I'm 36 weeks pregnant and really anxious! What are some things I can do to get over the anxiety?

Question

I'm so ready to get the whole labor and delivery over I can hardly wait. I'm very anxious right now.

My first pregnancy I had back labor really bad and I stayed in labor for over 36 hours. My little girl had some complications during labor (fetal distress and meconium aspiration). I went through 4 nurse staff changes, one being a horrible nurse that wasn't paying attention to the monitor and let my little girl go into fetal distress. My daughter is 6, has cerebral palsy, developmental delay and hearing loss. She's had a history of seizures also.

We went through alot of angry years trying to get over the pain it caused my little girl and my husband and I. It's just something we have to deal with for the rest of our lives.

I want this delivery to be different. It's a boy. I have a new doctor also. She's wonderful. We did sue the state, but my daughter is damaged 4 life.

Any advice on how to talk to these nurses so this doesn't happen again?

Answer 1

First of all, you should just write a note on your birth plan so the nurses understand your past and can help you calm down during this next labor.

second of all, I think you need to think as positively as possible about this labor. Tell yourself that you have a healthy baby boy. Tell yourself that your labor will go smoothly, with no complications, and everything will be okay. You need to repeat this to yourself enough that you actually believe it.

The best thing for you baby boy is for you not to be all stressed out during labor. If you're stressed out, he'll be stressed out. Try not to think about your last labor. What happened, happened--and only God knows why it took place. This is a new baby, a new labor, and the same thing will not be repeated.

Answer 2

Write down your birth plan and share it with the nursing staff and on-call docs when you go to the hospital. You need to take control of the situation and make sure they understand your concerns. Outline your wishes for medical intervention, music, change of care if you aren't satisfied - the works. Hopefully all will go well!

Answer 3

Let them know about your previous experience so that they understand why you may have a higher anxiety level than other moms in labor. Be open and honest, and tell them exactly what your expect them to do (If you want to be checked every ten minutes, say "ten minutes" not "often").