You are getting closer and closer to your due date. You are now feeling overwhelmed with the fear of giving birth. Questions like “What if I can’t handle the pain?” “Will I be induced?” “What if my doctor is on vacation”? are running through your mind and you just can’t get yourself to calm down. You need to overcome the fear of giving birth, in order for you to actually look forward to that day. But, don’t worry mama, I’m going to help you do just that 🙂
Did you know that many pregnant women develop a phobia of giving birth? Yes, it’s a real thing and it’s called “Tokophobia”. I know that a lot of pregnant women start to second guess everything about going into labor and giving birth. This only makes them fear it even more. I didn’t have phobia but I was fearful of giving birth with both of my pregnancies.
With my first pregnancy I was worried about the unknown, giving birth vaginally and everything in between. I was scared and anxious because I wanted everything to go according to plan. I was definitely scared of the level of pain I was going to experience with childbirth. With my second pregnancy which was with twins, I was scared about giving birth via C-section, if my babies were going to be born premature and just going through child birth all over again was nerve-wrecking to me.
Today I’m sharing with you 10 smart ways you can overcome fear of giving birth. These tips helped me ease my fear of childbirth and made me focus on the bigger picture. Being able to hold my newborn baby was reason enough to overcome my fears and beam with excitement and joy!
10 smart ways to overcome fear of giving birth
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1.Talk to someone
Anytime that you’re feeling uneasy and nervous about the process of giving birth, simply pick up your phone and call someone. Talking to someone that you trust will make you feel calm and will ease your fears.
You can also, talk to your doctor about what you’re feeling and about any concerns that you may have.This will reassure you that your doctor will be there for you, you will be well taken care of and you can sleep better at night.
It’s always smart to talk about your feelings instead of having it bottled up inside eating you alive. I used to talk to my mother, aunts, friends and hubby about how nervous I was about giving birth. They would always make me feel so much better.
Read this:
25 phenomenal ways dads to be can support their partner during labor
2.Pray
If you’re a believer of God like I am, then pray your heart out mama. There’s nothing better than allowing yourself to completely surrender all of your fears to God so he can be in charge. I truly believe in the power of prayers and will always recommend anyone to pray because it will make you feel content and fearless.
You can also read the bible, read one of your favorite passages or listen to your favorite gospel song.
Read this:
11 important things you shouldn’t do after giving birth
3.Breathe
Another smart way to overcome fear of giving birth is to breathe. Yes, so simple and yet so powerful, I promise. Breathing relaxes you and will automatically put you in a more calm and positive mood.
You can practice your breathing by going to a quiet room in your house, sitting down comfortably, closing your eyes and just breathing in and out slowly.
Read this:
12 things you should do before giving birth
4.Be prepared
It’s always a great idea to be prepared before giving birth because this will give you peace of mind. Make sure you have your hospital bag all set and ready to go. Have you checked off everything on your third trimester to do list?
Also, you can start getting organized for your baby’s arrival with this fun and super helpful baby prep workbook! Being prepared is another smart little way to overcome fear of giving birth.
Did you know that many pregnant women worry about breastfeeding? What is I can’t produce enough milk? What if my baby does not latch on correctly, what if is painful? All of these are going to be answered in this breastfeeding online class. It’s going to help you prepare for your breastfeeding journey in a positive and successful way.
5.Have an open mind
I believe having an open mind of what to expect in the delivering room will help you ease your fears a bit. Think about scenarios that could happen or not happen and then find a way to deal with it in a positive way.
For example, let’s say you are 99% sure you will have a vaginal birth, but now you are going to have a C-section because your baby is breech. How will you turn that situation into a positive one? Having an open mind will help you take control of any situation in a calm and collected manner.
6.Stay positive
Do not think about negativity surrounding your birth experience, think about all the positive things that is going to happen. Have a positive mind and positive things will happen. Hey! You will certainly overcome your fear of giving birth if you stay positive, don’t you think?
Read this:
10 important postpartum items you need after giving birth
7.Educate yourself
Educate yourself about everything that has to do with childbirth. You can take a prenatal class,read books, blogs, magazines and even watch YouTube videos. There are so many outlets that will give you the information that you need in order to educate yourself.
Learn about the signs of labor that you should look out for, what happens during labor and how to take care of yourself after giving birth. Stay informed and educate yourself!
8.Listen to music
I love listening to music because it just puts me in a great mood. You can listen to any type of music that will help calm your fears of giving birth and can help you embrace it.
Think about it, music has the power to speak to you and why not let it speak positivity? You can even have a labor and delivery playlist, where you can enjoy listening to your songs while waiting for labor to start. How awesome is that!?
9.Go out
If your fears about giving birth is taking a toll on you, go out and breathe in fresh air. Go on a date with your partner and forget about the fact that birth is looming. Relax and enjoy your date.
It’s important to also treat yourself here and there to occupy your mind and to let go a bit. Have fun and enjoy your last few weeks of pregnancy and don’t let the fear of giving birth fog what’s really important.
10.Think about the bigger picture
When in doubt, think about your precious baby in your belly. Honestly, another smart way to overcome fear is just that, your baby! There is no better joy then to finally meet your little one. Think about that moment and savor those thoughts and focus on your miracle of life.
You can even talk to your partner about it, you both can bond thinking about your baby, who will she/he look like or how much you both think your baby will weigh. It’s exciting, fun, and there’s no room for fear here!
The bigger picture is your family, your love for your newborn baby and the precious moments your family will create.
Quick recap:
Giving birth is such an overwhelming and amazing experience to go through. In the weeks prior to childbirth, you may feel anxious and nervous about what to expect during labor. All of these fears are normal but you shouldn’t let it rule your mind or pregnancy.
Breathe and take it easy because I assure you that all the emotions that you are feeling about birth will mostly likely go away when you’re actually giving birth. There will only be one thing on your mind and that is your baby.
You are a rock star and I know you will overcome your fear of giving birth.
New mom? How nice would it be if your baby slept through the night at 2 month old? If you had time for self care? Slept more and rocked your first year of motherhood? Good news!
