through you.
Each wave is temporary.
It rises and it falls.
And importantly,
Each wave cannot be stronger than you because it is you.
It's your own body's power creating it.
You are the ocean in this metaphor,
Powerful and vast.
A wave is just a part of you doing its job.
Embrace that power.
See if you can even welcome the wave.
When you sense a contraction starting,
You may think,
All right,
Come on wave,
Let's do this,
Knowing it has a purpose.
Ride it with your breath,
Moaning or sighing on the exhale if that helps,
Relaxing your muscles as much as possible.
Maybe even drop your jaw open and let a low ah or ooh sound vibrate out with your exhale.
Maybe even drop your jaw open and let out a low vibration as you exhale.
This can naturally release tension and also serve as a focus.
Remember,
A loose jaw helps open the birth path.
You might picture your cervix opening gently each time you make that sound or each time the wave peaks,
Like a flower blooming or like a doorway softly widening.
Keep bringing yourself back to right now,
To this wave,
This breath.
Early labor contractions come and go with breaks in between.
Try not to let your mind race ahead to the next one or wonder how many more will come.
Just stay here.
Feel your body on the ground.
Hear the sound of your breathing.
Perhaps even place a cool cloth on your forehead or sip water between contractions.
These little things help keep you anchored in the present.
If your mind wanders to worry,
How long will this last?
Can I do it?
Gently acknowledge those thoughts and then let them float away.
Return your focus to one contraction at a time,
One breath at a time.
You only ever have to handle this one right now,
And you are handling it.
You are doing it.
If it helps,
Build a sense of a safe space around you in your mind.
This could be the beach scene we used,
The sunlit beach where you feel calm.
Or perhaps you prefer a different image,
Maybe a cozy room with a fireplace or a tranquil forest with tall sheltering trees.
Or you may imagine a warm,
Soft light surrounding you and your baby,
Like a bubble of soft light that moves with you,
Creating a cocoon of safety and peace.
In this safe space,
Only calm and positive thoughts can enter.
Any noises around you,
Perhaps the sounds of home or people talking quietly,
Can be interpreted as supportive and reassuring,
Part of your safe environment.
If you're on that beach in your mind,
Hear the gentle crash of distant waves,
The call of seagulls,
And feel the ocean breeze.
Let it soothe you.
If you're in a forest,
Maybe hear the rustle of leaves or feel dappled sunlight on your skin.
Wherever you choose,
In your safe space,
You feel totally at ease and protected.
You might even imagine your baby is also enjoying this peaceful scenery with you,
In their own way,
Snug inside of you.
As you relax in this state of focused calm,
It can help to repeat some positive affirmations to yourself.
Repeat the following either silently in your mind or saying them softly out loud as a whisper.
Every wave brings my baby closer to me.
I am calm.
I am safe.
I am strong.
My contractions cannot be stronger than me because they are me.
They are my own body's strength.
I relax and open,
Trusting my body and my baby.
Between contractions,
I find rest and peace.
I ride each wave.
I don't fight it.
My body was made to do this,
And it knows how to birth my baby.
I am surrounded by support and love.
My baby is doing this with me.
We are working together.
Each contraction has a purpose,
And I welcome it,
Knowing it brings me closer to holding my baby.
Feel the truth of these statements within your body.
They are not just pretty words.
They are reflections of the strength and wisdom inside you.
Your body and your baby are working together in harmony.
You are strong and capable,
And you will meet your baby soon.
When you feel ready,
Gently bringing yourself out of this practice.
You can gently open your eyes,
Knowing that nothing has to break this peace.
Even with the eyes open,
You can remain centered.
You might choose to keep the lights dim or maintain quietness around you to preserve this meditative state.
Go about your early labor activities gently and mindfully.
Trust that your body is doing exactly what it needs to do.
You are doing an amazing job.
Every surge,
Every breath,
Bringing you closer to the beautiful moment of meeting your baby.
You've got this.
You are grounded,
You are safe,
And you will flow through early labor with grace and strength.
