It’s completely normal to be
afraid of giving birth, whether it’s your first child or your third. The fear
of the childbirth process is so common that it would be statistically abnormal
if you weren’t at least a little afraid of some aspect of it.
The following are some of the
most common fears women face about giving birth. If you are facing any of these
fears, you are far from alone.
Fear of Something Going Wrong
Anytime someone is admitted to
the hospital, there is always a certain element of fear that something will go
wrong. However, when a pregnant woman is admitted, her fear is twofold. There’s
the fear that something will happen to her and the fear that something will
happen to her baby.
Most births will go smoothly
without any issues. Despite the rarity of complications, they sometimes do
happen. Approximately four out of every 1,000 babies born in the United States
will die at birth. Many others will suffer injuries caused by fetal distress.
Visit here to learn how to identify fetal distress.
Complications to the mother are
also not common. When they do happen, some common issues women fear include
receiving an episiotomy or hemorrhaging. Some women are concerned that
complications can cause them to not be able to have any more children. There is
also the fear of dying during birth. Maternal morbidity claims 700 to 900 lives
in the U.S. each year.
Fear of Pain
If you’re expecting, tt’s natural
that you’d be worried about the pain of labor and delivery. The good news is,
many women report that the pain of their first birth was not as bad as they had
imagined it would be. If the pain becomes too much for you to bear, pain relief
is usually available. Some pain relief options that are available to women in
labor include:
● Breathing
techniques
● Hypnobirth
● Acupuncture
● Acupressure
● Pethidine
injection
● Nitrous
oxide
● Epidural
anesthesia
With so many different choices,
you’re sure to find one that works for you. Drug-free is also an option. Many
women report having easier recoveries after giving birth without medication.
Fear of Embarrassment
The fear of being humiliated
because you’ve lost control of your body during labor is common. We have all
heard stories of people accidentally defecating during birth. It happens, and
it’s nothing to worry about. Doctors and nurses in the obstetrics ward see this
every day. If it happens to you, chances are you’ll be too busy pushing a baby
out of your body to notice.
Some other common fears of
embarrassment during delivery include the fear of being naked and exposed, the
fear of vomiting, and the fear of having strangers watch you while you urinate.
Many women also fear that their water will break in public.
Fear of Becoming a Parent
The fear of becoming a parent is
something I didn’t think would happen to me until it did, right when I was
about to push my daughter out. Suddenly I realized that with just one or two
more pushes, I was going to be responsible for another human for eighteen
years. I couldn’t have stopped pushing even if I’d wanted to, but still, I
briefly considered it.
What You Can Do to Manage Your
Fear
You can manage any fears you have
about the birth process or the responsibilities of parenting by learning
everything you can. Buy books about labor and delivery, read articles on
reputable websites, and don’t be afraid to ask your doctor or midwife
questions. It can also be helpful to talk to other women who have given birth
before to learn more about their experiences.
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