Do you get more scared of birth the more babies you have?

[HLx]

I was reading something earlier and this came to mind, I was wondering what everyone else thinks who'd had more than one baby, even people pregnant with their first baby can join in on this one on how they actually feel towards birth even though they've never gone through it.

I understand the more babies you have the more scared/anxious you can be due to knowing exactly what happens and the pain of it, it can also swing the opposite way and you end up less scared due to knowing what happens, I know first time mums to be that takes it on the chin and some first time mums be completely scared senseless to go through it!

So what is/was it for you? For me (take away the crap I've gone through lately) I'm actually LESS scared to give birth than I was on my previous two, the pain didn't put me off however I am not looking forward to it, that would just be weird, I went into labour and birth with my first without a care in the world and thought it couldn't be as bad as it was and that everyone are wimps, only to be proven wrong and made a horrific scene in the delivery room hahaha.

 

[mrsmummy2]

I wasn't bothered with my first as I thought it couldn't possibly be that bad... obviously I was proven wrong - it really is as painful as it looks... however I still coped alright and had a 10 hour labour.

Second I wasn't overly nervous as I knew what was coming, fully expecting another 10 hour labour. 2nd was more painful but only lasted 1.5 hours and he arrived 6 minutes after getting to the hospital.

This time I'm terrified. Scared of the pain, scared of possibly not making it to the hospital, scared of something going wrong.. just the whole thing is like waaah can it all be skipped

 

[HLx]

Hahaha I'm with you there about it being skipped! I was terrified on my second I forgot to mention, and I think due to it happening so quick (10 times as painful but 10 times as quick) as my first but that time really wasn't as bad as I was expecting! This time I'm not worried, guaranteed I'll make a scene again lol!

 

[LoneWanderer]

Coming up on my first any day now
I am such a wuss, and so scared of medical stuff. Rubbish at feeling ill. Terrified of needles. Hate hospitals. Really low pain threshold.

So you'd think I'd be scared of labour... but I'm not.

Maybe you could say it's coz I have literally no idea what's to come - folk who have already done it once or more understand exactly what they are doing to themselves. But on the flip side, if you did it already before and you've gone back for more, either you're entirely insane, a complete sadist, or it is somehow manageable.

I'd honestly rather have a terrible labour, all the pain, even the interventions, than have suffered through pregnancy. Labour is what, a day or maybe a few at worst, then onto recovery - even with a section, it's a month or two at most before you start to mend, unless you are unlucky enough to have major complications. AND you have a delightful squishy baby to take your mind off things.

However, pregnancy goes on forever and ever!! I don't know how folk cope with things like morning sickness and heartburn and headaches and swelling and cravings and mood swings and insomnia and pelvic pain and all the other joys for nearly a year! I've breezed through the past nine months and still moaned about it.

I am so done with being pregnant and so ready to meet baby, so labour just doesn't seem such a scary thing. But, like I say - I've never done it, so it's easy to say such things now...

 

[OnErth&InHvn]

#1 and 2, wasnt scared. #3, I had to be induced due to anxiety. I'd never made it that far and didnt know what to expect. This baby, I'm nervous but not anxious.

 

[HLx]

Coming up on my first any day now
I am such a wuss, and so scared of medical stuff. Rubbish at feeling ill. Terrified of needles. Hate hospitals. Really low pain threshold.

So you'd think I'd be scared of labour... but I'm not.

Maybe you could say it's coz I have literally no idea what's to come - folk who have already done it once or more understand exactly what they are doing to themselves. But on the flip side, if you did it already before and you've gone back for more, either you're entirely insane, a complete sadist, or it is somehow manageable.

I'd honestly rather have a terrible labour, all the pain, even the interventions, than have suffered through pregnancy. Labour is what, a day or maybe a few at worst, then onto recovery - even with a section, it's a month or two at most before you start to mend, unless you are unlucky enough to have major complications. AND you have a delightful squishy baby to take your mind off things.

However, pregnancy goes on forever and ever!! I don't know how folk cope with things like morning sickness and heartburn and headaches and swelling and cravings and mood swings and insomnia and pelvic pain and all the other joys for nearly a year! I've breezed through the past nine months and still moaned about it.

I am so done with being pregnant and so ready to meet baby, so labour just doesn't seem such a scary thing. But, like I say - I've never done it, so it's easy to say such things now...

