Helpful Practices to Eliminate Fear Leading Up to Childbirth

Many pregnant women fear the childbirth experience. There are some very effective methods available to help them get over this fear.

A study published in the International Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology has shown that a woman afraid of childbirth will likely be in labor longer than one who does not have such fear. The study estimates that up to 20 percent of all women are afraid of the birth of their child. The reasons for this fear could be pre-existing psychological conditions, being a first-time mother, a history of abuse, young maternal age, adverse obstetric events as well as a lack of social support and more.

Support Team

A pregnant woman needs to have a support team consisting of different people. It could be a spouse or partner. Others may also have their father, mother or other members of their family. Some pregnant women have close friends. It is important for expecting mothers to find people they trust and make them feel comfortable. A woman experiencing labor and delivery usually feels very vulnerable. It is important for pregnant women to avoid those they don’t trust or make them feel uncomfortable. Some women choose to use a doula. This is a woman who has been trained to help a pregnant woman during the birth of her child. A doula is also able to provide other types of support for the family once the child is born.

Pain-Management Tools

If pain is a pregnant woman’s biggest fear, she needs to be aware of her options when it comes to pain management. When a pregnant woman is made aware of all the pain management tools available, it eases her worries. Some pregnant women learn the different birthing positions that could make the experience easier for them. Other pregnant women are taught to think of contractions as sensations designed to help deliver a child and more.

Compartmentalize

Most pregnant women know it is a good idea to prepare for the delivery. It is important they don’t focus all of their thoughts and energy on it. They should learn everything that is going to happen before the day their child will be born, the day of the birth and all the things that happen after the delivery. When a pregnant woman is able to compartmentalize the experience, she can have her mind focus on each step instead of only thinking about the birth as a huge monster.

Affirmations

Birth affirmations are a very powerful tool that can help adjust the mindset of a woman giving birth. Fear can live in the mind of a pregnant woman. Positive affirmation tools are an effective way to make room in a woman’s mind for healthier thoughts and emotions. They can be put on index cards that are posted where they can be read daily. Reflecting on them has been known to bring thoughts of strength and peace. This is an excellent way to change negative thoughts into positive ones.

Childbirth Plan

Creating a birth plan helps pregnant women feel they are in control of their birth experience. When women make plans for what they do and don’t want during their birth experience, they start to focus on what is important.

Stay Fit

It is good for pregnant women to stay fit during their pregnancy. Staying fit will help the baby but also result in less pain being experienced during childbirth. It is recommended to do Kegel exercises and squats to strengthen the pelvic floor. Regular exercise during pregnancy has shown to result in shorter labor.

Aromatherapy

This has been successfully used by pregnant women to reduce the tension and anxiety they are feeling during childbirth. One of the most popular scents with pregnant women is lavender. Research has shown that women report a decrease in pain during labor when they use lavender for their aromatherapy.

Lamaze

This is a popular birthing technique. It will teach women about how to reduce their participation in pain. This could include distraction, exercises, breathing, massage by a coach and more.

Bradley Method

This is also known as Husband-Coached Birth (HCB). It focuses on good nutrition and exercise during pregnancy. The HCB also involves deep breathing and relaxation techniques as a way to deal with labor.

A pregnant woman needs to realize that her ability to endure pain during childbirth has nothing to do with her value as a mother. Many women change their decision about pain management at the last minute. When a woman is preparing herself for the birth of her child, it’s important that she educate herself. She needs to carefully determine what pain management technique will work best for her.