While having a baby causes indescribable emotions for many expectant mothers, some people feel intense anxiety about having a child, and even if they want a child, they are worried about the pregnancy process, birth and postpartum.
Fear of birth; It increases complications at the time of birth, affects mother-baby bonding, and may also cause depression and anxiety disorders in the person.
Fear of birth is divided into two groups. In the first group, there are those who have never been a mother but have intense anxiety about birth, and in the second group, there are those who are affected by the negative birth experiences they have had.
If we consider the first group, why does a person have such fear of an event that she has never experienced?
<When we generally look at the causes of fear; “Will my baby be born healthy?”, “What if my baby is born disabled?” While there may be concerns about the health of the baby, such as, the belief that the pain experienced during birth will be unbearable also appears to affect the fear of birth. The anxiety of "If I cannot cope with this pain" is among the factors that lead people to a planned cesarean section. In addition, studies have shown that; It has been found that people with more fear of birth experience more pain during birth, and those with more fear of birth experience more fear. It has been observed that this process reduces birth satisfaction.
It is very important how the person's birth story is conveyed to him/her. A story that is told in a bad/traumatic way and includes difficult birth stories affects the person's own pregnancy process, and the unresolved story of her own birth can cause anxiety that her pregnancy will end in the same way.
Labeling the painful birth stories heard since childhood with the birth story she has never experienced, and exposure to screaming birth scenes in movies and TV series can negatively affect the perception of birth of a woman who has never been a mother.
Family history of illness, traumatic death, miscarriage, abortion, stillbirth, etc. People with this condition may develop concerns about birth.
Becoming pregnant as a result of an unplanned pregnancy; the expectant mother's psychological Processes such as finding oneself in this process before being ready, taking care of the baby, the image of motherhood, concerns about returning to work, and adapting to life with a baby may cause the person to develop a fear of childbirth.
Spouse. Support and low social support are among the psychosocial factors that affect the fear of birth.
The person's personality structure, anxiety level, history of depression, temperament, way of perceiving events and the meanings they attribute to events. It can be a factor in the formation of fear of childbirth.
Past traumatic experiences also have a significant impact on the formation of fear of birth.
Those who have given birth for the first time and are pregnant with the second In mothers with: The second birth occurs in the mother's mind in proportion to the story of the first birth. A mother who has had a bad birth experience believes that her second birth will be the same and may experience fear of birth.
How Can I Overcome the Fear of Birth?
Sometimes the fear of the unknown can prevent people from moving. Knowledge is the greatest antidote to fear. If your fear goes away when you get information from the right sources, it is the fear of the unknown, but if your fear does not go away even though you get the right information from the right sources, the process is more psychological.
Make a list of your fears and share it. “Will they think wrong”, “will they find my fears ridiculous?” Get rid of your anxiety and share your anxiety and fears with your doctor.
Attend birth preparation training. The training includes not only the physiology of birth; You will also learn the philosophy of birth and the effect of fear on birth and correct your missing or incorrect information with correct information.
Create your birth team. Physical and psychological support at the time of birth is very important. Having a team that provides uninterrupted, one-on-one support at the time of birth, such as a midwife, birth psychologist, or doula, will help you get through the process more easily.
If your anxiety and fears do not go away despite doing these, do not hesitate to get help from an expert psychologist.
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