Alabama
Alaska
Arizona
Arkansas
California
Colorado
Connecticut
DC
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii
Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Vermont
Virginia
Washington
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Wyoming
Top parenting stories this week
Overcome your Fear of Child Birth
Can’t stop fretting about your upcoming labor? Here’s how to put your fear of child birth to rest.
by: Nancy Ripton
In This Article
Child Birth Fears
- Women who suffer from fear of childbirth during pregnancy are at an increased risk of having an emergency C-section or vaginal delivery involving vacuums or other instruments.
- What your mother says about childbirth and her attitude may influence your own feelings toward delivery.
- It's important to find out whether your own birth was difficult because it can have an effect on your subconscious.
- The more you learn about what to expect during delivery, the better you will feel about it.
- The most important step in easing childbirth fears is to surround yourself with a positive support network.
hen you think about childbirth, chances are the word "pain" is one of the first that comes to mind. While it's normal to feel a little apprehensive as you near the end of your pregnancy, some women can experience intense fear that makes them dread delivery and could actually affect their labor.
A U.K.-based study found that women who suffer from fear of childbirth during pregnancy have an increased rate of emergency Caesarean sections or more complicated vaginal deliveries involving vacuums or other instruments. A Swedish study found that pregnant women with intense fear of giving birth run a considerable risk of negative experiences during labor and increased feelings of dissatisfaction after childbirth. If you're filled with dread over your impending delivery day, here are some ways to overcome your fears.
You don't have to relive your mom's experience
Our fears of childbirth may be a result of our mothers' own unresolved frightening experience. "What your mother says about childbirth and her attitude will influence your feelings," says Dr. Thomas Verny, founder of the Association for Pre- & Perinatal Psychology and Health (APPPAH). "If your mom says: ‘You almost killed me when you were born;' those old tapes will start playing in your mind." It's important to realize there is no relationship between your mother's birthing experience and your own. "Just because your mom had a difficult child birth, doesn't mean the same will be true for you," says Verny.
