Many pregnant women will experience the frustration of waking once or several times during the night. This may be because they are uncomfortable, need to pass urine, have a leg cramp or a vivid dream or wake for no apparent reason and then are unable to sink back down into sleep.
The stillness of night can provide an opportunity for practising some relaxation techniques (these can also be used during the labour, between contractions) and hopefully encourage you back to sleep.
The relaxation exercise below can be practiced during the day so you can easily use it at night. You may prefer to record your own guided relaxation so you can listen to it with a walkman. If you don't like the sound of your own voice, the calm easy voice of your partner or a friend can be recorded to guide you through a visualisation. Alternatively you may wish to buy a pre-recorded tape specifically for relaxation and visualisation.
If you, or a friend, intends to record your own guided relaxation there are a few points to remember:
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Speak in a normal relaxed tone at the beginning |
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Allow the voice to become quieter, speaking slower as the relaxation progresses. |
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The words should be spoken slowly (not too slow) with pauses and phrasing for emphasis. |
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Phrasing for emphasis is important in formulating a hypnotic suggestion. A suggestion given in a state of deep relaxation can be phrased in a way to decrease the probability of resistance to the suggestion, and to increase the probability of its acceptance. |
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You may wish to play some relaxing background music or nature sounds such as running water, while recording. |