Overcoming Fear and Anxiety in Childbirth
Our vision is to provide an informative and holistic change in the way birth is experienced by families around the world. We aim to prepare families in body, mind, and spirit for a healthy pregnancy and empowered birth experience.
Fear & Anixety
You will remember your birth for the rest of your life. Not only do you birth a child—you birth a new you, a new way of being, a new life. Parenthood is a profound transition. I think one of the biggest obstacles in birth today is the fear-based culture we live in and the lack of perceived personal choices in our maternity care experience.
Do you have fear or anxiety about having a baby and becoming a parent? There are so many complex layers to these feelings. You will hear me say this, one way or another, over and over, again: there is only one you, and you are sacred! You are a unique, one-of-a-kind individual and your life experiences have shaped your body, mind, and soul into who you are today. Beyond that, we are constantly confronted with an array of media stories, strangers’ opinions, birth stories from friends, family, coworkers and care providers; trending books, videos, social media influencers, birth groups, and so many other sources.
These influences imprint and condition us, leaving many to believe having a baby is something to be anxious about and deeply feared. We hear all the tragedies, medical complications, and the emotional damage that people endure in becoming pregnant, growing their babies, birthing and transitioning into being a new parent. While these things do happen and difficult stories deserve to be heard, it can feel horrible and overwhelming. But what about the positive stories? Is it really that dangerous to have a baby and become a parent? At Birthing Freedom, we provide the education so you and your birth team can feel more confident and make informed choices for your unique experience.
Humans have a tendency to share the negative before the positive. Having children is normal—its actually what our bodies are meant to do! It is also normal to be cautious, nervous, or to wonder about how this unknown experience will unfold. Will I actually get pregnant? Will my baby be healthy? Will I be a good parent? Most of us ask ourselves this type of questions throughout the whole experience. In my opinion, this an instinctual mechanism to protect ourselves and our babies, and again, it is normal!
Education and awareness of what could go wrong is very important. We need to educate ourselves to make informed choices. Sometimes bad things do happen, but thank goodness it’s not the norm! Pregnancy and birth are supposed to work. If things do get complicated, having education, a care provider you trust, a birth partner, and postpartum home support can help you maneuver through the complications.
I’ve seen “pregnancy and birth intentions” go completely not as planned. But, when the parents felt supported, educated, and involved in the decision-making process, the whole experience was reframed. What could have been a negative experience instead becomes a supported experience.
Of course, sometimes things happen fast—especially during birth—and there is no time to talk about it. In this case, it is your care provider’s responsibility to do what’s necessary to help you and your baby in the moment. This is where the trust in your care provider is so very important! Trust reduces fear (if not eliminates it). If you felt heard and supported by your care provider during your pregnancy, then you can trust they will do everything possible to steer things in your desired direction during the birth.
What do you do if you can’t find a care provider that hears you? What if you are left feeling anxious, fearful, or without an advocate? I encourage you to spend extra time on education and making informed lifestyle choices, and, if possible, have a support person you trust go through this process with you. Make your intentions known, but also be ready to switch gears if unexpected situations arise. Support, support, support! It makes a huge impact.
As a midwife, I worked with mostly low-risk, healthy individuals; this means that I cared for families with mostly healthy pregnancies, deliveries, and postpartum. I encourage you to surround yourself with positive pregnancy, birth, and postpartum information. Be a sponge and take in as much as you can—this is your story and you will hold it in your heart for the rest of your life! If you have a healthy positive experience: tell your story, sing it from the rooftops—let’s allow normal healthy childrearing stories to also be heard. Have compassion and understanding for the sad and scary pregnancy and birth stories, but I invite you to please remember they are not the majority.
Pregnancy and birth with a licensed care provider for the majority of us is completely safe. Remember that having a good team and trust is a game changer. I recommend you speak out, communicate your unique needs, and be heard. Birthing Freedom has created a Pregnancy and Birth Intention handout to fill in with your specific needs if you are looking for a guideline.
If, after you have sought education and guidance, you are still experiencing a lot of anxiety and fear, please be sure to consult your care provider. They can help you assess the root of your worries and determine if the concerns are justified, or if they may be influenced by the experiences of others. Remember: there are amazing midwives, doctors, and specialists for medical assistance when needed, but this is your experience.
Follow along for more in-depth details and tips on reducing fears and anxiety in pregnancy, birth and postpartum.
Inside the Birthing Freedom class series, not only do we discuss fears we have thoughtfully designed templates for your pregnancy and birth, made to ease you through the process and facilitate a conversation about your unique needs and wants. These templates can be printed and shared with your birthing team/family. I hope we can help to easy your fears and anxiety in the childbearing year!
With Love,
Angela
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Meet the Author
Angela Rennie, RM, RYT, Spiritual Mentor, Reiki Master
Angela is the founder of Birthing Freedom, a holistic birth education curriculum and course that encompasses the whole person: body, mind, and spirit.