Hey Mama! Are you thinking about childbirth?
What is on your mind: joy, excitement, anticipation… or FEAR?
I like to start with honestly and openness. Fear of childbirth is not uncommon. Let’s be honest, PAIN is scary!
Sadly, FEAR of labor and birth is not a widely addressed topic in the United States. Some studies show that 50% of women in the U.S. suffer significant fear when thinking about birth!
That means that approximately 2 million women are pregnant right now and are filled with fear of what is to come. That data is even a bit skewed by demographics, which means that it is probably MORE than 50%.
WHAT?! Something we have been doing since the beginning of time, and we feel helpless here.
FEAR of baby’s birth-day is a problem that needs to be addressed by doctors and nurses. And yes, that is what we are going to talk about today.
Another thing that we need to clarify is that unaddressed fear is not okay to continue to be ignored. FEAR does not only affect you, Mama, it also affects your baby’s health. Fear can lead to fetal distress (baby distress), long and challenging labor, arrest of labor (cervix stops dilating), greater risk for C-Section, and postpartum blues.
These are terrible effects from something that can be managed. You just need someone to coach you through the process and remind you that you were created to do this!
First, it is important to think about your own fears…
- Labor PAIN!
- Baby’s health and safety
- Complications in labor
- Ability to communicate your needs with the doctor, nurses, midwife…
- Not feeling heard and having your birth plan respected
- Not understanding your options (you can say NO to unnecessary interventions)
- Not knowing where baby goes after birth
- And the list continues…
Your healthcare providers absolutely know that your emotional needs are important.
BUT doctors and midwives are busy.
They don’t spend time caring for your psychosocial aspect of pregnancy, labor, and birth.
This means that your doctor knows that you have FEARS, but he/she just doesn’t have time to help you cope or overcome those fears.
So, what do you do? Start searching the internet for answers? Yes, that is an option. But the internet is filled with more information than you really want, and then you get more overwhelmed and scared.
Maybe you start talking to friends and family members. But that was her birth experience. You are different, you are unique. Her story scares you more. Maybe she is just being overly dramatic and negative.
You need someone who has medical training, experience, and the wisdom to communicate your roadmap clearly with empathy. You need someone who has hiked this mountain before and will gently take your hand to guide you on the trail.
I have an answer for you. You don’t have to allow your FEARS to grow and be harmful to you or your baby. You can have your concerns addressed from the experience of an experienced nurse, birth doula, and Mom.
I deeply believe that you need coaching in this journey. You need coaching to overcome your fears and understand that you can handle the pain in birth. You need support and guidance because you can have a beautiful birth memory. I will help alleviate your fears, and give you the guidance that you need to be confident in birth.
Do you want some help making a plan for birth? I have created my FREE Natural Birth Workbook just for you. This 4 Step Process is a great start if you are considering a med-free birth. Download below…
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