Just Breathe.

Breath is what gives us life. When we get carried away with the business of the things going on around us, we often forget to breathe. Little babies breathe air deep into their tummies, and as we grow older, we get to busy to breathe so deeply any more, and often we just breathe into our lungs-- enough to give our bodies oxygen, but not always enough to stop, relax, and take time. This is more than Lamaze.

I would like to encourage each and every one of you to take time. Do it today. Do it EVERY day. The more often that you stop throughout your day to relax, to breathe, the easier it will be to incorporate relaxation into your birth. If you are regularly practicing relaxation, you will find that it comes much more naturally when you start to experience contractions, and you will more easily get into a routine of relaxation  as you go deeper and deeper into your birthing state. Women that regularly practice relaxation have a much much easier birthing experience. I want that for each and every one of you. It is simple, really, and it does not take much extra time. Some ways I encourage my clients to incorporate it into their day is to practice every time they go to the bathroom (you do this throughout the day, especially when pregnant, so it is a perfect time to practice, especially relaxing and loosening all of your perineal muscles-- anti-kegel!!), every time you take a nap or go to bed at night, and each time you feel your going to loose your nerve about something. Even just taking 1-2 minutes throughout your day will give you a significant leg up on being a pro-relaxer. If you can spend 10-20 minutes at night before you go to bed, that is even better!

How to: Start in a comfortable position, lying down, and supported with lots of pillows so that you feel like every part of you is completely supported. Take deep slow breaths in through your nose, down into your stomach, exhaling with full, pillowy cheeks. Breathing like this is the most basic component of relaxation, and a skill you can take with you wherever you are. Imagine your stomach slowly filling with air, and lifting up a little bit with each breath. Continue breathing like this throughout your relaxation exercise.

Allow a moment to feel yourself sinking into your bed or couch, and feel the weight of your body becoming heavier and heavier. During this time, also imagine all stress and distracting thoughts being put into a little box, that only you can open, and that you can set aside during this important time. Then, when you are ready, slowly think about every muscle in your scalp, and face loosen and soften. Feel your eyes sinking and getting heavy, your cheeks and jaw softening, your tongue loosening. Continue down your body spending as much time as you like making every joint and muscle group become limp. Then notice your body feeling more and more calm and peaceful, heavy, and soft throughout this process. Also allow your uterus and perineal muscles to all become relaxed, open, and soft. Enjoy your baby's movements.

This is KEY to the birthing process. If you can allow yourself to be soft, heavy, and open, you will birth your baby much more easily! Proceed to relax all areas of your body right down to your toes (if you don't fall asleep first, which is fine....) and then spend some time in this state of complete relaxation. Enjoy it as long as you like, breathing deeply throughout the process.

When you are ready, slowly allow each muscle group to come to life again, ready and refreshed for the world.