It’s totally normal as a pregnant woman to feel absolutely terrified by childbirth. You’re going to push an actual human out of your nether regions, so nobody can blame you for feeling a little nervous. But what if you feel a little more nervous than most? What if you’re finding yourself riddled with anxiety, scared that every birthing horror story is going to become your own?
There are a few ways you can make childbirth less terrifying, and we’re going to highlight a few of the best here. Start using these techniques and you should feel yourself calming down almost instantly.
Talk It Out With Someone You Trust
One of the best ways of getting rid of anxiety is to talk it out with somebody you trust. Talk it out with multiple people you trust. Speak to friends who have had kids. Speak to your partner. Speak to your own mother. Tell them your fears and let them make you feel better about the whole thing. Don’t hesitate to speak to a medical professional either, such as your midwife, or even a therapist. There’s absolutely nothing to be ashamed of in getting help! You want to go into childbirth feeling calm and reassured. Being too stressed out is bad for the baby, as you likely know.
Prepare Your Mind For Labor
Preparing your mind for labor can be done in a number of different ways. Reading helpful books is a good idea, but there are far more profound things you can do to help. How about meditation and deep breathing? Practicing techniques like this can help you to push through the pain and picture pretty images, like flowers opening up, rather than totally stressing out and having a panic attack. Hypnosis is a method that some people go for, but you could also try EFT to help you work through your fears.
Positive thinking and affirmations are always helpful too, as are visualizations. Consistently doing all these things up until the birth can help you to have a much better time. The baby is going to come regardless, so you may as well work on controlling your anxiety to make it a better experience for all involved!
Prepare Your Body For Labor
Preparing your mind for labor is crucial, but preparing your body is a must too. Exercising while pregnant can help to keep you fit and healthy, and has been proven to help the body with childbirth, and bounce back into shape faster afterwards. Exercise isn’t the only thing that can prepare the body. A special vagina massage that involves the perineum can help to make the muscles more elastic and ready for stretching, so you have less chance of tearing. Getting your partner to do this for you can help to make you feel more at ease.
Know Your Options For The Day
When it comes to pain management, make sure you know your options. Most moms would love to power through a drug-free birth, but it doesn’t always happen like that when contractions happen. Be open to suggestions and learn about your options first so you can make more informed decisions depending on how the big day goes. It isn’t a good idea to get too attached to anything!
Consider Hiring A Doula To Be By Your Side
A doula is a woman specially trained to help mothers through childbirth. They know techniques to calm down anxious mothers, and will be by your side every step of the way. They are not compulsory, and most women don’t even know they exist. However, women who have used them admit that they changed their birthing experience for the better. Having your partner there can help, but they can be stressed out too, as they are emotionally attached to the situation, and that can rub off on you even more. Having a doula can keep the situation as calm as possible and help you to stay focused on the bigger picture.
Avoid Reading/Listening To Scary Stories At All Costs
It seems that when you’re pregnant, you can’t go for 5 minutes without hearing a scary story. Do your best not to listen to these stories. Especially don’t go out of your way to read them! The fact is, many births have been relatively easy and stress free. Why not start assuming the best for your childbirth experience rather than the worst?
Don’t Skip Your Classes
If you’re not going to classes to help you prepare for the birth, you’re missing out. These classes will help to prepare both you and your partner for what’s to come, and you’ll be able to practice breathing, amongst other techniques to help you through it.
Get As Much Ready As You Can At Home
When you have everything ready at home, you’re going to feel more at ease about the baby coming, even if it’s early. You don’t need to have every single thing ready – don’t stress yourself out and rush around. Make sure the baby has somewhere to sleep, and that you have supplies ready. Make sure especially that you’ve installed the car seat ready to bring the baby home. If you’re unsure of this, ask a professional to do it for you. It must be done properly, and you want peace of mind.
Focus On The Amazing End Result
Above all else, focus on the amazing end result. While every childbirth story may be completely different, many women say the same thing. They say that the second your baby is placed in your arms, it’s like the memory of the pain magically fades away. Why do you think people have more than one? It really can’t be that bad!
We hope that these tips help you to make the idea of childbirth much less terrifying, so you can see it as a beautiful, natural experience that is going to bring you your amazing baby. Use the tips to prepare for labor, and you’ll have absolutely nothing to worry about. Anything you’d like to add? Leave your thoughts below!
