The birth of a child is a natural physiological process that requires effort from mother and baby. Often, a pregnant woman in the third trimester is haunted by concerns: how quickly labor will begin, whether complications will arise for the baby, and whether she will be able to give birth safely on her own. Young ladies preparing to become a mother for the first time are especially afraid of the upcoming trip to the maternity hospital. How to overcome the fear of childbirth if it turns from mild excitement into real panic? It is necessary to understand what fears are and what the reasons for their occurrence are.
Fear of the unknown
Proper preparation for childbirth helps a woman to tune in psychologically and learn to behave competently during childbirth, and of course, if you are informed, the fear of the unknown, which always frightens people, goes away.
Currently, there are many courses for pregnant women. It is advisable to choose courses where there are classes with a psychologist, an obstetrician-gynecologist, and a pediatrician. Only then will you know about all aspects of childbirth. Unfortunately, it happens that in courses conducted only by psychologists, a woman is instilled with a negative attitude towards medical manipulations and cannot explain their meaning, and in courses attended only by people with medical education, they do not help to properly tune in psychologically, which is especially important. for emotional women. Childbirth preparation courses are useful not only because you receive reliable and understandable information and get rid of the fear of the unknown, but also because there you communicate with other expectant mothers and discuss similar problems.
The courses should include not only lectures, but also practical exercises where relaxation and proper breathing skills are practiced.
In addition to courses, you need to read books or magazines about childbirth. But these should be popular publications about natural childbirth. You should not study a textbook on obstetrics and gynecology, because such books are written for doctors and the emphasis is on those situations where medical care is necessary, that is, on the complicated course of childbirth.
Imagine in advance how your birth will go, make your plan. In psychology, there is a special technique called “modeling.” This technique involves creating a scenario for a favorable development of the situation and consolidating this experience in memory.
For many expectant mothers, the maternity hospital is their first experience in a hospital, or, simply put, in a hospital. In order not to be intimidated by hospital corridors and wards, it is advisable to get acquainted with the structure of the maternity hospital in advance - it is better to go there on a tour (it can be provided in a cycle of classes for pregnant women or be included in the contract for childbirth) or at least read about the structure of the maternity hospital in special literature for expectant mothers .
Fear of childbirth? Try not to be afraid! — Psychologist Nadezhda Khramchenko
A LITTLE SCARY STORIES
“I will multiply your sorrow in your pregnancy; in pain you will bear children” (Genesis 3:16). This passage of the bible is known as the "Curse of Eve". Since the Middle Ages, childbirth
were associated primarily with terrible excruciating
pain
.
In the Middle Ages, pregnant women lived under constant fear
of death.
Indeed, many women died, because there were no antiseptics or antibiotics. The Church flooded people's minds with thoughts that conception was from the devil, and childbirth
was retribution for sins.
Pregnancy and childbirth
took place in complete unsanitary conditions; any attempts by scientists and doctors to infiltrate this area were punishable by death.
This is the cultural and historical background of the perception of childbirth
as something terrible.
Meanwhile, there were works by ancient physicians that described the accumulated knowledge about childbirth through practice. And in 1516, the German doctor Jugarius Rosslyn published a work on childbirth
, based on the manuscripts he found.
In 1524, another explorer, Dr. Weiss, realizing how little was known about childbirth
, disguised himself as a midwife, since men were prohibited from attending such processes, in order to gather practical knowledge about
childbirth
.
Dr. Weiss was exposed and burned at the stake for his good intentions. ©The author of the article you are now reading, Khramchenko Nadezhda /
The Middle Ages have sunk into oblivion, but female mortality in childbirth
was still very high.
In the mid-19th century, Viennese doctor Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis required his students at the hospital to wash their hands in a bleach solution before examining pregnant women. The mortality rate during childbirth
in this hospital dropped to 1%, but soon this talented doctor was fired, died, experiencing shocks, everything became as before.
from sepsis during childbirth
in Europe.
