FTM and I'm terrified

[ccbt98]

Hi everyone

I've just found out I'm pregnant and we're still really early days so just deciding if we really want to go through with it. My OH is supportive either way but there is something holding me back from fully committing at the moment.

I think one of the only things holding me back is childbirth. I'm 23 (will be 24 at birth) and I've never really been in excruciating pain before.

Does anyone have any tips of how to help me overcome this?

@ccbt98

Thanks guys, we had an early scan last Sunday and since then it's like I've forgotten about birth and just want to see my baby 😅 I'm sure that'll change but I've looking into hypnotherapy and I'm preparing myself already! I'm actually exited 🥰🥰

Wonderful news!! Pregnancy brings about so many worries, it's the hardest but best thing ever!

There are numerous reasons to decide you don’t want to have a baby, but childbirth really isn’t one. If that’s the thing holding you back, forget about it. I had two good births, but even my friends who had terrible ones were okay. And as PP have said, you only hear the horror stories. Most people I know had perfectly fine births. Not a great day, but fine 😂 and for what its worth, I think an abscess I had on my tooth was worse than either of my (gas and air only) births. Good luck with whatever you decide.

I’ve very fond memories of giving birth, I read a lot before and was confident my body could do it, I also had horrible experience of pregnancy and was very glad for that to be coming to an end!

It definitely hurt, but up to the actual pushing it was an aching, it felt okay, it was a positive pain, difficult to describe, kinda like when you ache after exercising, like it’s painful, but has a positive purpose.

After my first I felt amazing, every muscle ached but I had made an actual human, and I wasn’t pregnant, bliss.

Babies are incredibly hard work, I’ve never been so tired and miserable as I was when my children were tiny, but they’re 11 & 14 now and definitely worth all the work, although I wasn’t so sure when they were toddlers.

@ccbt98 I’m 35 weeks with baby measuring 97th percentile- I’m terrified too! I have been doing the online course from the Positive Birth Company, that’s really helped me- the science bit and the explanations are really reassuring I’ve found. Louise Daniels also does some hypnobirthing podcasts for relaxation and birth rehersal which I also think have been useful to me. I’m still nervous - I found out last week my maternity clinic here in France don’t do gas & air 😫 - but I feel somewhat prepared and really looking forward to getting beyond birth & meeting bubba at last! The other thing that made me really excited to meet him was a 3D scan the obstetrician did for me- to see his face made it seem so real and just amazing! You could try that too. He’s big & heavy and to be honest I think the end few weeks are so uncomfortable that you really quite want them out 😬 xoxo

Don't worry about the birth. By the time baby is ready to come out you'll be so keen to evict them from your uterus you'll take any amount of pain just to end the pregnancy

Epidural don’t hurt I didn’t even feel it it’s awesome

I found that when the birth is.near, there are waves of pain but also a kind of euphoria. Your.body goes into high gear to bring this baby out and you practically cheer yourself on. Then when it's over it all stop suddenly and you feel so relaxed.
Good luck!