Should I watch One Born Every Minute if I have a labour phobia?

[DueinFeb]

I have always avoided all labour information (childbirth not the political party), details, facts and images - If it comes on the tv I turn over and if a friend starts describing the horrific facts of someone's experience I change the subject. I really am ignorant of what is involved in the process and never thought I would need to know. Now my own labour is approaching (at age of 30) and I am absolutely terrified.

I turned OBEM on the other day and watched 5 minutes - in which I saw two ladies violently vomiting into cardboard bowls - which really didn't help my fear! My Q - should I watch a full episode? Will it make me feel better or worse? Or is ignorance bliss when it comes to labour? I also haven't been to any classes. I am scared of the pain and the indignity of it all. I have never spent any time in a hospital, never been seriously ill, never had an operation. I am the sort of person who wouldn't get changed in front of other women in a swimming changing room - so the idea of being that exposed is, to put it plainly, petrifying.
Should I bite the bullet and watch it or just stay safe in the dark till D-Day? Only supportive answers please - "PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER YOU DAFT COW" not helpful .

I second all who have mentioned hypnobirthing. I have the cd and the Maggie Howell book. I think hypnotherapy might help that mindset of 'I'm terrified of xyz', where we've decided what we're scared of from quite a young age (in my case it's heights) and it's firmed up in our heads to the extent that we believe it's simply a part of our personality and we can't change it. For example, the difference in the phrases 'I am anxious' and 'I sometimes feel anxious' - one is referring to one's whole being and one is separating the self from the condition.

Oh dear - I'm not sounding very clear at all! You've told yourself over and over and over again that you're scared - if you listen to a hypnobirthing cd, it will tell you over and over that you'll be ok - hopefully replacing what you've told yourself for years. If nothing else, it's soothing and calming. Good luck. I bet you'll be great.

I watch it, but only because I like shouting at the TV.

I have never seen a birth on that programme that resembles any one of my 3 experiences.

No one likes the thought of people looking at there private parts but when ur in labour u don't care as long as the baby comes out safely, it's painful but all worth focus on what ur gettin at the end, every labour and delivery is diff for ECG pregnancy and women so u can watch the program's and find urs is nothing alike

Hey DueinFeb NCT stands for national childbirth trust and if you type that into google you will get directed to their web page. There is a section on the site that lets you find out what's available in your area aswell and thanks!

Thank you so much Needforsleep I had no idea such an injection existed so will ask my midwife at my next appointment

I love OBEM, but definitely wouldn't watch it if pregnant. Anyone who says they aren't apprehensive before their first baby is lying. I wish I hadn't dreaded the birth of my first baby so much - in the end I really enjoyed it and the subsequent birth of ds, in fact one of the reasons I like watching OBEM is like feeling nostalgic the two best days of my life. My advice to anyone would be to be realistic about what might happen - prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I don't think it's particularly helpful to go into it thinking a whiff of lavender oil and a few scented candles will do the trick and then feel cheated because you end up with an epidural. Remember pain relief is an option - I had epidurals with both and that's why I enjoyed so much. As for embarrassment, believe me that will be the least of your worries. Don't underestimate how excited you'll be about meeting your new baby and also how fed up you will be of pregnancy by the time the moment arrives.

In my opinion, I think you should watch it.
I've never been able to watch program's like that before, thought it was totally gross lol.
However since maybe a couple of years ago I started to watch it, and now am hooked even now am pregnant with first baby.
Yes some of it looks horrid but when you see that baby at the end it makes you emotional.
I have found that the women on One Born who come on at the beginning and say "yeah this is my 3rd I know what to expect its going to be a piece of cake" generally have a difficult labour. Those who come in nervous of what's going to happen generally look like they have a lovely labour and cope with it fabulously. I say generally because there are exceptions.
I think if you can mentally prepare yourself beforehand it might make it easier.
That said, I have not yet given birth myself!!!
Good luck x

Thanks so much LillianGish and glossyflower - both very comforting posts

To all those feeling anxious.... I am a doctor so have seen a fair few different deliveries whilst doing obs and gynae and paeds, and obviously we end up seeing the complicated stuff. However, it's only ever made me feel better about birth, because every single time, no matter what's gone on, seeing the mum holding her baby and how overwhelmingly happy she is just makes it very plain thwt it's all worth it and that it all stops mattering the second you hold your baby. And that's how it's been for me personally as well.
Don't know if that helps at all, hope so, good luck to you all!

Don't watch it! Watch this instead! A nice calm hypnobirth in water. Seriously, this is inspiring and reminds you that your body knows what to do if we let it.

I watched OBEM. Curious more than anything. After having dd I can't watch it now without getting and and crying that I missed out n didn't do it properly. I hate that programme