One of the things people fear most about labor is the contractions.
Not knowing what they're going to feel like,
Not knowing how much pain one can handle.
This meditation was designed to help you understand what contractions are,
So they seem a lot less scary,
And to give you tools to lean into them instead of fighting them.
So before we get started,
Let's just chat for a sec about what's actually happening in your body during a contraction.
Try to visualize this.
Your uterus has two main muscle types that are at work during a contraction,
Vertical and circular.
The vertical muscles run up and down the lengths of the uterus.
The circular ones wrap around horizontally from the top of the uterus all the way down to the cervix.
Remember,
Your cervix lives at the bottom of your uterus.
These tight circular muscles by the cervix help to keep the cervix closed.
What you are feeling during a contraction is literally those vertical muscles pulling the circular muscles up and out of the way,
So the cervix can thin,
Soften,
And open.
As your uterus is working hard to help your cervix thin,
Soften,
And open,
Your baby is also working to help you out.
Now try visualizing this.
See your uterus.
Your baby,
Nice and cozy inside,
Head sitting right on top of your cervix.
As your uterus contracts,
The fundus,
That's the top part of your uterus,
Presses down on the baby's button feet so that the head can press harder against the cervix,
Giving it a little extra oomph.
This helps you to further thin,
Soften,
And open.
So the sensations that you will feel during a contraction are the tightening of the vertical uterine muscles,
The pressure of your baby's head pressing on your cervix and sometimes pelvis,
And the stretching of your cervix as it thins,
Softens,
And opens.
So you see,
Contractions tend to be extremely productive.
They aren't happening to you.
They're working for you so that you can get closer and closer to meeting your baby.
They are what allows you to open or to dilate,
So in some ways you can really think of contractions as expansions.
It's also interesting to note that while these sensations can certainly be intense,
They actually do not elicit a pain response in the body.
The orchestra of hormones created by your body during a contraction include oxytocin,
Which is the same hormone that is released during orgasm,
And endorphins,
Which is basically your natural Xanax.
Now again,
This isn't to say that contractions won't get intense.
It's only to say that your body has built in a defense system to help you cope with them.
It's also to remind you that you're not in danger.
The sensation is not a signal that something is wrong.
And actually,
The more you can allow the sensation to come,
The more you can lean into it instead of fight it,
The easier coping will be.
So this meditation will enable you to play around with this idea.
We know the idea of welcoming discomfort can be a bit scary,
But if you start practicing now,
You may feel a lot more equipped later.
Remember,
It's our mind's job to talk to us,
So the goal isn't to shut it up.
Whenever you feel yourself getting lost in your head,
Simply return to listening and breathing.
And if you haven't yet,
Definitely check out the Need to Nose track for some more pointers.
Before you begin,
Make sure you're comfortable.
You can use a pillow for some extra support.
Lay down,
Sit up,
There's no right way.
Just whatever feels good for you.
Once you're comfy,
Close your eyes and draw attention to your breath.
As you inhale,
Feel that oxygen pass through your nostrils.
Feel as your belly rises and your chest expands.
And as you exhale,
Feel the air pass back out through the rims of your nostrils.
Feel your belly fall.
Continue to feel your breath in this way.
We'll be here for about 10 minutes.
There's nothing else to do.
Know where you have to be.
Simply breathe and listen.
