Is anyone feeling scared of labor pain?

[freestyler]

After my fake labor scenario this morning, and thinking the real thing was soon to come, I spent some more time thinking about labor pain. My third birth was totally traumatic pain-wise, because of imminent uterine rupture and emergency c/s, and I think I'm still a bit frightened after that pain!! But trauma aside, is anyone else feeling, well, just plain scared about being in pain, either for the first time or not?

Anyone have good advice for dealing with fear before hand? My doula tells me to not look into the future, just deal with the present only, and that's good advice, but....sometimes I still get scared. Like many of you, I will be having another drug-free birth (and medically I don't have a choice anyway--VBAC and other issues). I love drug-free, but how will I deal with that level of pain again? What if I freak? I dunno, I would love some more good tools for my labor toolbox! I like the book "Birthing From Within," but still sometimes get nervous! I know that fear has NO PLACE in birthing. Help!

[*green*faery*]

Yeah, I'm totally afraid. I want to do it drug-free, I of coarse know it can be done, but... I also have no idea what it feels like and to what intensity. I know I use to get really bad period cramps & always took medication for them, but only because I have to go to work and be functional. But sometimes they got really, really bad... I wonder if that means Labor will be easier or harder for me?? I so want to do it without drugs! But how can you not be at least a little afraid??

Your third birth sound traumatic and must have been so painful!:hug Maybe it will make this one seem easy!??

[RachelGS]

Yes. I wasn't frightened for my first birth, but her position was awful and the labor lasted 37.5 hours, all of it very, very hard. I have never dealt with anything like that in my life, and I felt very traumatized. I was also very proud of having gotten through it-- it was worth it to do drug-free, and I've relied on that experience to help boost my confidence for the more difficult periods of motherhood. But yes, I'm scared this time. I don't want to experience pain like that ever again.

[Serenity]

it is scary, like RachelGS I went into my first labor without fear, actually feeling pretty confident. After 44 hours, hospital transfer, etc. I felt like I was run over by a Mack truck. It is hard to forget that and think about this next one as a fresh experience. I've been relying heavily on my Hypnobabies meditation tapes for relaxation. I find with the headphones on they really do keep me relaxed, we'll see how that works for the real thing though.

[allgirls]

yes...not necessarily the pain but just that I haven't prepared for this labour as much...I have only listened to my hypnobabies tape a handful of times...I really want to but finding a quiet half an hour to do so is hard.

I really need to put it in my stereo in my bedroom and listen at night.

I have had two medication free births before so I know I can do it...some days though I just don't want to do it!

[Carsonsmama]

Wow! I just started freaking out about this today!
I was again obsessing about names....awake at 5am mentally laying there working through my list...when it came to me that I am 36 weeks and 3 days....
The pain is coming VERY soon!
And for some reason I immediately started to panic about what was I thinking letting this baby grow inside my stomach when the only way out is a little small whole??? I started getting freaked out.
I went to the bathroom and suddenly remembered the pain that area would soon be in and how I would soon again dread having to empty my bowels.
I have no idea why....maybe it was my doctor yesterday going on about what a big baby this was going to be and my aunts last night talking about their 10lbs+ children they birthed! :o
I started thinking I KNOW I can birth naturally but am I crazy??? Why sign up for this...and what happens if I can't?
Just doubt....I need to start reading all my books again about natural childbirth and let myself get motivated and stay positive.
I am just so scared of those first pains and the reality sinking in that it is all about to take place!

**and to green faery....you can do it. I know how intimidating it is to be getting ready for your first labor. You just wish you could know kind of what it will feel like...Just keep reading all the natural birth stories and get as informed as possible...then go with the flow.

[freestyler]

I'm glad I'm not alone in feeling this way! Not that I'm glad we are all worried about the pain, but I mean I'm reassured to know that this is normal.

I had another night of hard early labor and lots of bloody show last night. Contractions every five minutes lasting 45 seconds, that I finally couldn't walk through and had to just sway my hips through and breathe. I called my doula, who could tell it was still early labor, and she suggested going back to bed and relaxing as much as possible. I did, and it was a great suggestion! Now I am rested, and the contractions have again (after the fourth night!!) stopped. But what the experience showed me was that I CAN deal with intense pain, one contraction at a time, and after last night I feel *slightly* less frightened.

You know what, mamas? I think we're all gonna do awesome. Even if we feel like we're being run over by a train every two minutes.....but we can do it! We're going to kick some serious butt.

[RiceMomma]

Not in the least!

I was terrified when I first found out I was pregnant- but thank you Hypnobabies! I'm actually looking forward to it!

[lovnbnhome]

Not in the least!
me neither :)

[youngnhappymamma]

I get sort of a "oh my heck!!!!!" type feeling in my gut when I think about the pain and effort and work that natural child birth is. And I also have been thinking about how weird it is that this big ol baby is growing bigger inside of me when the hole is so small for the baby to come out!!! It's weird, because this is my 5th and I have never felt this way before. It is hard work. My last labor (after a very hard, long, torturous labor) I repeated to myself "it's okay, you're all right" spontaneously during contractions and that seemed to really help me stay focused and in control and not panic. I also hummed songs to myself that I usually sing to my kids, that helped as well. I am just really hoping that somehow this labor is one of those "you're 8 centimeters!" at my prenatal appointment or something....

[Mandalaia]

I'm not afraid of the pain at all. I guess after having 5 kids you get used to it or something lol. I am more afraid of not making it to the hospital in time and having the baby in the car on the side of the road. I am also dreading the pain after the baby, the cramping, the bleeding, the pain from breastfeeding and everything else that goes along with giving birth. I am actually looking forward to the delivery, that's the easy part.

[RachelGS]

I heard a great thing on a Suzanne Arms video-- that a woman who was feeling overwhelmed by the intensity and power of birth somehow realized that that was HER power, HER body's intensity. She then could harvest it and own it rather than being bowled over by it. Pretty amazing. I'm trying to hold on to that.

[crazy_eights]

My first 2 left me feeling confidant and like labor was no big deal. And then I entered the realm of 'precipitous labor' (mwahahahaha). I had labors that lasted from 50 minutes to just under 2 hours with the next few, including an unplanned unattended (midwife didn't make it) - those have bowled me over. Don't EVER let anyone tell you that a quick labor=an easy labor. I'll take a 4-5 hour one ever those any day. My last was 3 hours, most of it at 8 cms. due to a malpresentation, but it was managable. So I'd say, yes - I'm a bit nervous of the unknown to come.