Freaking out a out the birth

[PurpleDiva22]

I'm pregnant with baby number 2! Baby number 1 was 6lbs, a very fast labour with no time for any pain relief other than gas and air. I am now freaking out about going through another labour. I am assuming baby no. 2 will be bigger in size and it is terrifying me. I've no idea how to calm myself down. Any advice?

Oops just noticed typo in my title. Freaking out about* the birth 🙈

How fast was your first birth? My second was much faster but my first was 34 hours so wasn’t hard to beat. If your first counted as a precipitous labour they might adjust the advice for when you will need to go in. My second baby wasn’t bigger, they were about the same.

I found water birthing helped to make me calmer. Talk to your midwife about your options so you can feel more in control.

I'm one of four kids and in birth order we were second biggest, smallest, biggest, third biggest (birth weight wise). So there's no reason that your second child would be bigger!

I don't care how bitchy this sounds, but when I was anxious over giving birth the first time, I thought of the feeblest, weakest, wet-ess mother I knew and focused on the fact that if she could do it, I bloody well could.

When I started getting anxious over my second birth, I focused on the fact that I'd done it before and I could do it again.

Even if the baby is bigger this time round, (no guarantee of that though) the hardest bit to come out is the head. A bigger baby doesn't make the head circumference that much bigger at all.

First labour was 6 hours from when my waters broke to when the baby came out. Unfortunately a water birth isn't an option at the hospital I attend. Thanks for your comments. I have in my head this baby will be double the size 🤣 you are right. I've done it before I can do it once more!

I have 3 girls already and pregnant with my 4th and they was all very different I was very worried after my second was very fast about my 3rd but that was longer try not to work yourself up just have everything planned and ready and once you start in labour go stright to the hospital x

Ah okay, precipitous labour is 3 hours from regular contractions to birth. That was what my second was like but it was great, I didn’t have to be in pain for as long as the first time.

6lbs is small so your second might be bigger, however I have read that bigger heads dilate you more easily.

You might benefit from some hypnobirthing sessions x