Is it normal to be worried about the health of my unborn baby??

[BettyButterknife]

Not looking to upset anyone, but I'm 37+4 and getting so near to my due date that I'm beginning to panic about what could happen between now and then.

My DS was born with pneumonia which may have something to do with my worries... This time I feel like I'm fixated on the baby either having the cord round his neck or being still born

Why are these thoughts pervading my mind? I know it's desperately unlikely that this would happen so why does my brain insist on dwelling on the possibility?

Is it normal? What can I do? I have been doing a hypnobirth CD which talks about being in a cocoon impervious to negative thoughts and ideas - clearly I need to listen to it more often!

[BettyButterknife]

I've tried talking to DH but it upsets him. I could try talking to my mum. Or do you mean a professional of some description? I'm seeing the midwife on Friday so could bring it up with her.

[pagwatch]

It is very normal. I did it with mine at the ned of the pregnancy.
Everyone fels anxious about big life changes. When we are anxious we kind of chose a topic to focus on and being 37+4 kind of makes that an obvious choice.

Riv is right. Mention it to the midwife

[PfftTheMagicDragon]

I worried like mad with DC2. With DC1 I had not a worry in the world. I knew nothing about children, or childbirth. I went along to appointments with no concerns.

By the time I got around to DC2 I knew most things about pregnancy and childbirth and I was terrified. I knew everything that could go wrong and every time I went to an antenatal appointment I was so on edge worrying whether I would hear the heartbeat or not. In labour I was convinced she would get stuck, or have the cord round her neck, or be stillborn.

All the information I gained did me no favours at all. I wish I had mentioned it to someone at the time as it consumed me.

[MrsC2010]

Totally normal I reckon. I always thought that once I hit certain milestones (12 wks, first scan, anomaly scan, viability, 3rd tri etc etc) that I would stop worrying...but I'm at 35 wks and still haven't stopped! Lessened, but stopped. I don't think it'll stop until I have a baby in my arms, and then the worrying of a different nature starts!

[BettyButterknife]

Thanks, all, for your support. Even just writing it down in a post seems to have helped, and hearing I'm not alone makes me feel less bad about these horrible thoughts.

When DS was born, I remember being terrified about anything bad happening to him. We'd be walking along the road and I'd think 'what would happen if that bloke coming towards us grabbed DS?' and that sort of thing ALL the time. I think there must be part of our brains that goes over all possible eventualities to sort of test out how we'd react to various situations. Perhaps that's what mine is doing now.

I will try to think happy thoughts and see what the midwife says on Friday. Thank you.

[BettyButterknife]

Catastrophising - I love it

It helps to give something a name, doesn't it? Makes it seem less dangerous, somehow.