Could you do anything if it was only for 1 minute at a time?
Contractions! These are probably the element of birth that I get asked about the most.
You can do anything for a minute at a time. A minute is just about as hard as it gets. At their peak a contraction is likely to be about a minute in length.
If you’re pregnant you’re probably thinking a lot about going into labour, especially as you get closer to your due date. This means that the impending pain (from contractions) is potentially playing on your mind – especially if this is your first baby.
Mili Hill writes about contractions in her book, The positive birth book. Her calculation is that on average about 60% of labour is actually pain free and only 40% of labour is contractions. That already sounds a bit better, doesn’t it?!
The power of your mind is enormous. Focus on getting through each contraction. One minute at a time instead of allowing the pain of labour to be your focus.
Remember to breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth! It really helps.
For more advice on labour and birth, you could visit my website JustExhale or my Facebook page: Just Exhale | Facebook
