Is it weird that I’m not scared about going through labor?

[Spockrates]

I’m 32 weeks pregnant and I’m not afraid about giving birth this seems to be a common fear that I am seeing a lot of articles on my pregnancy apps about but I don’t seem to have that fear? I feel pretty calm about it I have always had a high pain tolerance (maybe this will humble me?) I don’t plan on going with an epidural either also this is my first pregnancy so maybe the excitement of having my baby is overriding this fear that I’m supposed to have? Because I am so excited for the day my baby is finally here I can hardly wait only 8 weeks to go!!

I was exactly like you!!! It’s brilliant to have such a positive outlook and it really helped me stay calm throughout the pregnancy. I personally found the labour to be a shock to the system (I could never have imagined the extent of the pain) and it also went on for a week which didn’t help. So I ended up with an epidural and vowing to never have another baby, BUT of course I’ve forgotten the pain now we’re 5 months down the line and get quite nostalgic when I think about the labour experience 😅

@Fordian I feel like the whole 'your body was made to do this" rhetoric is for people with uncomplicated pregnancies. I had HG and additional complications with my first that could have killed me. My body clearly didn't have a fucking clue what it was doing.

Not weird at all. I was super excited each time. I think the anticipation of holding my baby outweighed any fears and for me, it helped to acknowledge and accept all the possible outcomes and that took a lot of the anxiety away for me.

I could have written this post, I wasn't scared to give birth and consider myself to have a high pain threshold. Long story short.. oh boy was I in for a shock and I will be TERRIFIED if I have another 🤣

Can we stop calling people's births horror stories? Sometimes people need intervention or they experience pain or they need an emcs. Those aren't horror stories, they're facts. And it doesn't mean those births were negative experiences either.

I wasn't scared first time round either. I 100% trusted my body's natural capabilities. My body made other plans! It's not a horror story, it's the truth. Nothing scary about the brilliance of modern medicine. It's not horror, it's near miraculous.

I enjoyed my labours, they chuffing hurt but it was so exciting! I've had two so I wasn't put off by the first. For me it's more like running a marathon, it's extremely difficult but so rewarding. Sorry for anyone who had a difficult time. Wishing you good luck OP.

@Keha

I think that's also great, but remember the vast majority of us haven't run a marathon. Most of us haven't done Couch to 5K. You can't go from zero to hero. Expecting to is unrealistic. Should the direction of travel require.

I wasn’t particularly scared first time round, I thought I had it nailed as I’d done all the hypnobirthing books and antenatal classes and I was extreme fit. I didn’t have anything beyond a couple of paracetamol (not through choice) during labour. I found it agonisingly and excruciatingly painful, I still haven’t forgotten how much it hurt 3 years on. I’m not saying that to try and make you feel silly, but all I’d say is don’t discount any pain relief options now. I would have killed for an epidural when push came to shove (excuse the pun) despite thinking I’d be fine without.

I think she was using marathon as a metaphor in this context :)