Leaving Old Baggage Behind~

Today I would like to share with you about a book I read in preparation for the birth of my 6th child.(Oct.07) The book is called Birthing From Within by Pam England CNM,MA and Rob Horowitz PHD.

Do you remember the songs that were playing on the radio during the time when you first met your hubby?

Do you remember the smell of the cologne he was wearing?

Does the smell of OLD SPICE make you think of your dad?

Do you remember the smells of your childhood?

The songs on the radio when you were in JR high?

I bet you can even remember what you were doing when a certain song was playing!

Songs and smells have the power to take our minds back to where we've been. Both positive and negative experiences can be dredged up....just from a song or a smell. A video can start to play in our minds. So we will use this to our advantage. We will be reprogramming our minds in regards to labor and delivery. Conquering our fears! God gave us our 5 senses....so we will use them for our good!

I found this book to be very helpful in getting me mentally ready for labor and delivery. Outlined in the book are exercises that I did to help me erase past bad experiences and fears! My 4th delivery was a planned home birth and was extremely traumatizing.
My 5th delivery was also a home birth and went much better(different midwife) than my 4th but I was scared during the whole process. (The after delivery was a nightmare!but that's another story.) I let my fears of the past control me. I was afraid what happened last time would happen again. I was tense with FEAR! I carried my old mental baggage with me into this birth experience. Not good!

A tense body make things more painful. Not fun especially when going drug free. So with baby #6 I planned a hospital birth from the start. (I will be writing all the details of my past trauma's in MY JOURNEY posts,not yet published.) I mentally and spiritually needed to prepare!
Leaving the past in the past!

The book Birthing From Within is so worth the money and covers a ton of things. I will only be touching on a few things that really helped me. There were exercises outlined in the book,designed to help a person leave the PAST old baggage(trauma) in the PAST.

Reprogram your thoughts....and learn to relax. A person must prepare physically and mentally as well as spiritually for labor. Many people think you can go into labor and turn on a "relax" switch..... but we really need to learn and practice relaxing ahead of time!

Rounded up some materials to use during your relaxation practice time.

Materials Needed

1. Sketch pad and pencils
2. Sculpting clay from craft store (the kind that you bake in home oven to dry)
3. New Music to use for your labor and delivery
4. CD player
5. A water fountain (not required but I loved it)
6. Quiet Place and Time (15-20 min. is all)
7. A drink of some sort (herbal tea or water)

I also liked to smell essential oils..rose,geranium,lavender are some of my faves.
I would massage a few drops on my arms with some jojoba oil.

Once you have your materials ready,its time to begin.... grab your drink,go to your quiet place and turn on your soft music or fountain. (I took both to the hospital).

Choose what art you will do for the next 15-20 minutes. Mold clay or sketch? Think only of your BABY you are carrying within as you do your art. Imagine your birth...let your hands work to make what comes into your mind. If your thoughts change....mold the clay in to something different. If you are sketching let the pencil flow. Don't feel restricted!
If you are sketching you could draw a collage of things you will want at your birth? Maybe you will draw yourself holding your new baby? What ever comes to your mind? Be free with it...even if art is not your thing!

Its important to keep the sessions relatively short 15-20 minutes or so. You want to only focus on your baby that you are carrying within during this time. Do not think of housework,or the other kiddos. Make this time special.... a time to remember fondly in the future. You and your baby deserve it! Just think of the new positive birth experience that lays ahead! Relax to the soft music...it should be a new CD that will not bring your mind back to a traumatizing memory!

With each session you have (2 or 3 times during the week) doing art to soft music in your quiet place....you should find that the art changes....your thoughts change...your mind and art will find the excitement in a new positive experience. Thinking about the up coming birth with excitement....leaving fear behind! What does your birth look like? Who is with you? This is your time to imagine the coming of your new little child!

I took my art,music and fountain into the delivery room with me.
The time I had spent at home in my quiet place doing my art made me happy....feeling my baby wiggling inside me! It was a very relaxing time. My art pieces and drawings were a pleasant reminder of my special time thinking of my new baby. During the transition of labor I remembered the special time I had taken in the weeks prior to get my spirit ready. My art was a precious reminder of that treasured time.... when I had to solely focus on my baby within. WOW great stuff!

I also hired a doula with my 6th birth. I totally recommend having a doula. She was a valuable part of being able to relax...she kept the music on and got me the things I needed during labor and delivery. She was such a comfort..just her presence there helped me focus and relax. My husband was freed up to enjoy the birth and pace around during the labor. We were Both very happy! My doula was Awesome! Money well spent!

Happy Labor and Delivery to All you Pregnant Mamma's! What a blessing....bringing a child into the world! God is truly there with you....lean on HIM!

Peace In Christ,
Georgiann