Later the picture became more rosy. Since 1847, they began to use chloroform, which the church called “Satan’s trap,” but before that, Caesareans were done on the living. Antiseptics invented by Joseph Lister appeared in 1866. Mortality rates fell sharply after the invention of penicillin in the 30s and 40s of the 20th century. The development of medicine, perinatal psychology
and pedagogy has completely changed the view of
childbirth
.
Modern bibliographers interpret the word “etzev” in the passage from the Bible given above as “labor”, “zeal”. And it’s true, pain
and illness sound completely different in ancient Hebrew.
In addition, the word "etzev" appears 16 times in this book and is not once, except in this passage, interpreted as " pain"
or "illness."
Such a translation was made in the 16th century during the complete decline of obstetrics, the horror of childbirth
, and the enormous female mortality rate in
childbirth. Childbirth
in these inhuman torments actually looked like a curse.
But times have changed, but medieval fear
, perhaps genetically determined, remains.
Modern medicine and psychology
provide a woman with the opportunity to give birth absolutely painlessly.
But she must try. She has the choice to give birth in fear
and thereby prevent the birth of a child, or to cope with
fear
, work, labor in
childbirth
, as the inhabitants of the tribes do, giving birth without stress and
fear
, virtually painlessly small but strong children.
FEAR OF CHILDREN Fear of childbirth
implies:
— fear of pain
, -
fear
of giving birth to a sick child, -
fear
of yourself as a mother and
fear
of the unknown.
The most common and powerful fear
is
the fear of pain
.
Its nature is genetic, because historically, until the 20th century, the highest female mortality was in childbirth
and in fact there was something to be afraid of.
Another important reason for fear of pain
is a woman’s unpreparedness to become a mother.
Mothers are not born; not every woman perceives pregnancy as the greatest joy. Many people do not identify themselves with the pregnant woman and the mother, and do not feel that there is a long-awaited life inside them, a beloved baby. They perceive all changes in their body negatively and worry that they have gained weight. In such women, the likelihood of fear of childbirth
is very high.
A woman who is waiting and can’t wait for her baby to appear doesn’t think about pain
, the main thing for her is a successful
delivery
and the health of the child.
The attitude towards the upcoming birth
is formed under the influence of the mother.
It is very important how a mother presents information about her birth
daughter.
If this topic is hushed up and shrouded in an aura of mystery, the girl’s anxiety associated with childbirth
.
At one point, the mother can’t stand it and tells her daughter about how painfully she was born; the birth
was protracted and extremely painful.
For a girl/young woman, such messages from the mother’s lips form a horror of pain during childbirth
, if not at the time of conversation, then later, when she becomes pregnant.
Another factor in the formation of generic fear
is the stories of friends.
Smart, caring friends will never say anything negative about childbirth
to their pregnant friend.
All births
are unique, what happened to one cannot be repeated to another, a pregnant woman needs to protect herself as much as possible from terrible stories about
childbirth
and the stupid people who tell them.
Fear of childbirth
can develop as a result of the husband's anxiety about pregnancy, upcoming
birth
, paternity and his ignorance in this area.
Such fears
and anxieties of a husband are easily transferred to his wife.
The presence of disabled people in the family, family members with genetic diseases, and again, terrible stories about pathologies will inevitably create a fear of
giving birth to a sick child.
A woman, on an unconscious level, may not want the birth of this child, and then she will be tormented by fears
that
the birth
will not go well, and she will become an incompetent mother.
on the fear
of one's own motherhood is the mother's relationship with her own mother in her childhood.
If they were not filled with warmth, unconditional love, emotional closeness, it will be difficult for the woman who grew up from that girl to see herself as a loving, caring, kind and wise mother. Lack of experience caring for and interacting with children can also cause anxiety about impending motherhood. A woman who was overprotected in childhood, was an only child, and “fussed too much about her pregnancy” often finds it difficult to overcome the fear of childbirth
, because the habit of living for oneself is very strong and pleasant.
Low awareness about childbirth
and motherhood, dramatic images from films also contribute to the development of
fear of childbirth
.
NEGATIVE IMPACT OF FEARS ON PREGNANCY AND BIRTH
Raising fears
and anxiety during pregnancy and before
childbirth
is the norm.
