After three boys you would think I would be super keen to meet our little girl that we have on the way. I have been having mild patterns of contractions on and off for a few days. Every time they start up all I can think of is "I'm not ready, please don't let me be in labour. I'm not ready to go through that again."

My labours have been 2.5hrs (induced), 2hrs (natural) and 2.5hrs(induced). So I seem to get an easier time of it than most women. I think my anxiety stems from Ds#2 being delivered by ambulance bearers in a corridoor at the hospital and Ds#3 being posterior and weighing 4.86kgs at birth.

I'm looking for some suggestions so I can relax and let my body do what it is meant to. I believe if I keep on freaking myself out I won't go into labour naturally because of feeling so tense.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

I don't have any tips but just wanted to let you know that you are not alone.

This will be my 6th child - I have had all quick easy labours with large babies, no pain relief and one posterior birth. I am petrified this time - just about the pain, nothing else. I have never been like this before and don't know how to get rid off the feeling. I have also wished the BH contractions away as I wasn't ready for the pain to come.......

I think I am getting better the further I get along and the more I get tired of the whole being pregnant thing. I just want to see my baby and keep telling myself that I have handled the pain before I can do it again. It would help if I knew I would make it to the hospital in time for an epidural though. Even though I have never had one before I would really like one this time. I think the posterior labour did it for me.


Anyway, good luck and I will be reading with interest any tips you get so I can follow them also.


Bec

This is my second but I am taking the denial approach like I did with my first. I try not to think about it until its happening and then take things one step at a time. I ended up in emergency-c/s with the first, my only thought is to get the baby out safely, I would love quick births.

Sorry I havent been in your situation but I think the only thing to do is concentrate on getting the baby out safely, if your worried about not making it to the hospital get there early... they wont turn you away if your stressed/anxious etc.

Good luck, I dont mind waiting to meet my little girl either, although unfortunatly it wont be a long wait.

Hi

I say lucky you for short labours!

I got quite stressed out half way thru labour with # 2 as they wouldn't let me have an epidural. I tried to remember things people had told me to help me calm down, and the main one that worked was to look at the little bassinette in the delivery room and think not long till my gorgeous bundle of joy will be in there....assuming you get to the hospital in time . I imagine for you with "blokesworld" at home that you could think of all the gorgeous pink things waiting for your daughter at home, and dream about the clothes she will wear and the presents that your friends and family will give you both.

Another thing I have read on EB that is helping me prepare this time is to think each contraction is one step closer to your baby arriving....and to try to work with them.

If you are stressing out about getting to the hospital on time, make sure all your bags are packed now! (if you havent done already) That might help. Also, I wrote a list and kept it beside my bed of the things to throw in at the end - eg. Mobile Phone, purse, spare trackie pants & maternity bra (that were in the wash), etc. When I did go into labour at home, I felt quite calm getting my list and crossing the things off as I put them in the bag in between contractions.

Finally, don't forget that it is only a day (or in your case a couple of hours) of pain, and a lifetime of joy!! Take care. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the ideas. I don't think I will go into labour anytime too soon as the earliest I have had a baby is 40+5 but I feel like I may be working myself up to be even more overdue.

I think I might get out my 32 week 3d scan pictures, a pink stretch suit and my stress balls and have them handy for when I start to feel stressed, to keep my focus. I would definitely prefer to go into labour naturally as opposed to being induced again so I guess I need to keep that in mind when I start to freak out.

Thanks again, lets hope it works

have you thought about doing calm birth classes?
i have always been world's worst patient...faint at blood tests, cry at pap smears, scream when having drips put in ...you get the idea. i have always thought i would be absolutely TERRIFIED at the thought of child birth. i am now 34 weeks pregnant and actually EXCITED about the birth, which shocks me!! we did a calm birth course over 2 full saturdays and now i am trying to be diligent and listen to the CDs regularly. whilst i still may freak out when it's actually happening (who knows!) it's wonderful not to be anxious and to be looking forward to giving birth. even i have a crappy labour, the calm birth classes have taken away the anxiety leading up to it, and that in itself is worth every penny we spent. good luck

I've been getting a bit anxious about how I'll cope with the pain; or whether I'll be distressed. I try to not think about it because I know there is nothing I can do to change it. And I try to remember that I'll (probably) be giving birth somewhere nice and clean with pain relief available and lots of women do this without all that.

