How to cope with the fear of childbirth

Ask any pregnant woman if she is afraid to give birth? In most cases, the expectant mother will answer in the affirmative, even if this is not her first child. And if the lady in the position answers negatively, know that she is cunning and the fear of childbirth, even insignificant, but still present. And this is absolutely normal - any sensible person is afraid and does not want pain, any mother worries about the health of her baby, even if he has not yet been born. In this article we will talk about what creates our fears, what we fear and how to overcome fear, in order to come to the process of childbirth more relaxed and balanced.

Why women start to be afraid of childbirth

Of course, the fear of childbirth was and is always, but most often it is a distant and abstract feeling that usually does not bother a woman. But sometimes fear can increase, not giving to sleep, the future mother begins to wind herself more and more. What can contribute to the development of fear?

1. Stories giving birth girlfriends. Unfortunately, friends who have already gone through "this", care little about your feelings and try in all colors to convey the state of the generic process. Pregnant women are especially impressionable and suspicious, especially if the story is not about prosperous, but about difficult childbirth. Neither listen to these friends, all the information about childbirth can be found in the training videos, in which the process is described more delicately.
2. Information from the Internet. The availability of any information sometimes does a disservice. A woman learns a lot from candid videos from the family halls, reads about the tragic cases during childbirth. All this is contraindicated in impressionable ladies in a position you must understand!
3. Hormonal changes. Hormones in the body of a pregnant woman are constantly changing, each of them is responsible for certain processes. Closer to the childbirth, the muscles in the whole body become softer, the cervix also softens, and the pelvic bones gradually move apart. But at the same time, the psycho-emotional state of a woman is also changing - she becomes suspicious, anxious, even the most insignificant fears are magnified a thousand times.
4. The first birth. Often, women are afraid of just the first birth, because they do not know what to expect. Indeed, a woman cannot foresee everything, even a doctor cannot be completely confident in the happy outcome of labor. But do not despair - everything is provided by nature, the body itself will tell you what to do and when. By the way, women giving birth are also afraid of childbirth, but only because they know what to expect from them.
5. Problems. Very often, the fear of childbirth increases if there is an unstable condition in a woman’s family. Relations with a husband, a housing or financial issue, problems with the health of the fetus or the woman herself can all aggravate the fear of childbirth.

All these factors are very detrimental to the psycho-emotional state of a pregnant woman, causing her to experience anxiety and anxiety. It is necessary to protect as much as possible from negative information. Try to find out the approximate course of labor from calmer sources - ask a doctor or read educational brochures in maternity hospitals. However, in order to cope with fear, you need to know it in person.

What are women afraid before giving birth

Many admit that they are very afraid of childbirth, but they can’t exactly determine what frightens them? If you take the problem apart, it doesn’t seem so daunting.

1. Fear for the health of the child. Most often, a woman is afraid that in childbirth something will happen to the child. Indeed, the passage of the fetus through the birth canal is not an easy process, but you can reduce the risk if you give birth to a good and experienced doctor. You can not cope with anxiety and anxiety? Do not worry. Today, not every woman gives birth in a maternity hospital at the place of registration. Talk to friends, read the opinions of moms - choose a doctor and arrange with him in advance. It is important to choose a good maternity hospital, which has modern equipment for nursing difficult children. You may not need it, but you will know that everything will be fine anyway. Be confident in the professionalism and experience of the doctor - it will help you relax and calm down before giving birth.
2. Pain. Another common fear is the fear of pain, which can eclipse all other feelings. Remember that before you have given birth to billions of women, and after you will give birth to the same.Are you weaker than each of them? The body produces substances that anesthetize the process of cervical dilatation. In a pinch, there are modern and safe painkillers, right up to epidural anesthesia, when you stop feeling altogether below the belt. Be aware of this and do not be afraid - nature will help you, after all, women somehow gave birth in the fields?
3. Suddenness Some women, especially rebirths, fear rapid births. If you are worried about the fact that childbirth can start in a store or in another public place, carry the phone numbers of several available relatives - husband, mother, etc. Keep your phone charged, ask your family to be constantly in touch. Even the fastest labor begins with contractions, you will have at least half an hour to get to the hospital.
4. Shame. Sometimes women are afraid that at the time of the attempts an act of defecation may occur. In no case do not need to pay attention to it! First, you probably will do an enema. Secondly, the doctors did not see anything in their work, believe me, this happens with every third woman in labor.Thirdly, at the time of birth, you will absolutely not before, do not worry.
5. Death. Indeed, some women are very afraid to die during childbirth, worry that the baby will be left without a mother. In fact, deaths in the modern world are extremely rare, and then, somewhere on the outskirts of civilization, where there is no necessary equipment and medicines. In car accidents, women die much more often.

And women are afraid of changes in the body - that the vagina will become wide, the extra weight will not go away, and stretch marks will become unbearably noticeable. Remember that the main thing is your baby, very soon you will become a mother, your body could grow and feed a full-fledged child - be grateful to him for that. And all the other cosmetic problems can be solved after childbirth.

How to cope with the fear of childbirth

Here are some more tips and tricks to help you survive your obsessive fear of childbirth.

If anxiety envelops you, ask a doctor for a partner childbirth - a close person may be with you, it may be a husband or a mother. Do not worry about the feelings of her husband - he does not have to see the process itself,He can be near only during labor.

Be sure to find a doctor you trust, meet him, chat. It is very important to completely trust the doctor, so you will not doubt his actions and decisions during the birth process.

Take courses for pregnant women, learn to breathe correctly to ease the pain during labor.

You can go to the birth with a fitball - it greatly relieves pain during labor.

If the fetus is attached to the back wall of the uterus, a low back massage will help you during contractions. Try to practice with your husband in advance - he needs to stroke and rub the lower back.

In advance, at 35 weeks, prepare a bag with everything you need in the hospital. This will help you calm down and be sure that at any moment you can be “at the start”.

In some cases, expectant mothers are so impressionable and restless that they decide to take anti-depressants or sedatives. To do this during pregnancy, and especially, before childbirth, it is highly undesirable.

Do not concentrate on the upcoming pain and discomfort.Remember that within a few hours after the start of contractions, you will be able to meet your baby, inhale its scent, look at its tiny eyes, kiss its wrinkled nose. From now on, this day will be the happiest in your life. Remember this, and childbirth will bring you only joy!

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