Birthing Without Fear
Do you trust birth? Or does it make you a bit nervous? Queasy, even? Where did this fear come from, if it exists in you? Maybe it’s the media, maybe it’s our culture's inherent distrust in anything feminine…whatever it is, I think we can all agree that we’d rather feel excited than anxious about our upcoming birth.
But trust in birth has to exist, for the fear to dissipate.
How do we learn to birth without fear? Here are 4 ways to start the journey of birthing in confidence and joy.
Process your fears. Say them outloud to someone that you love and trust. It is also a good idea to preface this with: “I’m not looking for advice, just someone to listen”. Write them down…journal it out.
Learn about the physiology of birth. Read the books. Follow the birth accounts on Instagram. Listen to the podcasts. The more you learn, the more normal it will feel. When things feel normal, they also feel safe.
Set boundaries with friends and families. Well-meaning friends and family members may want to tell you about their cousins-daughters-roommate who had this scary thing happen to them during pregnancy or birth. This is where we say “honestly, this information really isn’t serving me right now”. Make it clear that you only want to hear positive stories.
Commit to daily practice. Whether it be journaling, meditating, or verbally processing with a loved one…do something to work through your fears everyday. A lovely night time ritual could be taking a candlelit bath while listening to affirmation tracks.
Birth is inherently safe. Say it again. Say it again and again until you understand it and believe it to be true…because it is.
What happens when we trust birth? We find the birthing experience for what it truly is. Transformative, empowering, beautiful.
