Anxiety about childbirth tips

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I’ve just reached my third trimester and I’m so excited I only have a few weeks left to meet my baby.

However, it’s just hitting me the reality that I am going to have to get through labour first. Any tips on how to stay calm?
 
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Hypnobirthing. I used Nataltherapy by Maggie Howell, both the tracks and the book. It helped me birth my baby at home peacefully and calmly. Can’t recommend it enough.
 
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congratulations, I'm so envious I loved going through Labour, what an experience ! Try and walk between contractions, use a birthing ball, get some aromatherapy oils. aromatherapy really helped me, I swear it got my Labour going. Just enjoy it. You can't prepare for labour, in my opinion, any tips go out the window and your body takes over. let it and Just go with it. Hope it goes well.
 
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Positive birth company online hypnobirthing course made me feel so much better cos I understand what was going on and why it was important for me to be calm. Get your birthing partner to watch the videos as well.
 
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Best experience ever. Makes you feel invincible. Women are awesome. Just give in and let your body do the work. It's super painful but worth it. Our bodies are designed to labour! Good luck x
 
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It sounds cliche but everyone says throw away your birthing plan as it doesn't happen that way and I think that's mainly true. Good luck xx
 
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It’s not as painful as people say it’s honestly like when you get intense diarrhoea but stronger.
I found staying calm and just going through the motions makes it far less painful then screaming and squirming. Good luck though and if you can get in water I would highly recommend x
 
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Thank you everyone!
Its the not knowing when the babys going to come that is making me anxious too as I really don’t want to go overdue, obviously I know they come when they’re ready!
 
100% try not to worry about the unknown, esp when in labour the adrenaline can have the opposite effect and stop or delay your contractions. Chill! Your baby will come when he/she is ready, enjoy your time off before hand (if you have any leave). Watch that box set you haven’t got round to watching, stuff your face and take it steady. I watched every Marvel movie made and ate A LOT of cake. Two things I wish people had told me about - stock up on pain killers for the few weeks after birth (alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen) and lavender oil as it’s good for healing and Pack your bag with treats and drinks enough for during labour and on the ward!
Xx
 
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I'm currently expecting my third baby. My first birth was an emergency c section as baby was stuck. Second was natural with no pain relief at all and I literally pushed for 10 minutes. I was 8 days overdue with my second and I'm convinced it went so smoothly due to him being ready. I'm under the consultant again due to my previous c section and have the option to be induced this time but wont be. I feel it'll go smoother if baby is allowed to come when ready. I had a bath both labours as I wasnt allowed in the birthing pool first time and there wasnt enough time the second time round and for me it numbed the pain entirely.
 
Somebody told me ' you will find strength you never knew you had' and it's so true. I also found it useful to find something in the room to focus on like a clock when you feel like it's hurts and dont forget there is always someone ready to give you a horror birth story but they got through it and so will you! Best of luck xxx
 
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100% try not to worry about the unknown, esp when in labour the adrenaline can have the opposite effect and stop or delay your contractions. Chill! Your baby will come when he/she is ready, enjoy your time off before hand (if you have any leave). Watch that box set you haven’t got round to watching, stuff your face and take it steady. I watched every Marvel movie made and ate A LOT of cake. Two things I wish people had told me about - stock up on pain killers for the few weeks after birth (alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen) and lavender oil as it’s good for healing and Pack your bag with treats and drinks enough for during labour and on the ward!
Xx
God I wish I could stuff my face but I’m 28 weeks and get full as anything after a few mouthfuls of a meal it’s so annoying!
 
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Get your breathing techniques right , have plenty of energy giving snacks and fluid on hand because you might well be knackered!
 
I was so anxious about giving birth. It consumed my entire being for the last 6 or so weeks. First off leave your dignity at the door. I know it’s easy to say this now having given birth but trust me when I say your body takes over (or it did for me anyway). I was also active for most of my labour which apparently helps. Relax, try not to panic and breathe through contractions. It’s okay to cry, scream, accept pain relief etc, it doesn’t make you any less of a woman. You’re in control. I agree with what someone said, don’t get hung up on your birth plan because it does go out the window. In that moment all you will care about is getting your baby here safely.

Good luck! x
 
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A friend recently used pregnancy yoga and hypnobirthing to prepare and said all was well. I had my daughter 16 years ago and decided one labour was enough for my lifetime.
 
I loved my hypnobirthing classes and the whole theory of it but when the contractions started I just forgot everything and just did what my body told me to do. Anytime I heard "listen to your body" before I was in labour i just thought...yeah that will not happen...but it did. Instincts just kick in. Stay calm and you CAN do it
I actually cannot wait to do it again. As someone already said, it's the most amazing experience, and my baby got stuck resulting in forceps and an episiotomy without any pain relief so it's not like my labour was a walk in the park. I still (as strange as it sounds) enjoyed every minute and when the doctor asked me the next day would I do it again I said yes of course, he said usually thr morning after a birth he gets told no!
But good luck and relax and enjoy. Its magical and the start of a fantastic new chapter.
Im broody now 🤷‍♀️🤷‍♀️
 
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Have a plan if it makes you feel better, just don’t set your heart on it. I was convinced i was gonna have a water birth with no pain relief. That soon went out the window when it was thigh labour. Asoon as i walked through the doors the midwife in triage said ‘i think you need an epidural’ it was music to my ears after 17hours at home feeling like paving slaps was being thrown on my thighs.
It’s the fear of the unknown that’s the worst, i felt exactly the same closer to my due date.
Once labour starts the fear sort of goes, because your body is ready to it do. Good luck.
 
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I found that I screamed and had a terrible labour with my first baby as I was so frightened of the pain. Second time round I knew what the contractions were all about, they come and they go and every one brings you closer to meeting your baby 😍 Second time ended in an emergency c section and I found the recovery easier than vaginal delivery so don't worry how the baby arrives just as long as it's ok.
 
Hypnobirthing/gentlebirth for sure. You do NOT have to be stressed about labor. It literally changed my whole pregnancy. You have nothing to lose by learning some of these techniques and they help a LOT after your baby is here too (that's when the real stress starts!) I used the gentlebirth app and found I was able to manage really well. It teaches you mediation too and that really helps with anxiety. Then you do your hypnobirthing at night going to sleep to stop your mind racing.

Breathing and moving around helps - don't let nurses put you in bed or it'll make your anxiety and pain worse.

This is a good blog about breathing in labor as it can be confusing with all the different techniques.


I got a tens machine and that was a great way to stop back pain.


I loved the bath too - they call it the midwife's epidural and make the surges a lot more manageable. Write birth preferences about what you want or don't want if things are going well.

You can do this!