A woman needs to think about a radical restructuring of her life, and changes frighten most people, in addition, many find themselves in a difficult life situation with financial difficulties or problems in personal relationships. Of course, such factors increase fears
and anxieties during pregnancy.
The benefit of anxiety, stress and fear
is that they help a woman take a more responsible approach to her pregnancy and
childbirth
.
However, these negative feelings do more harm than good. During pregnancy, a woman’s stress, fears
, and anxieties affect the child’s psycho-emotional development, and subsequently his behavior in childhood and adolescence.
There are cases where chronic very high anxiety and strong fears
of a pregnant woman led to mental disorders of the prenate (fetus), and this contributed to the development of psychopathy in the future.
The influence of fear
on
childbirth
is a separate conversation.
Whatever happens in the life of a pregnant woman, no matter what severe shocks there may be, she needs to normalize, balance, harmonize her emotional state. Below we will describe ways to do this. During contractions, the cervix opens. fear
causes severe tension in the cervix and prevents its softening and opening, causing muscle spasms and
pain
.
A woman's uterus has three layers of muscle. External, middle and internal. The outer layer includes the posterior, upper and anterior muscle groups, the middle one is a group of intertwined muscles through which blood vessels pass, and the inner one covers the circumference of the uterus. During pushing, the outer group of muscles contracts strongly and pushes the baby out; blood is squeezed out of the middle layer of muscles, but when relaxed, the muscles fill with blood again. In a woman who is afraid, the internal group of muscles tenses and the outlet of the uterus prevents the birth of the baby. The external and internal muscle groups work against each other and the woman experiences severe pain. ©The author of the article you are now reading, Nadezhda Khramchenko/
It is a scientifically proven fact that stress and
fear
slow down the
birth
and prevent it.
The woman seems to lock the child inside herself - now is not the time for him to be born. In nature, an animal experiences stress when its life is threatened. In a state of stress, birth
is delayed and the animal flees.
So in a woman, during stress and fear during childbirth,
blood flows from the uterus to the extremities (arms and legs), the body prepares to escape - this is a natural reaction to
fear
and stress. In the uterus, meanwhile, there is poor blood flow, the fetus receives insufficient oxygen and, as a result, experiences oxygen starvation.
HOW TO COPE WITH THE FEAR OF CHILDREN
Fear
and stress activates the sympathetic system, causing severe tension in the inner layer of the uterus and, as a result,
pain
.
Childbirth
can be absolutely painless if you prepare for it correctly, relax, be sane and do everything the midwife tells you.
The main enemy of fear
is relaxation, which relaxes all muscles.
With complete relaxation, it becomes impossible to experience anxiety and fear
.
If you learn to relax and behave correctly during childbirth
, you may not experience pain at all.
It has long been known that in hysterical, very nervous, anxious, fearful women, labor
is often protracted, very painful and with complications.
After all, fear
is an anti-physiological reaction of a woman, causing serious harm to the health of her child.
Pregnancy and childbirth
are work that requires a woman, first of all, concentration, clarity of mind and emotional comfort.
It is important to set a goal to achieve all this, and then the birth
will definitely go well.
For a modern woman, it is a shame to be afraid of childbirth
;
the fear of childbirth
is a consequence of ignorance.
Now there are a lot of opportunities to prepare for childbirth
: information from scientific sources, prenatal training training, breathing training during
childbirth
, classes with
psychologist
.
There would be a desire to work and give birth. And labor here is the antagonist of fear
.