Completely get you there! It is the worst pain you'll ever go through, but it doesn't last forever and you get your baby out of it! As for doing it 3 times though.... I think I'm definitely a sadist

 

[sunflower82]

I will be scheduled for a c section my first was a c section too I’m so scared and nervous and the pain you get after the c section

 

[HLx]

I will be scheduled for a c section my first was a c section too I’m so scared and nervous and the pain you get after the c section

NOW... a section on the other hand for me I'm not scared for at all, I've never had one and have never had to experience the pains afterwards, but friends have told me after section pains are worse than a vaginal delivery which I can imagine, and obviously lasts twice as long, I'd probably go into a section like I did going into the birth with my first, however I think if I ever had to have another section after a first section, I'd be terrified!

 

[swedengirl]

When I found out I was pregnant with number 1 I was really nervous. More about losing control and freaking out about the pain and panicking as it would be too much. I worked on this a lot with a good pregnancy yoga teacher who taught me ways to not look forward and just be in each contraction and not panic about all the more to come.

Now my labour started “early” at 37 weeks when I was expecting as it was my first to go over. I laboured at home for a few hours and then was in the hospital for under 40 minutes before she arrived. I had a med-free birth as it happened so quickly. And I LOVED giving birth. Yes it hurt like hell at moments but I just went into some weird zone and felt powerful through the whole thing. So now with number 2 I can’t wait to do it again! I kind of compare it to a marathon it’s tough but you feel such achievement.

That being said, I didn’t consciously push, she just came so I didn’t have hard time pushing. She was really little just over 2kgs/4lbs6oz. But I did tear as she came so fast so it wasn’t a “perfect” labour. It was tough on my OH who id prepared that it be slow and lots of waiting and it was soooooo fast. Think he could of had benefited for some pushing time to prepare.

 

[smileyfaces]

Not at all nervous or scared for labour. Im actually looking forward to it....not the pain obviously, but i just love the whole experience

 

[brittany12]

This will be my third and I’m most scared this time! Was a little nervous with first as I didn’t know what to expect. Second I was fine until he was in distress we started talking c section and his heartbeat almost stopped. So now I’m a little traumatized that something will happen!

Trying to keep calm and remember every delivery is different!

 

[HLx]

It's crazy, but good that everyone feels so differently to each labour, whether your scared first, or not, or scared on your last or not, none are wrong! When the time comes for me this time, I know I will end up freaking out towards the end, I always do! It's not I'm scared of pushing, but it freaks me out completely, I'd rather 'ow' pain than stinging pain, I guess that's why tattoos and piercings don't bother me, yet bee or wasp stings and I completely freak out! I just hate that stinging feeling on any part of my body, and sadly, that's the only thing you feel when baby in on route through vagina

 

[Sushai]

On baby number 6 here and I’m definitely feeling nervous. I seem to get more nervous with each day that passes. Funny thing is every time I find out I’m pregnant I’m all excited but then I remember the pain of labour and I’m like ‘oh no! What did I get myself into?’ Lol.

 

[Teanna]

First time mom here, I'm not scared yet anyway. I'm 33+5 weeks and I have a high pain threshold typically and I think as long as I can keep a calm mindset and think of the pain as accomplishing something I'll somehow push through it. That being said, I have no idea what I've gotten myself into and may be screaming for the epidural as soon as contractions start.

 

[swedengirl]

It's crazy, but good that everyone feels so differently to each labour, whether your scared first, or not, or scared on your last or not, none are wrong! When the time comes for me this time, I know I will end up freaking out towards the end, I always do! It's not I'm scared of pushing, but it freaks me out completely, I'd rather 'ow' pain than stinging pain, I guess that's why tattoos and piercings don't bother me, yet bee or wasp stings and I completely freak out! I just hate that stinging feeling on any part of my body, and sadly, that's the only thing you feel when baby in on route through vagina

I think that stinging bit I’ve somehow managed to block out!! Like I remember screaminnnnnnngg so loudly and thinking to myself this better be the ring of fire they talk about. But I think I screamed so so loud that my brain failed to store a memory of the pain. Then within the next second they said her head was out and that’s the bit I remember, reaching down and feeling her face knowing she’d be her very shortly!

