Using visualization methods as a tool for pain management during labor and delivery can be highly beneficial. Because labor is a very intense process, it's important that you get through it with as little stress and anxiety as possible. The more stressed and fearful you become, the more pain you're going to experience. By visualizing peaceful things in the right way, you can avoid a lot of the discomfort you'll feel during labor and the actual birth process.
What you visualize has to be up to you. Different things work for different people, and what calms you down might not calm another person as easily. Many people prefer to visualize the ocean or another peaceful place in nature. Others focus on seeing a healthy baby at play. Still, others may spend their visualization energy on pets, loved ones, or anything else that's significant to them or that they find has a calming or happy influence on their lives. The choice is yours, so don't let anyone else talk you into anything specific to them.
Whatever you intend to visualize during the labor and delivery, you should practice it beforehand. You want to do more than just think about it. For example, if you're visualizing the ocean, you want to be able to feel the sand underneath your feet and smell the salt in the air. It's not as though you're looking at a picture of a place you like, but as though you're actually there. Choose a place that makes you feel very calm, but yet still strong and confident.
There are coaches who can help you visualize. That's a great way to learn proper techniques and to make sure you're prepared when you go into labor. Once you know how to handle the visualization properly, you're ready to practice some different scenarios and ideas. Find the ones that work best for you, and get ready to use them. The more you practice, the more prepared you'll be. That will help keep your anxiety level low when you go into labor, which will make the process easier and more rewarding for you.