Excitement and anxiety before childbirth is normal. A plethora of what-if questions circulate inside — and the closer to the due date, the more questions we have. Here are some tips to relieve stress and stay calm before childbirth.
First thing to know: all women, to one degree or another, experience some kind of anxiety about an upcoming childbirth. Anxiety may manifest in different ways — from obsessive thoughts and nightmares to attacks of dizziness and heavy breathing.
Anxiety in itself is not dangerous. It’s just a mental reaction to the situation you are in. It’s quite reasonable, in fact, to react to an upcoming childbirth like this, because there are so many unknowns and it’s a life-changing event. However, when the anxiety lingers too long, there are effective ways to reduce it.
Avoid Scary Stories
Do not watch TV shows that talk about shocking incidents, unsubscribe on social networks from people who publish scary scenarios about childbirth. The cases they talk about are terrible, but isolated. Most birth stories are not so exciting — most are normal and healthy events for mama and baby [1].
Understand what is the cause of the anxiety
Perhaps as a child, you heard someone's story about difficult childbirth or watched a movie that worried you. Perhaps you are tormented by a feeling of the unknown or afraid of hospitals and maternity hospitals. If a previous pregnancy was difficult, you may feel like everything will happen again.
Whatever the source of anxiety is, it is important to name it: it is much easier to come to have a healthy view of your anxiety this way. If the fear you are experiencing is not tied to a specific event or idea, try writing down your thoughts whenever anxiety hits you. They may contain the clues you need to understand your anxious thoughts. Even if you don't find logic in your thoughts, keeping such a journal is helpful. By writing down feelings, you give them a concrete form and this alone can relieve tension [2].
If you feel your anxiety is something that you are not able to confront on your own, it’s a great idea to meet with a psychologist who will be able to help you do so [3, 4].
Share your fears
When scared, many people try to act like there’s nothing bothering them. This is not a helpful strategy — avoidance will not rid you of your fear. On the contrary, the fears will root even more deeply. Instead, admit to yourself that you are anxious and you don't need to run away from your fears [2]. Share your feelings with your partner, friends, and your doctor. Speaking out is a first step toward stress reduction [1].
Learn more about how labor
Often, anxiety is initially based on reasonable fears, but sometimes our imaginations turn them into horror stories which have little correlations with reality. To ward off fears, it makes sense to become more familiar with the things that worry you. Read about how the labor will take place. Ask your doctor about complications and how often they occur. How does the hospital staff respond to such cases? The more specific information you have, the fewer catastrophic scenarios will worry you.