 

[HLx]

I think that stinging bit I’ve somehow managed to block out!! Like I remember screaminnnnnnngg so loudly and thinking to myself this better be the ring of fire they talk about. But I think I screamed so so loud that my brain failed to store a memory of the pain. Then within the next second they said her head was out and that’s the bit I remember, reaching down and feeling her face knowing she’d be her very shortly!

I think I blocked this with my first! I was an absolute screaming psychopath when having my first and at one point I'm sure I had to be pinned to the bed because I was up down up down just lost all control! I definitely felt it with my second as I literally just lay there all chilled for the duration hahaha! The labour pains definitely get easier for me, well not easier, but manageable, but I've only felt that ring of fire once, so I might just scream like a banshee when that part comes, just to block it out

 

[mrsmummy2]

We must all be SUPER good at blocking that out as I don't really remember the stinging either
I remember being scared of it stinging, but didn't appear to actually experience it. The sting was worse post birth trying to pee

 

[smileyfaces]

I remember the sting well with my 3rd he was 9lb 13oz. Dont remember it with my other 2 though

 

[Suggerhoney]

With my first I wasnt to scared because i thought if people can do it over and over then it cant be to bad right.
WRONG it hurt like hell
Was not to scared with the others. I think our bodies and minds are designed to forget all about all the pain a few weeks after giving birth.
If we didn't forget then people wud only have one and never do it again

I'm absolutely shitting it about labour this time. I'm scared about all the pain. I'm scared about the ring of fire. I'm scared about tearing or needing a cut or needing forceps. I'm scared about having another retained placenta and hemorrhaging. I'm scared if labour happens b4 my induction I wont make it to the hospital in time or I'll be already to many cm dilated and wont have time for a epidural.
I'm basically scared shitless. Haha

U always forget how bad it is until ure lead on that bed doing it all again and u think oh no why am I doing this again I must be nuts Haha.

 

[FaithnHope41]

I think most of us can agree that every labor and delivery is different, especially if you have had multiple pregnancies. My first go around, I was very nervous of the "not knowing" what to expect and was scared, but I was induced with my first so I had time, meaning all night before lol to be nervous and not sleep knowing I would be having a baby the next day. I was very scared during labor and delivery, because it was all so new to me. Always wondered how bad the pain would be, but being there in the moment was exciting, yet terrifying at the same time. I will say, I forgot about all the fear and pain I had as soon as I was holding my baby. It's truly amazing how we can simply forget and throw away those fears, pains, and nerves immediately afterward.

Baby #2, started having contractions over the weekend, went into work on Monday in labor, without knowing, since I was induced the first time around. Went into the doctor around 11 or 12, he checked me and sent me home since it hadn't appeared I had made any progress since my last appointment with him the week before. He told me to go home and rest for the next couple days and then was going to schedule an induction for that Thursday. Well, I got home and was in terrible pain, contractions were timing super close together, and again, I am in the "not knowing if this is really it" stage. So DH called the doctor back and told him that I seemed to be getting stronger contractions that were closer together, so he sent us into the hospital. This time I'm not necessarily scared of the L&D itself, I'm scared of the pain I'm having and just want to get my epidural so I can be happy again lol By the time we got checked into the hospital and had a doctor come in to check me, I had gone from a 1 to a 8 in less than 2 hours since the dr. appt. I was only scared at that point because I was afraid I wouldn't be able to have an epidural in time. Praise Jesus! They were able to get me an epidural before baby arrived. And I will say, once the epidural was working, I felt good, I felt relief, and was able to relax. I don't really remember being afraid or nervous at this point. Two hours later, the doctor came in and told me I was ready to push. (I didn't even have the urge to push so I was like "really???" And those of you who have had babies, know that urge to push feels like you have to take a poo, lol, didn't feel that at all) Pushed two times and baby was here. I felt so much better being in control this time over the induction, because I finally was able to know what REAL contractions are and know when they are timing closer and stronger together. It really was an overall great L&D.

#3, currently expecting. Due in less than 10 weeks, and I am nervous and scared but not terribly like the first. I think knowing what I have been through and knowing the super women we all are when we go into do this, makes me feel like I have this special super woman power. I know we can do this, I know we HAVE to do this, and I try to think about the baby and not the process of it. Again, as soon as baby is here, we can forget the fears and pains and nervousness, and all other emotions that lead us to the precious gifts we hold!!!!!