Like most pregnant women, as you progress through pregnancy, you will be met with emotions, anxieties, doubts, questions, decisions and responsibilities that you never considered before. Many feelings will center around the pregnancy and the impending labor and birthing, but other unresolved emotional issues are often stirred as well. Experiences or recollections that may be painful, or hurtful, limit your ability to approach your child's birth free calmly and comfortably.

Unresolved issues that are not addressed during pregnancy will undoubtedly surface as fears when you are in labor. Fear and tension during labor can, and do, affect the course and duration of labor. You will want to thoroughly explore any thoughts and fears that are troubling you. Properly preparing your mind and body for baby's birth includes freeing yourself of reservations, limiting thoughts and harmful emotions.

It's immensely helpful for both you and your partner to be able to identify and take a look at the emotions that are fostering any uneasiness and neutralize them with meridian tapping, EFT in particular. EFT can be used to release any conflict you may be harboring, consciously or subconsciously, as a result of your negative emotions. By using EFT to work through, and resolve, any lingering emotions, limiting thoughts, experiences or memories that stand in the way of any easy birth, you will be able to approach the birth of your baby with confidence and ease. In this article, six common areas of concern will be addressed, and some helpful suggestions for EFT set-up and reminder phrases accompany each area of concern.  If you are unfamiliar with the series of pressure points known as the EFT sequence, you may want to find out how to do EFT basics to get the full benefits of this article.

The following list of concerns may or may nor reflect your own personal issues. These key areas of concern are meant to inspire you to discover and release your own personal issues and limiting beliefs relating to labor and birth...

(Note: If baby is in breach presentation, thoroughly addressing the following issues before the onset of labor can turn the baby into an optimal position for birthing.)

1) Explore our own birth story

Ask yourself:

What stories have I heard about my own birth?

Are these stories positive and encouraging, or negative and frightening?

Do I feel like I am destined to duplicate my mother's labor?

Tapping on all the EFT points, starting with the Karate Chop Point say the following:

"Even though my mother told me that labor was.....(insert your own personal details), I deeply and profoundly accept myself and my mother."

"I now allow myself to recognize that I am not my mother, and this in not my mother's pregnancy."

"I am an entirely different person, this is a different time and different circumstances."

2) What have you learned from others' birth stories?

Ask yourself:

Have family members or friends relished me with stories of long labors, back labor, severe pain or medical intervention? Address the details of those stories while tapping:

"Even though my family and friends told me that labor is.....(insert your own personal details), I completely and profoundly love and accept myself and everyone involved.

"I now allow myself recognize that I am not them, and this will be my own unique labor and birth experience and not theirs."

"I now give myself permission to release any imprint that the birth experiences of other people have made on me."

"I no longer feel it necessary to believe that I will birth as they did."

"I release other people's baggage and release the tendency to bring their past baggage into my birthing."

3) What do you remember about your own previous labor(s)?

Ask yourself:

Was my own previous experience with labor easy and satisfying or am I carrying memories of a painful ordeal? Address the specifics of what bothered you most, and what still bothers you, about your previous labor experience(s) while tapping:

"Even though my previous labor was less than satisfying...(fill in with your own description of how you experienced labor and birth previously), I love and forgive myself, and everyone else involved, on every level."

"I know that I am better prepared for an easier birth this time."

"I recognize that I now approach birth with more knowledge and planning than I did before."

"I release any old memories of previous births."

4) How do you really feel about the responsibilities of parenting?

Ask yourself:

Am I comfortable with the thought of being a parent?

Do I feel less than adequate about my ability to be a good parent?

What kind of attitudes toward parenting have I been exposed to?

Do I feel overwhelmed?

"Even though I grew up with less-than-perfect role models, I choose to see my experiences in a positive light..."

"Even though my parents weren't the greatest...(fill in with your own description of your parents), I am grateful for them because, in the very least, they allow me to recognize more clearly what I DON'T want to do as parent."

"Even though becoming a parent is scary I now allow myself to recognize that all the support and insight I need are already available for me. I choose to trust myself."

5) Do you feel safe and well-supported?

Ask yourself:

Do I feel secure with the support that my partner or my family will provide?

Am I in a stable and supportive relationship?

Do I have people in my life that will share the responsibilities of caring for this baby?

"Even though I am afraid that I will have to raise this baby all by myself, I choose to trust that life will provide me with everything my baby and I need.

"I now choose to communicate effectively with the people in my life, I choose to let them know that I need support."

"I choose to communicate my needs clearly and let the people in my life know what I want without question. I can now recognize the strengths that I must build upon to effectively provide my own best support."

6) What kind marriage/relationship are you in?

Ask yourself:

Is my marriage/relationship secure, loving and mutually nurturing?

Am I confident that my relationship is strong and will withstand the additional stress of raising a child?

Am I holding onto past resentments, or have some arguments I need to work out?

Have my spouse/partner and I really talked things out?

Address the specifics of each issue that you feel strongly about while tapping, be sure to address each aspects one by one, thoroughly tapping away until you no longer feel emotionally intense about the issue at hand.

"Even though I still resent my partner because he/she...(fill in with your personal issue), I deeply and completely love and accept myself and I choose to work together with my partner to resolve any old issues between us."

"As I let go of old angers and resentments I allow myself to enjoy a stronger bond than I ever thought possible."

Don't feel obligated to use the exact wording used in the phrases - these are just some samples to get you started. They may or may not accurately describe your personal underlying issues. EFT can almost always help resolve the underlying emotional issues that inevitably arise during labor as fear and uncertainty; resolving these emotional issues before the big day can take the edge off of any discomfort you may have during labor.  Of course, EFT can also be safely and effectively used during your actual labor and birth to help relieve you from the pain of contractions and to help shorten labor time.  Your body and mind work best when both are in harmony, allowing you to approach your birthing as free of limiting thoughts and emotions as possible.

To learn more about EFT and how to use it during pregnancy download a free copy of "EFT for Pregnancy and Birth" on-line: http://www.fertilitypregnancybirth.com and as a bonus get a free one-year subscription to the Fertility, Pregnancy, Birth E-Zine!