calm and connected

This is a relaxation exercise that guides you to become calm and connected. It instructs you to get comfortable and focus on your breathing. By closing your eyes and paying attention to your breath, you can relax more deeply. The exercise then guides you to relax different parts of your body, from your forehead to your toes. You are encouraged to communicate with your baby and think positive thoughts about their birth. Finally, you are brought back to the present moment, feeling calm and alert. Welcome to your calm and connected relaxation exercise. Make yourself comfortable either sitting or lying down in a way that feels good for you. Become aware of how you are sitting, laying, resting. Adjust your position to allow yourself to be more comfortable. Adjust your position to what your body needs to become more comfortable. So now, as you're resting, so very comfortably, just allow your breathing to slow down and deepen, so soft and so easy. Gently begin to close down your eyes so that you can more easily focus on my voice. Now, just observe your breath. Notice the cool breathe in and the warmth of your out-breath. Just breathing in and breathing out, breathing in and slowly breathing out, slowly breathing in and slowly breathing out. Notice how just by simply focusing on your inhale and your exhale begins to relax you so much more, breathing so comfortably, slowly and deeply as now you're feeling so at ease and calm, you feel your body sink, heavy, limp, deep relaxed, calm and completely comfortable. Use this time now to adjust your position if you need to. Observe that your body tells you what you need to do to become more comfortable, more relaxed. Now allow the relaxation that you feel in your gently closed eyes to move softly to your forehead, softening it so easily, the feeling begins to spread down to your cheeks and to your jaws as they just relax, just as they will do during your labor. Your mouth softens and even your tongue sits more comfortably in your mouth, soft mouth, soft jaw. Your neck begins to feel the relaxation coming down, even into your throat, coming down into your shoulders, they soften and drop just like a weight has been released. The relaxation travels down your arms, down to your hands and even your fingers soften. The sense of calm relaxation travels down your back, down to your chest, down to your tummy as you feel the relaxation caress your beautiful baby and you know your baby is enjoying this time, your pelvis relaxes, the feeling of relaxation just on your thighs, right down to your knees, your calf soften, your feet and right down even to your toes, become so very relaxed and now that you're so very comfortable, you know that you have all the time in the world. Time to be here in this moment. Right here with your baby. Enjoy this time, taking some deep breaths, breathing in and slowly breathing out, slowly breathing in and easily breathing out, slowly breathing in and calmly breathing out. Those long, slow exhales connecting you to your baby and allow more serenity into your mind and your body and whilst you are so very relaxed and calm, spend a little time thinking about your growing baby, their soft skin, their perfect face, the way that they're cuddled up, skin on skin with you right now. Take a moment to communicate with your baby. Perhaps you have a message for them. Perhaps you'd like to tell them how excited you are to hold them in your arms. In this moment, you remind yourself that you're building tools so their birth is a positive, happy experience for you all. In a moment, it will be time to gently return to the present. This time bringing a comforting reminder with you. A reminder that in those moments of relaxation, you enjoy the connection with your baby and also acknowledge that you're developing a simple yet powerful skill for your baby's birth and beyond. So now allow the awareness to return to your body. You start to become aware of the sounds around you in the room. Feel gentle movement in your fingers and your toes. Your eyes feel lighter. And when you're ready, allow your eyes to open and come back into the room feeling calm, relaxed and alert.