Tokophobia. It is rare, but some women are so afraid of giving birth that they don't want to go through with it, even if they really want to have the baby. This is called tokophobia and it can happen in any pregnancy. A severe fear of childbirth may also affect their decision on how to give birth to their baby.
They may have developed a fear of childbirth at a young age, after seeing disturbing images of a birth, or sometimes after suffering sexual trauma or abuse. Secondary tokophobia involves women who have had a previous traumatic birth experience, miscarriage, stillbirth or termination of a pregnancy.
Nitrous oxide is an odorless gas that some hospitals use as an analgesic during labor. Its calming effect reduces anxiety and makes pain more manageable. As a pain medication for labor, a low dose of nitrous oxide is mixed with oxygen and inhaled through a mask.
While it may be comforting to know an epidural is available, it can also be a source of anxiety for many women. Fear of the procedure, as well side effects including numbness, can cause some women to avoid pain medication completely. But doctors say there is little to fear.
Common options for coping with pain include massage, water therapy, and breathing exercises. Music and calming smells (aromatherapy) can help relax you. Consider taking short walks and changing positions during labor—moving around can reduce pain.
Pushing can be one of the most intense and exhausting parts of the labor and delivery process—and it can take anywhere from several minutes, up to a few hours to push your baby out.
Side-Lying
Howell explains that lying on your side has been known to reduce the risk of tearing. This is because it can open the pelvis more easily, and it gives control over pushing.
Concerns About Added Risks
For some mothers, even the possibility of a smaller risk that is more common, like a drop in her blood pressure isn't worth it. There are others who worry about problems like fetal distress.
Occasionally there are circumstances where women can't get an epidural. Occasionally we see this in women who have a low platelet count. Additionally, women who are taking blood thinners (such as heparin) to prevent a blood clot during pregnancy should not receive an epidural within 12 hours of taking that medication.
Difficulty pushing and potentially prolonged labor – For some individuals, the epidural's strong impact can make it hard to feel contractions and push during delivery. Also, if the baby is in an abnormal position relative to the pelvis, an epidural may make it more challenging for the baby to move out of this position.
When Panic Attacks Are a Serious Risk According to Research. Interestingly, however, some studies have found that panic attacks are actually not at their highest during delivery. Rather, they affect many people both before and after.
While slightly more than half said having contractions was the most painful aspect of delivery, about one in five noted pushing or post-delivery was most painful. Moms 18 to 39 were more likely to say post-delivery pain was the most painful aspect than those 40 and older.
For a very small number of women, fear of childbirth can become overwhelming. This is called tokophobia. Sometimes the fear is so intense that women may avoid having babies altogether. Other women may experience antenatal anxiety, depression, or post traumatic stress disorder following a difficult birth.
Hospitals and doctors have their own individual policies for epidurals. In most cases, however, an epidural will not be given until the mother is at least 3-4 centimeters dilated. Once the mother is fully dilated most doctors and hospitals will consider it too late for an epidural to be given.
Some people describe the feeling as being like intense period cramps, others say it feels like a tightening or pounding feeling in your uterus or across your belly, others describe the feeling as being like very intense muscle cramps, while still other people describe contractions as being like the sort of wrenching ...
Home Births
According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, or ACOG, while the overall risk is low, studies show that the risk of infant death is two to three times higher when giving birth at home. ACOG believes that hospitals and birthing centers are the safest settings for giving birth.
Squatting helps open your pelvis, giving your baby more room to rotate as he or she moves through the birth canal. Squatting also might allow you to bear down more effectively when it's time to push.
A vaginal birth is usually the safest way for your baby to be born. But even if you're planning a vaginal birth, it's good to find out about giving birth via caesarean. You might need a planned caesarean because of health problems or pregnancy complications like placenta praevia.
Laboring down is the process of not actively pushing once the second stage of labor and intense contractions begin. Some people wait one to two hours before pushing, which allows the baby to naturally move down the birth canal. Laboring down has risks and benefits.