Relaxation needs to be learned in the first trimester of pregnancy. It is also important for its favorable course as proper nutrition, rest, and sleep. When you regularly practice relaxation, you will immediately feel how your psycho-emotional and physical state and reactions to stress will change. The main thing is to relax regularly every day. Close the curtains, make sure there are no extraneous sounds, lie on a hard surface on your left side, maybe on a non-cold floor, place a pillow under your head and shoulders, bend your joints halfway, place a second pillow between your knees, you can turn on calm relaxing music, but without words. Close your eyes, relax all your muscles. Pay special attention to your face, alternately relaxing all groups of facial muscles, your mouth is half open, your jaws are completely relaxed. If thoughts burst into your consciousness, relate them to falling autumn leaves, imagine them in the form of leaves flying from the trees before your eyes. Focus on your breathing. Breathe evenly. Take a deep breath in through your nose for one, and exhale through your mouth for two, three, four, five. You are completely relaxed, if there is residual tension in you, then its evidence is: uneven breathing, with a tendency to become faster, reacting to sounds in the room, twitching your fingertips. Try to relax completely. Lie like this for 15-25 minutes, the brain will respond with the level of theta rhythms with a frequency of 4-8 cycles per second - the pre-sleep state of twilight consciousness. With strong emotional arousal, it is impossible to relax using relaxation, since adrenaline is released, and it requires movement from a person. In such situations, you need to jump out into the street, walk as quickly as possible in the fresh air, then regulate your breathing: breathe evenly, and not intermittently, and upon returning home you can already practice relaxation. Another behavior when releasing adrenaline is active housework. A metropolis significantly increases the power of fears
.
Regular trips outside the city to nature, where you can wander and admire its beauty, normalize your emotional state, reduce fears
, and increase stress resistance.
Keep a pregnant diary, where every day you can write down what pleasant things happened to you and reflect in it how positively this will affect your child. An important point in the fight against the fear of childbirth
is the mindset to work in
childbirth
.
You will need to breathe correctly (you need to learn this during pregnancy so that everything becomes automatic), relax, and move. Confidence in your abilities, focus on the birth of a healthy child, caring about his condition, and not focusing on your own anxieties and doubts will undoubtedly dispel any fears
.
Do PREPARATIONS FOR CHILDREN
not a trace remains
of
your fears It is very important here to strive not for neurotic control of the situation, but to reduce childbirth
to the most natural process possible.
For native women, childbirth
is much easier and almost painless; they continue to lead an active lifestyle during pregnancy, because for them
childbirth
is not stressful or something terrible, but a natural part of their life.
We have a lot to learn from them. ©The author of the article you are now reading, Nadezhda Khramchenko/
In the first stage of labor
It is very important to use relaxation for relaxation; for
back
pain plays an invaluable role during childbirth
.
This could be your husband, mother, friend, health worker who will be with you during labor. Their job is to reassure you and give you confidence that you will have a safe birth and be a competent mother. During the contraction itself, it is better to move - walk, and relax in between contractions. Reduce your fear
to nothing, the assistants will give you a back massage, ask them to prepare a collection of jokes, an interesting film, funny stories from childhood that they will tell you. It is important that you have something to do during the first stage of labor. And most importantly, relax. A shower and a big ball are great helpers for this.
Don't forget about breathing techniques. By breathing correctly, you will not only reduce pain to nothing, but will also significantly help the dilation of the cervix, saturation of the uterus with oxygen and the comfort of the prenate. During a contraction, take a deep breath and exhale slowly, as if you were slowly blowing fluff out of your palm or slowly blowing out a candle, while keeping your lips in a narrow tube and keeping your chin horizontal to the floor. Between attempts (in the second stage of labor
) breathe intermittently, this will prevent the rapid movement of the child and ruptures of the cervix and vagina.
Pregnancy and childbirth
are physiological and natural processes for a woman.
Concentrating on the baby, harmonizing her emotional state, the woman forgets about pain
.
Normally, childbirth
is not torture, but a long-awaited happy event, which, alas, rarely happens in the life of a modern woman.
If a woman experiences a very strong fear
of them and is not confident in herself, but she cannot cope with these conditions on her own, she needs
help from a psychologist
.
sign up for a consultation at your home
,
on Skype
,
by phone
,
here =>=>=>
Khramchenko N.S. 06/16/2014.
Fear of pain
Pain accompanies almost all births to one degree or another.
But the information that this is a terrible pain that cannot be withstood is incorrect. What causes pain? Pain is caused by irritation of nerve endings and nerve plexuses in the uterus and cervix - these are the objective reasons for its occurrence. However, the body has protective mechanisms that reduce pain: during childbirth, “joy hormones” - endorphins - are released. In addition, during pregnancy, partial denervation of the uterus occurs - the number of nerve fibers in it that conduct pain sensitivity decreases.