Yoga, massage, meditation, visualisation...
I'm 36 weeks, due to be induced in 3 weeks, and we lost our first little girl at 39+6 for no reason. I also had 27 hrs of labour (after being induced when we knew she would be stillborn). I've started having occasional panic attacks and the above is the only thing keeping me sane at the mo. I'm terrified of the possibilty of hrs and hrs of discomfort again, and the same scenario playing out this time round.
I guess all there is to do, like jane1506 said is to take it one step at a time. There is no point in worrying about what COULD be, your energy is better spent elsewhere (and yes I am having a crack at taking my own advice )
All the best

OP I hear you, I had a good first birth but I don't even want to think about the second one coming up. The thing is.... they HURT! What helped me most with baby #1 was watching some live birth videos on lamaze website over and over and over again... Also, hearing my yoga teacher's voice saying 'relax thru stage 1, save your strength for the pushing!'. I'm not doing yoga this time around but will still try to remember this advice. Another mate swore by a book called Birth Skills, I've never read it but she had a scary #1 but great #2 birth and she puts it down to the techniques in the book. I also like Jane 1506's denial approach - after all, you can only cross the labour bridge once you get to it!

Try putting on some music that you love, turning it up loud and singing along!

Other than that just remember you have done this before and you will be ok. Focus on the beautiful little miracle you have in your tummy.

I also think yoga, meditation etc and hypnobirthing is really good too - the book comes with a CD that takes you through relaxation exercises.

Good luck, you will do absolutely wonderfully!

OMG .. you sound exactly like me ! ... well was me a few weeks ago.
You would think after experiencing births few times you would kind of be more prepared for the next. But the way i see it is "i know what i'm in for .. how will i get through it AGAIN !"
I got to the point were my anxiety was stopping me from enjoying the baby and pregnancy and was feeling sick in the stomach just thinking about the whole labour and birth thing. Mind you .. i havent even had a traumatic birth .. they were all pretty smooth sailing.
I eneded up buying the book "Birth Skills" by Juju Sundince and since then have become more relaxed and am thinking in a different frame of mind.
it might all go out the window when the time comes, but at least i'm not so anxious anymore and am now looking forward to meeting my little man !
Worth a read if you havent already.
Good luck hope all goes well !

I strongly suggest you get this book. Not a novel as such, more of a tips, tricks and affirmations book .
http://awakenyourbirthpower.com/products-p...ur-birth-power/

Look at photos of your other children as newborns and remember how it felt when you first held them, looked at them and touched them.

Personally I love giving birth. My two experiences so far have been good (#1, no real complaints, went smoothly but a few things I was happy to change next time around) and excellent (#2 was perfect in every way). I love the hype of contractions... The knowing that it's only a matter of time before you meet that baby. Maybe I was lucky, I don't know... But the pain was really nothing at all. With DS is was a bit harder as the midwife did not believe I was in the pain I was in until she realised I was ready to push. CTG did not pick up the strength of my contractions.

I also had back labours both times (neither were posterior). I am not saying it didn't hurt, of course it did. But for me I love the hype. Timing the contractions as they get closer, feeling them get more intense, pushing, the whole lot. I just love it. I could go again and again and not worry at all about the delivery. Only thing holding me back is my appreciation for sleep

Nut I had a back labor too, also not posterior, the warm shower was bliss (up to a point, then it was more grin and bear it).

I stayed in the bath with DD until maybe 15 minutes before she was born (labour was 2.5 hours long). As soon as I got up I got a massive weight of contractions, got to the bed and pushed her out. It was fantastic