Labor Training is the precise way for you and baby to prepare for the stress of labor. Through exercise, you will challenge your body’s physiology to mimic labor contractions. So when delivery day finally comes, you will be both physically and mentally prepared…like it’s just another day at the gym.
The objective of Labor Training is to challenge you physically and mentally, just like labor
The Three Steps of Labor Training
Labor Training
- Challenge the Your Breathing Rate: Challenging the breathing rate will condition you for labor.
- Pregnancy Specific Bursts: Because the goal is to train you to handle the contractions of labor, the challenge time should be similar to the time contractions will last, usually between 30 and 90 seconds.
- Imagery Rest Periods: Examples: We will instruct you to:
- Imagine every detail of your baby’s body easily recovering between contractions.
- Imagine every detail of the labor experience you desire.
- Imagine every detail of your baby being the happiest and healthiest you can imagine.
Rest periods are similar to how labor will progress.
Imagery is like visualization for all five senses. Countless studies have shown that imagery improves outcome, so you will be instructed to close your eyes and really allow your imagination to run free.
Varney’s Midwifery says visualization activates neural pathways that reinforce the action, making the visualized event more and more likely to occur. The more often you practice “seeing” what you want, the more likely your body will select that very same sequence of brain-neuron firing.
