Do you dread the idea of being in labor? Do you fear the pain of simply the unknown of giving birth? Fear is perfectly natural to feel before giving birth. When I was pregnant with my first baby I did not fear giving birth until about the eighth month. Once I was overdue I no longer feared it and just wanted to get it over with. Yet, with each pregnancy I did have a little fear even though I had done it before. Fear is a natural part of pregnancy so there is no need to feel ashamed. In fact, a small percentage of women experience severe fear and need help to ease their fear.
Why do we fear giving birth?
Sometimes we fear the pain. We are often told birth stories that sound more like horror stories by moms who precede us. For some reason you hear these war stories at baby showers or while you are pregnant. These types of conversations only serve to intensify the fear. The best way to combat this is to calmly tell the person that you have no interest in hearing birth stories or remove yourself from the conversation.
The unknown of giving birth is almost the same as going in for an operation. While the outcome of giving birth is happy and fondly anticipated you still feel uneasiness about going into the hospital. You wonder how the labor will progress, how long it will last, if you will need a C-section or if the baby will be healthy. If you are going in for a C-section you may fear the procedure itself. These fears are normal. To combat it you need to discuss it with someone who will not scare you but encourage you. Talk about the labor process with your doctor so you feel better prepared about going into the hospital.
Have courage the end result will be worth it all.