The question arises: why, despite this, pain is still felt? This is largely due to fear. Fear reduces the pain threshold, that is, in order for a woman to begin to feel pain, fewer pain impulses are required. Fear is always accompanied by an increase in the release of biologically active substances - adrenaline, norepinephrine, dopamine, serotonin, which greatly increase pain. Of course, a completely painless birth is hardly possible. But the function of this pain is not to harm the woman, but to help her control the birth process. If over time the contractions become stronger and longer, and the pain increases, then everything is going as expected, and soon you will meet your baby. You need to learn to “trust” pain, and not be afraid of it. Remember that physiological pain during labor may be mild to moderate in intensity, especially if you are relaxed and positive about what is happening to you.
There are methods of self-pain relief during childbirth (self-massage, breathing, auto-training). They can be learned during pregnancy - in special schools and courses for pregnant women, with the help of literature. Self-anesthesia methods significantly relieve pain. It is especially important to “watch” for pain when pushing. Often the midwife tells the woman that she needs to hurt herself as much as possible. In fact, you need to direct your efforts to the point of maximum pain; this pain helps you understand that you are pushing correctly, that your efforts are not in vain.
The woman's active participation in childbirth is necessary. Firstly, the more a woman is focused on how to behave correctly during childbirth, the less time she has to concentrate on pain. Secondly, the active participation of the woman contributes to a favorable outcome of childbirth.
What does the term “active position in labor” mean? This means that, firstly, a woman must control contractions - their frequency and duration. Secondly, a woman should choose a comfortable position. You shouldn’t lie down all the time—it’s good to walk around and stand, and if you’re lying down, don’t shrink, but, on the contrary, spread your legs and relax. The position can and should be changed periodically. Thirdly, during the birth process it is useful to engage in auto-training, reminding yourself that childbirth is the happiest event in life, you are about to meet your long-awaited baby.
It is worth remembering about responsibility. You can and should influence what happens to you and your child. The medical staff can help you, but they cannot give birth for you. In addition, they can only help you if you listen to what they tell you and trust your doctor and midwife. This is especially important in the process of pushing: at this moment the woman in labor is actually dictated what, when and how to do. Remember that you can’t just wait until everything is over, because both the duration and outcome of labor depend primarily on you.
How does psychological attitude affect childbirth?
The success of childbirth is influenced by attitudes. The fact is that a woman’s attitude towards childbirth is formed throughout her life. Since childhood, she has heard conversations about this exciting event. These can be stories about torment or about a holiday, long-awaited joy, test or sacrament. Women have different stories about childbirth. But more often these are stories of suffering...
Why do women tend to share negative experiences about childbirth? Firstly, there is a stereotype in society according to which a woman should give birth in pain. Accordingly, if you gave birth without torment and suffering, then it seems like you didn’t “earn” it, didn’t deserve a child...
Another reason may lie in the feminine essence. The fact is that demonstrativeness, as a personality trait, is inherent in most representatives of the fairer sex. This manifests itself in the fact that it is vital for a woman to receive the attention of other people. A woman tends to talk publicly about her experiences many times. Accordingly, narratives about significant events should be dramatic and exciting, and evoke compassion and empathy. Especially childbirth! Here you can not be stingy in describing your own suffering and experiences!
And with what feelings does a nulliparous woman listen to these stories? The mechanism of psychological infection turns on, and... the emotions, feelings, attitudes of another woman become her own.
And there is one more nuance. People are more likely to talk about bad things than good things. We complain more often than we report about successes and achievements, victories and the easy flow of life. At the very least, by complaining and trying on the role of the victim, you can count on sympathy.
So women who have given birth endow those who have not given birth with negative scenarios, attitudes and feelings.
Fear of “not coping” with childbirth
Do not forget that childbirth is the natural end of pregnancy. Nature has thought out everything; it does not force a person to experience what is beyond his strength.
You can and should physically prepare yourself for childbirth. Of course, grueling physical activity and intense training are contraindicated for pregnant women, but there are special exercises for expectant mothers.
