Childbirth, Maternity

Coping With the Fear of Childbirth

All mothers will know that preparing for your first child isn’t just physically draining, but also as its mental toll. Whenever you do something that you’re unfamiliar with or something you have no experience at, a daunting feeling is quite typical. Well, coping with the birth of your child is no different. In the UAE, there are countless amounts of resources and support systems for women, so it’s important to remember you are not alone.

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Most expectant women in the UAE and all over the world share common concerns and fears. Here a couple of fears women may experience, and hopefully, we can educate ourselves on coping with the fear of childbirth better, and developing a better understanding of the maternity process.

1. Unintentional Bodily Functions

Some women may accidentally defecate while delivering the baby. And even though it’s very easy to get embarrassed, you should know that a lot of women experience this when they deliver too. Doctors and nurses wouldn’t be fazed, so there shouldn’t be any reason for you to panic or feel embarrassed. The best way to prevent this is to make sure you go to the toilet whenever you need to. Don’t wait.

2. Late Pregnancy Loss (Still Birth)

This is a common fear most women have coming closer to the date of delivery. But you needn’t worry as UAE based doctors all practice consultant-led care for pregnant women. It means that you’ll have a regular checkup with your doctor, as well as all the resources you need to ensure your health, as well as the baby, aren’t compromised. By staying in constant communication with your doctor, they can determine what you need to do to ensure the process goes smoothly.

3. Being Pushed Into Having a Cesarean Birth

Having an open dialogue with your doctor, you’ll be able to compromise on how you would like to deliver your child. This also means your doctor knows what to expect and prepare for your delivery. Whether you’re having a natural birth or a cesarean one, there are pros and cons to both. Unfortunately, cesarean births are not incentivized in the UAE, and so they can be quite expensive. This fear can be alleviated once you speak with your doctor about the best course of action based on your circumstances.

4. Not Being Able to Cope With the Pain

This is the fear that will keep women up at night, and especially more so when they get closer to the date of delivering. It is crucial to keep in mind that contractions don’t cause serious harm as our bodies are designed to do so. Being able to accept and take the pain threshold is the best way to get through it. It’s also great to speak with your doctor about what to expect. They may even medicate you before delivering to alleviate the pain as much as possible. Talking with other women who have gone through the same process may help to relieve your fears as well.

5. Cord Around the Babies Neck

This is something that you may see in the media or even in film, and maybe the reason why you are dreading it. However, many babies are born with the umbilical cord around the neck, and in most cases, it’s actually quite harmless. Doctors will just remove it over their head or body, or cut it. Unless the baby is tight around the babies neck and they are showing signs of distress, you shouldn’t be too concerned. Your doctor will be in control of the situation.

6. The Need For an Episiotomy

You’ll be surprised how episiotomies are quite more common than you think. Your doctor is likely to recommend it if the perineum is very tight and may even tear. Though making an incision in your vaginal area may sound quite scary, it will make the process easier for you, your doctor, and it will heal over time.

7. Not Reaching the Hospital in Time

Although it’s unlikely you will end up delivering in the car or at home, it can happen. When your water breaks and you notice you’re about to give birth, it’s quite a lengthy process. If you are well and can determine when the baby will arrive and how to get to the hospital in time, there’s no need to be fearful of this one.

Whether you’ve just found out you’re pregnant or only a few days away from having the birth of your first child, you need to make sure of these three things. Your health is maintained continuously; you have close communication and understanding with your doctor and have a network that is ready to support you at any time.

When these three things are present, it will make your life a whole lot easier practically as well as mentally. Although it isn’t easy to discard all your fear of childbirth, they definitely won’t hit you as hard.

Head over to the Okadoc app to immediately book an appointment with your health practitioner.