Can your psychological state of mind hinder the onset of labour?

[gingerninja]

I am 40+6 and am wondering if my anxiety about going over due is preventing labour from getting going as I'm not fully relaxed iyswim.

Am planning a homebirth and am sure that at the back of my mind I am worried about what will happen with DD if I need to transfer or if she is around (or awake) during labour. Am also concerned that every day I go over I'm closer to being induced or a hospital birth which I think is also troubling me.

Although I feel pretty relaxed at the moment Every night I go to bed without any symptoms of impending labour I am getting a bit tense.

Please tell me I'm being silly and that this baby will arrive naturally even if I'm super stressed.

No idea, but I'm in more or less the same situation, though I'm hoping for a birthing centre rather than a home birth. I'm waking up every morning in a foul mood because it's another night where I've not gone into labour. I'm really trying not to get stressed about it, but I don't want to be induced and I don't want to go into hospital.
Plus I think I'm stressed/miserable because I've hated being pregnant, it's been nothing like I thought it would be and I want just one bit of it (the birth) to be how I've planned/imagined!
Good luck, here's hoping we both start very soon...

I've not enjoyed it this time either and so am desperate for it to end however, I remember the first few weeks with DD being such an enormous shock to the system that I'm wondering if I'm also hanging onto the pregnancy in anticipation of hating the newborn bit again. Ha Ha, makes you wonder why I'm bothering doesn't it. Good luck

I think it can. At the end of the day we're mammals and mammals will labour when they feel its safe to do so. On an extreme scale there are stories of women caught in hurricaines and their labour has stopped for days until they felt the danegr had passed.

So although you don't feel in danger your anxiety could well be affecting your hormone levels.

Have you had a stretch and sweep?

No stripey, not yet S&S that is

I read somewhere that stress and anxiety can inhibit oxytocin (sp?). I personally think it can hinder having had two late pregnancies. I am now approaching week 40 stage (friday) and am pretty convinced it won't happen until I am ready. Both DS and DD are pretty sick and there is a possibility that DS has whooping cough so that makes me nervous about the new baby. Probably no risk but until a health professional tells me it is ok then I won't relax.

Things that stimulate production of oxytocin are:

stimulating your nipples
having orgasims
sperm

You could try hypnotherapy or other relaxation things to encourage you to relax.

starlight

I think it can. Not quite the same as your scenario but I had DD at home and I was happy to have my parents entertaining DSs in the next room when I laboured. Suddenly I needed DSs and my dad gone. 17 minutes after they left, I had DD.