It’s good if the school for pregnant women offers gymnastics or water aerobics classes. These activities help you stay in good physical shape, which is very important, since childbirth is a physical activity, and it is more difficult for an untrained body to withstand it. In addition, during special gymnastics classes for pregnant women, you are taught to train the muscles of the perineum, control your body so that the desired muscles work or relax as you wish.
You can also practice at home. Sets of exercises can be found in specialized books and magazines, and there are also special video courses on DVD.
I'm afraid to give birth for the first time
Young women preparing to give birth for the first time often have little information, and it is negative. As a result, the picture emerges that childbirth is torture, during which you will have to suffer and scream for hours. Fear of the unknown is one of a person’s strongest fears; it causes anxiety and uncertainty, which finds fertile ground for the growth of worries, especially in women with low self-esteem and increased anxiety. From the spectrum of possible options for events, such a woman is inclined to choose the worst one and think about it. Today it is easy to solve the problem of information deficiency by studying high-quality materials on the Internet, attending special classes or attending a psychologist.
A woman may be afraid - she doesn’t know what, making the topic of childbirth taboo for herself. As the birth approaches, fear will only intensify and intensify negative emotions to such an extent that it can even have a really bad effect on the condition of the pregnant woman and the child. Towards the end of pregnancy, a woman may begin to think that she does not want to give birth at all, driving herself into a dead end, not feeling the strength to go through this stage.
Here, a psychologist can use the technique of mentally replaying the process of childbirth, directly in the office asking the woman to imagine and how to live the birth in order to dispel imaginary fears and analyze what will be discovered during the work. The psychologist will ask you to close your eyes, take the appropriate position and imagine step by step how childbirth occurs. First, how the child is located in the stomach, how he moves in the uterus, how cramped he is, he is trying to get out, to pass through the birth canal that separates him from the world.
The mother here will need to help the child, open up, make room for the child to come out - do the work to ensure his life. As a result, the woman imagines how the child has already been born, she holds him in her hands, he is placed to the breast, and these are completely different experiences - positive ones, when stress and fears are replaced by a feeling of tenderness for the child, the joy of birth. Having mentally gone through this process, imagining a positive outcome of childbirth, an already born child, the woman accepts this scenario and calms down, which she could not do before, experiencing panic states. The technique is played in a calm, meditative form, allowing you to immerse yourself most fully in sensations. The psychologist should be specialized in childbirth, preferably with medical education or experience in obstetrics.
Should you be afraid to give birth? Most of the experience is fear of pain. It is important to understand that during childbirth there is no pain as such, but there is discomfort that is felt at the moment the cervix opens. Without its opening, the child cannot appear, so this discomfort indicates that the process is underway. Fear interferes with the process of childbirth, it turns on the “fight or flight” system, which causes the outflow of blood from the pelvic organs to the extremities, the heart rate increases, the blood vessels constrict, insufficient oxygen reaches the uterus, as a result, labor slows down, the baby receives less oxygen , the cervix opens more slowly, contractions become ineffective. Which leads to the fact that medical personnel will need to make a decision on artificial stimulation of labor. Therefore, it is important to understand that stress during childbirth is your enemy, and you need to do everything that will help you relax. This can be any relaxation techniques, favorite activities, for example, music or aromatic oils, or the help of a partner.
Childbirth is a natural physiological process, and a natural physiological process should not be accompanied by pain. Pain appears when there is a violation, when, after contraction, the uterus, tense, cannot relax. To help the uterus contract, the cervix to open, and the baby to move through the birth canal, you need to learn to relax. When a woman is relaxed, does not think about fear and pain, but simply goes through contraction after contraction, childbirth occurs in the best possible way. If you work, perform the necessary actions, breathe, take the necessary poses, you simply will not have time and attention for fear.
Fear of medical interventions
Some women, realizing that childbirth is a natural process, are afraid that unwarranted medical interventions await them in the maternity hospital, which could harm the baby. However, childbirth is not only a natural process, but also a very responsible one, so supervision by medical personnel is necessary. And all medical interventions are carried out only when necessary, and the risk-benefit ratio must be weighed; no “extra” medications or manipulations will be offered to you. Upon admission to the maternity hospital or in advance (if you know which doctor will conduct the birth), you can tell the doctor about your desire for the number of medical interventions to be minimal. If you are offered some kind of injection or manipulation, you have the right to receive an answer as to why and how necessary it is.
