Did you have a mantra during labour?

[EasyCompadre]

My first experience of childbirth is looming imminently, and after reading the fantastic thread about mantras that get you through life, I was wondering if anyone had any specific mantras that helped them through contractions and labour in general? Anything that you would say to yourself over and over that helped to get through it, or had someone else say to you to remind you that you could do it when the going got tough?

Che sera sera!

Did you sing it outtheotherside? :) a friend told me how she hummed a song from an advert frantically during her contractions and that seemed to help... She hadn't planned it beforehand, it's just what happened when the time came.

The anaesthetist is on his way
The anaesthetist is on his way
The anaesthetist is on his way

I was induced and turned down an epidural early on. By the time I decided I needed one, he was committed dealing with a csec then another one. 6 hours later, I got one.

I just counted during contractions in my second labour. I knew they didn't last past a count of 40 so once I'd got to 20 I was past the peak and it didn't seem too long. I don't remember doing anything in my other labours though. They were all pretty straightforward, short and manageable, so it isn't always horrendous. Good luck!

Not a mantra as such, but I know reminding myself that "I can do this" and "each contraction brings us closer to meeting baby" helped a lot.

During my emergency c section I was staring at a light fitting that looked a bit like Zippy from children's tv when I was a child and found myself muttering over and over 'if Zippy's still smiling it must be ok'. I was on a lot of drugs by that point!

I love that lady , I may use it just to keep spirits up even if I can't see anything resembling zippy

These are great, I'm going to write them down and keep them handy as little tools to try... I'm willing to give anything a go!

I counted through contractions with my first which was really helpful as I knew to press the boost on my tens 1/3rd of the way through a contraction.

With my second I kept repeating 'this will all be over soon. Remember it just stops when the baby us here'. I didn't realise how soon it would end though.... DS arrived inside 50 minutes!

Good luck OP.

'I'm not going to die'

DC1 - "I'll never do this again"
DC2 (13 months later) -"this time, I'll never do it again".

apparently, I went "moo" a lot.

I have a low pain threshold so I was very much "dont panic, you can do this" over and over.
Oddly worked and I only had gas and air.
The dont panic bit was the main thing, for some reason I was very relaxed.
Anyone who knows me in RL wouldnt believe this for a second but my mother verifies it regularly

Just go with it.

I just let my body take over

Don'tfight it, just go with it!

"It'll be over soon"

Whilst clock watching over DP's head...lasted 2 hours, I am hoping 2nd labour will be over quicker than 2 hours will find out in less than a month!

Counting during contractions (and pinching my fingers together as I counted) helped me.

I agree with "don't panic you can do this" as well.

I did sing. A bit. That song and others. I swear it helped!!!

Every contraction I just thought "that's one less"

I didn't say much but I counted my breathing as I devoured the gas and air! In for 2, out for 3 and repeat

It meant that through every contraction I was only focussed on the counting and not the pain.

It is something I do when I used to go running, as it works for me then, too. The distance/pain are lost in the counting.

My mother did it - 6 times - in the olden days - if she can do it i can do it.

Give me drugs
Give me drugs
Give me drugs

"Wait for it to pass"

During the painful contractions, repeating this phrase got me to the end of each one. Worked for 2 labours.

Like LizzieMint I had a count down for each contraction - I knew that they don't last more than 40-60 seconds it really helped

'I want an epidural'

Didn't have one.

Keep calm. The more relaxed I am the less painful it (hhopefully) would be.

There is some sense in that. It's muscles that are working to get the baby out. If your tense it's gonna hurt more.

I was actually really good with the pain tbf (no screaming or swearing)

Fantastic, I can see how counting would work well. So a 40 second (slow?) count is about the length of a contraction, that's good to know, I'll get practicing.

I like "Don't panic, you can do this", "that's one closer to meeting our baby", "it'll be over soon", "this won't last forever", "don't fight it, just go with it", and "I'm not going die"... Hopefully some of those will come to me and help me through it at the opportune moment, eek!!