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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

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Original poster

Feel like my unborn won’t make it

14 replies

hoohaal · 29/09/2025 07:59

I know this sounds nuts..

I’m 31 weeks pregnant. Have had horrific pregnancy with health problems.

I’m buying stuff for the baby, but I’ve just got this feeling in my gut that she’s not going to make it. I will be having a C section (3rd time), but I’m petrified this time round and feel like something is going to happen and the baby will be stillborn or I’ll die or something.

Feel like I will be gobsmacked if I walk out of the hospital with a baby.

Why do I feel like this?! Is it just general anxiety? (Definitely didn’t feel this way when pregnant with my girls). I’m not a very anxious person anymore either, but this feeling is so strong.

Anyone else had this?

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cinnamonda · 29/09/2025 08:12

It is just your anxiety, try to relax and have faith that all will be fine. I think it is your pregnancy hormones making you overthink things, every pregnancy is different.
when you think positive you also invite positive outcomes into your life.
try practicing positive affirmations and visualisations, meditation.
take care and stay positive, best of luck with your pregnancy 💐

Puzzledtoday · 29/09/2025 08:16

How awful to feel like that, but these strong feelings are very often nothing to do with the object of anxiety. Perhaps you are unconsciously apprehensive about how your life will change with a third child. Or perhaps your hormones are going wild in a different way than last time. Fingers crossed for you x

TiredLimeUnicorn · 29/09/2025 08:47

It’s absolutely anxiety. I had the opposite in that I was quite ill during my first pregnancy and felt something was so very wrong because I felt fine with my second pregnancy. I was so sure that I was right that I didn’t buy anything, didn’t prepare very much and hadn’t picked out names. I was so shocked when my second was born healthy. I really was not an anxious person either and still can’t believe how strong the feeling was. Please speak with your midwives, be kind to yourself, find something that helps you relax (there are some good relaxation podcasts) and remind yourself that every pregnancy is just different. Sending you hugs and positive energy 💐

Pregnantwithbabe3 · 29/09/2025 08:51

Definitely sounds like anxiety. I had this feeling that my second was going to be really early! He came on his planned C section date at 39+3. But for such a long time I had a horrible feeling something would happen. Definitely talk to your midwife or dr x

Tryingmum456 · 29/09/2025 08:52

I felt the same with both of my kids. Things got so bad that I actually asked to be induced at 37 weeks. Both were born healthy and fine.

readyforitt · 29/09/2025 08:58

It’s your anxiety. I had exactly the same thoughts and feelings. I had 4 miscarriages before I had my son and every time another week passed in pregnancy I was convinced it was the last week. When my waters went at 35 weeks, I was convinced he was going to die. I’d buy things and think he won’t even get to wear this and I’d cry looking at them when he was living his best life in my belly! It’s so tiring but it really is just anxiety and everything will be just fine xx

Pennyroses · 29/09/2025 08:59

I had this with my daughter, had a horrendous pregnancy too. I had nightmares of losing her it was awful 😔 she was born absolutely fine and healthy! I actually did lose a little girl a couple of years ago and I didn't have any inclination that time that something would go wrong so honestly, believe me these feelings don't mean anything x

MumChp · 29/09/2025 09:02

Talk to your midwife. She can help you.

JetFlight · 29/09/2025 09:02

It’s anxiety around a tough pregnancy. I take it you’re having an elective c section? Sounds like the best option.

Lavender14 · 29/09/2025 09:09

Sounds like maternal anxiety op. Completely normal but that also doesn't mean you need to tolerate it. It would be important to speak very honestly to your midwives. I had horrendous pn anxiety and anxiety like this in pregnancy can be a risk factor for pn anxiety/ocd or pp psychosis (although the latter is much less likely) so its important that the team who are caring for you and supporting you are fully aware of how bad it is.

You don't need to answer this obviously, but have all your pregnancies been to term? The anxiety of being pregnant after a loss can be overwhelming and in my case I'd had multiple scares in the very early stages of pregnancy and that really affected my ability to 'trust' the pregnancy and my body. Being honest and talking to people about it was the best thing I did along with lots of self care and meditation.

I also found that an elected section eased some fears and I still did a birth plan to help with feeling in control with what I could control in that context. I avoided any negative birth stories and focused on reading positive ones (God knows why people feel the need to share the tough ones with pregnant women) and did hypnobirthing and a lovely pregnancy yoga class for as long as I could. You're almost there and I think a degree of anxiety about that is completely normal.

Muffinmam · 29/09/2025 09:40

It’s anxiety. It’s normal. I cried before my scheduled c section. So did my partner.

Then I had routine surgery a year later and I cried before that as well. I thought I was going to die. It was very very routine. No major blood vessels (it was ear surgery).

Anyway, I had previously had a lot of surgery and many emergency surgeries where my life was in danger and I did not cry once with any of those.

FairyBatman · 29/09/2025 14:25

It’s not “normal” but it’s not rare either to feel that. Can you ask your GP or midwife to refer you to the perinatal mental health team for some emergency counselling?

GroovyChick87 · 29/09/2025 14:33

It's anxiety. I was convinced I was going to die during my 4th and final c section and leave my other kids motherless. It dominated my thoughts and I was living in dread. Earlier in the pregnancy I'd also convinced myself I'd miscarry him. Something about the pregnancy felt weird, kind of like imposter syndrome. For some reason it felt like it wasn't real and I'd struggle to bond at birth. In actual fact his birth was the most straight forward I had had and I fell instantly in love with him.

Ethosuximibe · 29/09/2025 15:20

I felt like this with my second, I was convinced she was going to die and I was desperate for the pregnancy to be over with just so I could see that she was safe.

It was anxiety, it was a pregnancy after an MMC and she was due April 2020 which was not ideal timing. She was also very comfortably in head down position from early on and barely moved much which was bad for my nerves! It took a few months after the birth for it to go away for me.

I didn’t manage mine well but please talk to your midwife/team.

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