Creative visualization is often used in Hypnosis for child birth classes. It uses the power of the imagination to replace negative thoughts with positive thoughts. In hypnosis sessions, you are walked through the process. You can also learn to do this at home. There are many books on the subject, if you need a guide.
Creative visualization is good for pregnancy and labor. The more you practice visualizing positive thoughts, the better you will be when labor begins. I’ve been working on this technique to avoid drugs in labor. We’ll see how it goes. Visualization exercises are very effective for reducing pregnancy related stress and fears of labor.
In creative visualization, you imagine a scene until it becomes like watching a movie. This could be any scene you find relaxing. It could be a beach, tropical island, snow covered mountain trail or waterfall. You can use a memory from a favorite vacation spot or the place where you spent your honeymoon.
The key is that the place is somewhere you find relaxing and enjoyable. Imagine the scene in great detail, using as many of the five senses as possible. How does it look? How does the place smell? What do you hear? The more senses you include in your visualization, the more effective it will be.
I like to use images of the beach. I lived in Florida for twelve years and spent a fair amount of time at the beach, relaxing and playing with the kids. For me, the sound of the waves is very relaxing and evokes good memories. I imagine the warmth of the sun, the feeling of the sand and the smell of the salt air.
Some women like to imagine the cervix opening for the baby to be born. This technique is used in many hypnosis for child birth programs. A common image is to imagine the cervix opening like a flower in bloom. Imagine a flower, this could be any flower. Imagine the flower opening from a bud to full bloom.
The image you choose could be anything. It should be something personal that you find enjoyable or relaxing. The more you practice the visualization technique, the easier it will be to play your mental movie during labor. In addition, the more you do this, the better the results in terms of relieving stress during pregnancy.