How To Get Over Your Fear of Giving Birth

Written by Jana Angeles  

It’s normal to fear birth, especially when you are about to become a first-time mother. There are a lot of emotions attached to pregnancy and although it may have gone quick, carrying a baby for nine months is a long time. For some mother-to-be’s, it can be an extremely stressful time to ease the nerves in anticipating giving birth to their child.

There may have concerns over the health of the baby, possible complications and preparing for the unexpected. Giving birth is challenging and it’s understandable that some may never get over their fear of experiencing labour and delivery. However, there are some ways that can help ease the pain and assist the pregnant women out there to feel more supported when it comes to giving birth. 

Be around your support network 

It’s important to be around your friends and family when you are nearing the birth of your child. When you are feeling anxious or nervous, they should be the first people you talk to about your thoughts and your emotions that surround the event. Confiding in them can help because they can listen to your worries and say the right things to help you stop overthinking. You need to be surrounded by positive people with positive energy. Even if you’re stubborn to change your mindset, it can be refreshing to hear other people’s perspectives! 

Learn about the facts of normal labour and delivery 

Before anticipating labour and the delivery process that comes with childbirth, learn the facts first before making crazy assumptions. It can be easy to make yourself blind to the facts and all it takes is to research on the internet using reliable resources and speaking to your local healthcare providers about your genuine concerns. They can talk you through the process in detail and help you feel calm about the situation. Do not Google and get into the rabbit hole of information where you end up scaring yourself even more. It’s not worth it in the end. 

Find ways to relax 

Yoga, drinking tea, taking baths or doing some light reading are all great ways to relax. Doing these activities can make you forget about the pressure you feel in giving birth and can make for healthy distractions when searching for ways to occupy your brain. It can be mentally exhausting to worry about the unlikely scenarios that could happen during childbirth. It helps to do a quiet activity for yourself. At least in that way, it can help you feel less anxious and clear your mind for a bit.  

Avoid childbirth horror stories 

With Facebook being a huge platform for videos, you’d be amazed by how many childbirth videos there are. If you’re not a fan of looking at blood and guts, we recommend not looking at these videos. Also, refrain from watching any television show or movie that shows any disturbing or graphic image on childbirth.

You have to remember that majority of the time, the stories being told are fictional and shouldn’t be taken in the literal sense. Videos are portrayed in a way to appeal to a certain audience and they can be far from realistic. Apart from watching content, also avoid Googling forums where mothers share horrifying stories of births gone wrong. Reading stories about it is far from comforting! 

Get professional help if you have emotional issues 

If you’re aware that you’re battling mental health issues such as anxiety and depression, we encourage you not to postpone getting professional help. There are plenty of counselling services out there that are willing to hear your story and are there to listen to you, especially if you feel really bummed about something for no particular reason.

Being pregnant brings out our emotional side and it’s hard to control our mood swings for that matter. It’s important to take care of your emotional issues and get the help that you need before your pregnancy due date. Counselling can help reduce anxiety since you can communicate your problems to a professional that is always there to listen.  

Fearing birth is normal and something first time mothers should not be ashamed of. It’s okay to feel helpless, scared and confused. This can be a particularly stressful time, so be sure to give yourself space to enjoy relaxing activities and spend time with your loved ones that help you feel calm. Once the labour and delivery process is all over, you’ll find yourself wondering why you worried so much in the first place!