My mum is a negative, unpleasant "glass half empty" kind of person. We've never been close and she doesn't have a maternal bone in her body.
During this pregnancy (I am currently 35 weeks), she has constantly been saying really unhelpful things like "well, of course you're unlikely to have a natural, uncomplicated birth, cos me and my two sisters have had EMCS for all 6 of our children."
And "Are you sure your baby's not still breech? there's lots of breech babies in our family" - even though at my 34 week appointment, the MW seemed pretty confident the baby was head down.
And "I really hope you and your DH know what you're getting yourselves in for...it really is going to be hellish when you bring that baby home you know? Stay in hospital as long as you can, cos when you get home, it will be simply awful."
Her way of looking at the world is starting to impact on the positive calm preparations for labour I have been trying to do (lots of relaxation exercises, hypnobirthing course etc etc), and also I am starting to doubt my ability to be a good mum/cope with the sleepless nights etc.
Does anyone know if there's a proven link between women in your family's birth experiences, and your own? I am trying to tell myself that my body their bodies and life experiences are totally different to mine - and therefore unlikely to dictate what happens to me in labour? and they all give birth in the 1980s, so I guess things might have been different then? - more interventions etc?
I have had an uncomplicated pregnancy so far and am hoping to give birth in the MW led unit if I can.
Please someone reassure me!
Please or to access all these features
Please
or
to access all these features
Get updates on how your baby develops, your body changes, and what you can expect during each week of your pregnancy by signing up to the Mumsnet Pregnancy Newsletters.
Pregnancy
Do my mum's and aunties' birth experiences have any likely effect on what my birth will be like?
20 replies
DangerMousey · 28/10/2012 09:06
OP posts:
Please create an account
To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.