i'm now 4 months pregnant and throughout my whole pregnancy i've been worried about miscarriages, and just little things but lately i've been watching alot of baby stories and births on t.v and i'm so scared to have this baby i watch all these women go through so much pain and even with the epidural and i'm just worried that when the time comes i will freeze up and wont be able to have this baby. i'm also scared about having a c-section.. has anyone else felt this way? what made you get over this fear?
2007-03-21 08:46:14 · 11 answers · asked by XGlaMkiLLedHerX 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Pregnancy
Don't be afraid!! You can do it! You were born to do it! Your body knows how to birth your baby and birth you baby it will! Seriously! It is a scary but wonderful thing, you must have faith, your body knows! Speak to your midwife, everyone is apprehensive but it's OK, she will help you through it.
Please realise you are strong, healthy and doing what your body was built to do. Birth is the most natural thing in the world, you don't have to do anything, your body and instincts will take over and you just go with it!
I won't tell you not to watch the shows because you'll carry on watching them anyway, it's like an addiction! But please take the following advice:
Please read up on birth and labour options, once you know WHY the things on TV are going wrong and WHAT can be done about it, it won't seem so scary. Plus read up on how COMMON these things are. There's a complication in every second birth on the TV, it's good viewing, but in real life, birth is rarely so dramatic.
Birth is not an illness! I don't believe a hospital is the best place for birth but I won't press my beliefs onto you. But please understand that labour and birth are natural processes, in order to help your fears you have to be as informed as possible. I have links to sites that can help you below, but please try to stop watching the shows, and don't listen to anyone's birth stories if they are bad. ONLY listen to the good, positive, affirming stories that reinforce your belief in your own body to birth your baby.
When it comes to childborth, fear is your worst enemy!
Good luck and congratulations!!!
2007-03-21 09:05:39 · answer #1 · answered by Up-side-down 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Stop watching those shows - with my first child I refused to even watch the documentary that the hospital showed.
I have done natural with epidural,
natural with no drugs
and caesarian section.
The best was natural with epidural, it took 6 hours before my legs werent numb and I could walk around again. There was no pain in the pushing part, but it is difficult to push because they keep telling you to push harder and longer and to breathe. Its a very busy time!
Second birth was sore, felt like bad Gastro. But at the point I thought I was going to pass out the baby started coming out and then it was over. I was walking around within the hour.
Third birth was complicated, ending in an emergency caesar. The bottom half of my body was numb and the top half was awake. I think it would have been a better experience if I was sleeping through it. I found it traumatic, but I did survive.
I was walking 12 hours afterwards but had several infections in the wound and was only painfree about 2 months after the birth.
Some people say its great - it depends on your pain threshold.
The only thing that helps you get over the fear of childbirth is ... childbirth! Once you have done it you feel like you can do anything!
2007-03-21 16:02:22 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When I first got pregnant, I was petrified about labor and delivery...all I could think about was the pain and how I didn't think I could handle it.
Thing is, there's so much more to the birthing process than just pain. To combat my fear (which was mostly the fear of the unknown), I read up and took classes on the birthing process - learned everything I could about what would happen and what *could* happen, so I'd be prepared.
That helped me a lot. Rather than going into it with ignorance and fear, I went into my labor/delivery with the knowledge of procedures and the stages my body would be going through. Knowing exactly what to expect made all the difference.
Just try and make the labor process as comfortable and relaxing as possible - bring music to listen to, have a supportive person there to talk to and lean on, and be aware of what your pain management options are (epidural, etc.).
You'll be just fine. You won't freeze up, your body won't let you - it knows what to do.
2007-03-21 15:53:45 · answer #3 · answered by michxenafan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yeah but also remember...they use the really gushy and interesting shows!
My labor was quick and simple, Only 4 hours from first contraction to baby crying!
I had an epidural and everything was GREAT!
I even felt fine afterwards. Really tired though, not alot of pain, didnt even take the pain meds perscribed, but for a day. after that I took tylenol.
Good Luck Honey! Its only a day and you will survive it, whats scary is the UNKNOWN! I was scared to death, but when it happens you are in control and just do what it takes to get the job done!
2007-03-21 17:32:05 · answer #4 · answered by crystald 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was 18 when I had my daughter and was so scared about the labor I had a great husband and my mom was there for the entire labor and delivery. i was in the hospital and knew that the next morning i would be induced and be in labor i was so scared that i didnt sleep very well that night.. I think that as you go throught the labor you just kinda get mentaly strong like your mind know you have to be strong to take care of this baby that you are having. Good luck
2007-03-21 15:55:32 · answer #5 · answered by mommieof1 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First, congrats on mommyhood! It can be a scary place but you will get used to it. Second, those shows are kind extremes. The odds of you having a birth like what you see on TV are slim to none. Lastly, your fears are normal. I was so scared of labor when I was pregnant. I was so afraid something was going to go wrong or I wasn't going to be able to handle it or whatever...You'll be fine!!! Talk things over with your doctor. Make sure your doctor and your partner know how you want things to go but make them flexible. Things change during labor and delivery. Good luck!!!
2007-03-21 16:24:27 · answer #6 · answered by Mommy 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
YES YES I felt this way and I bet most woman have. I did what you did-watched the babystory every single day. Let me tell you-once its time to delivery you will be fine. Of course you will be scared--you have never experienced labor and delivery BUT you do what you are told and ALOT of it comes naturally. You wont freeze. Trust your dr and trust yourself. I was scared of the possibilty of a c-section also(I didnt have to have one). Remember the safety of the baby and the mother is number one priority so if something happens and you require a csection it will be okay.
2007-03-21 15:50:55 · answer #7 · answered by haleydwh 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was terrified before I had my first one ... the midwife finally told me to calm down, that the baby was gonna be born, and it would be all right. I had a c-section - complete with the beautiful, wonderful, can't-feel-a-dang-thing epidural - and she was right - it did work out okay. Skip the scary baby stories on TV, no need to stress yourself out. You probably will be nervous right up to the last minute, but just keep thinking, it'll be over with soon, and I'll have a gorgeous baby to love! Good luck!!
2007-03-21 15:53:39 · answer #8 · answered by georgiagrits1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was really scared my first time. I didn't even go into labor naturally I had to be enduced but I got the epidural and after that it was a breeze.
2007-03-21 15:55:14 · answer #9 · answered by tina s 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had to just stop watching those shows. They were driving me crazy. I was stressing when there was no need.
The best thing would be to not even watch those shows they are usually the worst scenarios.
2007-03-21 15:50:43 · answer #10 · answered by ncc742 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