Severe childbirth phobia

I have a really bad phobia of childbirth, which has got to the extent where it affects my day-to-day life on a fairly regular basis, because I keep thinking about it and I end up crying. I'm in my first year at uni and am by no means thinking of getting pregnant for a good few years but for some reason I just can't stop thinking about it and it really traumatises me. Is there anyone else out there who feels the same way? :frown:

Reply 1

Princess_Peach

dont have bio kids.

Reply 2

Anonymous #1

OP

Princess_Peach

dont have bio kids.

yeah, I would actually consider adopting to be able to avoid giving birth.

Reply 3

Bananarama

2

Obviously childbirth is a painful and tiring experience, but surely it's worth going through that, for one day, to get a lifetime of having your own child?
You can get an epidural and be paralysed from the waist down anyway so it's mostly just discomfort.

If you are still at university then yes you have quite a long time until you will be thinking about kids. It's also quite likely that you won't be in any serious relationship. When you do find someone to settle down with, you will have the support you need to go through pregnancy and labour.

If you really are thinking about this on a daily basis then maybe see someone so you can talk it over? For most people it would be just a minor worry about the future.

Reply 4

Anonymous #1

OP

I'm in a serious long-term relationship and we would be thinking of having kids one day, in a few years after uni. I don't think he really understands why I'm so scared of it though, and I think he's getting sick of me mentioning how much it worries me. I don't really know what to do, I can't really afford counselling and I just really want to be able to forget about it and enjoy my time at uni.

Reply 5

Juno

20

As you're at uni, you should be able to see a counsellor there. If you're not sure whether you have one, ask your tutor (or you could even see your GP). If they don't feel they can help with your problem, they should be able to advise you of someone who can.

Reply 6

Phantom Phoenix

13

Anonymous

yeah, I would actually consider adopting to be able to avoid giving birth.

Scares the hell out of me too...I just figure I've got a few years to come to terms with it yet. I mean... [shiver] ...it looks AWFUL! My class were shown a fairly graphic tape of a woman giving birth when I was 8 and I think it scarred me for life! :eek:

Reply 7

Anonymous #1

OP

Phantom Phoenix

Scares the hell out of me too...I just figure I've got a few years to come to terms with it yet. I mean... [shiver] ...it looks AWFUL! My class were shown a fairly graphic tape of a woman giving birth when I was 8 and I think it scarred me for life! :eek:

Yeah, tell me about it. When i was quite young I saw my mum giving birth to my sister. I don't think that's why I'm so scared though, because the phobia didn't develop until adolescence. :frown:

It's not just the actual pain of giving birth, it's literally everything about it that scares me :frown:

Thanks for the tip Juno, will definitely look into it.

Reply 8

Phantom Phoenix

13

Sort of a relief knowing it's not just me :biggrin:

Let us know if anything works!!

Reply 9

Anonymous #1

OP

I will do... I've tried lots of things, talking to women who've given birth, reading about pain relief etc but nothing's worked so far, still absolutely petrified. It's, as you say, good to know I'm not the only one though...

Reply 10

Princess_Peach

Bananarama

You can get an epidural and be paralysed from the waist down anyway so it's mostly just discomfort.

Yup. Thats deffo the way I'm going. Although I've heard you cr@p all over the bed.

Reply 11

life sux

u shouldn't have it. to gain smthin u hv 2 lose smthin

Reply 12

Anonymous #1

OP

Princess_Peach

Yup. Thats deffo the way I'm going. Although I've heard you cr@p all over the bed.

Thing is i'm not sure i want to risk an epidural - I don't want to be drugged up or risk being paralysed. :frown:

Reply 13

Princess_Peach

Anonymous

Thing is i'm not sure i want to risk an epidural - I don't want to be drugged up or risk being paralysed. :frown:

The risk of being perminately paralysed is v.small.

You can't have it all girlfriend.

Reply 14

Anonymous #2

I used to be terrified of the thought but I did a load of research and am genuinely at ease with the idea now. Our bodies are designed to do it after all.

Here's hoping for enough money to have a C-section anyway.

Reply 15

FrenchGal

14

My philosophy teacher once told us that when his wife gave birth, she had an epidural and spent the whole childbirth making jokes cos she was feeling great :biggrin:

Don't know if that's true, but I think epidural helps you a lot, and the risks are minimal nowadays.
my mum says giving birth was awful, but she did it three times and reckoned it was well worth it. I am supposed to have hurt her like hell, and my siblings' births went a lot smoother. And she says that once you hold your baby in your arms, you don't regret anything at all.

Reply 16

Llamaaa

15

for me, it's the actual being pregnant thing that freaks me out. I would hate the idea of having something growing inside of me

Reply 17

FrenchGal

14

helenkr

for me, it's the actual being pregnant thing that freaks me out. I would hate the idea of having something growing inside of me

I'd love it :biggrin:

Reply 18

puppy

I don't understand why you think of this on a day to day basis if it's so far away from happening. You don't even have to have kids if you don't want to. Just adopt. Something that you don't have to do shouldn't be scaring you this much in your everyday life for no particular reason. You realy need to talk to someone (professional) about it.

Reply 19

Anonymous #1

OP

puppy

I don't understand why you think of this on a day to day basis if it's so far away from happening. You don't even have to have kids if you don't want to. Just adopt. Something that you don't have to do shouldn't be scaring you this much in your everyday life for no particular reason. You realy need to talk to someone (professional) about it.

I know, believe me I don't know why I keep thinking about it either. Maybe because several of my older friends have had babies recently?

Severe childbirth phobia

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