8 Ways to Get Shot of Birth Fears Quickly
I can remember my ‘due date’ getting closer and anxious thoughts creeping in. It was good to have things I could do to stop these in their tracks.
Below are some ideas to help to nip those thoughts in the bud before they start to feel overwhelming:
1. Listen to your Baby Bumps’ Fear-Release MP3 – if you didn’t do a hypnobirthing course with me and would like a copy of this MP3 for £3.99, email me here
2. Write down your concerns – be they about birth or anything that you want to release. Ask yourself “How likely is this really?” “Is this my truth, or someone else’s story?” If ‘XYZ’ is truly is on the cards ask yourself “Who can I talk to to gain some perspective on it all?” Sometimes just simply writing fears down and/or talking it through with someone you trust is enough to get it out of your head and make it feel a little less overwhelming.
3. Knowledge is power – as is knowing your birthing options. After all, if you don’t know your options you don’t have any! When you write your birth plan/preferences out, you might like to plan for every eventuality (for a birth preferences template click here) and then put the ‘what if’s’ to one side and spend time visualising how well it is all going to go. Worrying about the ‘what if’s’ is not your job – that’s why we have wonderful midwives! Your job is to focus on what you do want and getting your hypnobirthing practice nailed (see blog post on ‘How to Nail your Hypnobirthing Practice’ here).
4. If possible, go and visit where you’ll be having your baby – get rid of as many ‘unknowns’ as is possible. Doing this also means you can tailor your visualisations clearly when you’ve seen the room and know the route. If a visit is not possible, most hospitals have an online tour you can watch.
5. Consider a home birth 🙂 If this feels even a tiny bit of interest arrange to chat to the home birth team sooner rather than later. This usually alleviates any concerns and helps you learn all about the benefits of a home birth (though of course wherever you will feel the most relaxed is the place for you – and this could also be on the labour ward or birth centre). There are several home birth meet ups locally, feel free to email me for upcoming dates.
6. Have a look at http://www.tellmeagoodbirthstory.com and also read some of our lovely birth stories here.
7. Stop people in their tracks before they start to tell you their birth story: “I’d love to hear your birth story once I’ve had my baby – unless it’s super positive – as I’m trying to alleviate any anxiety around my upcoming birth”.
8. Attend an antenatal course. Many parents tell me that the courses I offer (NCT & Hypnobirthing) helped them to feel much more prepared and knowledgeable about their options. If you cannot attend a course for whatever reason this is why I wrote my book ‘I’m Expecting a Baby’. As Neighbourhood Midwives founder Tina Perridge said, “It’s like a mini antenatal course in your bag”. The book has been reviewed by Milli Hill (Founder of the Positive Birth Movement), Mark Harris (Midwife and Founder of Birthing for Blokes) and several lovely Midwives. You can purchase it here and read the reviews on the website.
Wishing you all the best for a positive, calm pregnancy and birth x
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