The procedure for stimulating labor usually causes the most fear. These fears are partly related to the not very distant past, when only the so-called equine oxytocin could be used to intensify contractions, which sometimes had a negative effect on the baby. This drug is not currently used. These medications are prescribed if contractions are initially very weak and the cervix is not ready for childbirth: they allow stimulation to be carried out carefully and effectively. In any case, stimulation of labor is always used only in the interests of mother and child.
The truth about prenatal depression
According to statistics, every fourth pregnant woman experiences prenatal depression. This violation is dangerous not only for the woman herself, but also for her child. Pregnant women who have experienced prenatal depression have an increased risk of preterm pregnancy. This is explained by the fact that women who experienced depressive disorders during pregnancy have a significant increase in the level of stress hormone in their blood. This hormone is known to be capable of triggering premature onset of labor. That is why early detection of prenatal depression and its timely correction is very important. Especially because half of the women who experience it continue to suffer from depression after they give birth.
Signs of prenatal depression:
- reduced ability to work; - decreased attention, inability to concentrate on any specific task; — certain difficulties in decision making; - increased anxiety and irritability; - tearfulness; - insomnia, sleep disorders not related to pregnancy; - increased appetite, or vice versa, its absence; - rapid weight gain or loss not related to pregnancy; - constant sadness or guilt; - decreased interest in sexual relations; - fear of being parents; - thoughts of death and suicide.
It is too difficult for a pregnant woman to determine the presence or absence of these symptoms. Her loved ones nearby (husband, parents, brothers, sisters, girlfriends) play an important role in this.
Fear for the baby
Childbirth day is the day a new baby is born. Many women feel fear for their baby, they are afraid that something will happen to him during the birth process, because it is also difficult for him.
Indeed, during a contraction the baby experiences stress because the supply of oxygen is disrupted. But the baby has adaptation mechanisms: in response to a decrease in oxygen supply, the heart rate increases, so the baby’s condition does not suffer. However, with prolonged oxygen starvation, the adaptation process may be disrupted. Therefore, it is very important to breathe properly and relax so that there are no spasms of blood vessels and muscles of the birth canal and blood circulation does not suffer. You can talk to your baby between contractions. In addition to the fact that the mother herself helps the child during childbirth, doctors monitor his condition. The fetal heartbeat is periodically listened to using a stethoscope or recorded using a special device. During pushing, the midwife tells the woman how to behave so as not to harm the baby.
After the baby is born, he is examined by a special neonatologist who deals with the health of newborn children. This is a highly qualified specialist who has undergone special training to work with babies in the first month of life. During the first examination, the doctor will evaluate the functioning of all the main systems of the body and, if necessary, prescribe additional examinations. If the condition of the newborn requires any intervention, then currently every maternity hospital has equipment to provide medical care even in the most serious cases.
Childbirth will definitely end with a long-awaited meeting with your baby, whom you have loved for a long time. He will be born, you will hear his first cry, then he will be placed on your stomach and pressed to your chest. And you will feel incomparable happiness - the happiness of being a mother.
Talk to those who have already been through it all, and you will understand that childbirth is a small ordeal compared to the feelings you will experience as a result. Childbirth is the home stretch on the path to your dream of becoming a mother, so don’t be afraid of it.
How can you work through pain while maintaining composure?
The most famous technique for working with pain is switching attention. According to this technique, it is important to concentrate your attention not on uncomfortable experiences, but on a more pleasant and resourceful (creating positive well-being, activity, mood) activity. To do this, you need to find at least two dozen activities that you could organize at home, on the way to the maternity hospital and maternity hospital, where opportunities for fulfillment will be limited. It is impossible to predict which of the proposed activities will “fall on your soul”; it is important to simply have an idea of what you can do.
- Take a shower. A great activity for the latent phase. You can wash standing or sitting on a stool covered with a sheet. Use foams, gels, scrubs, lotions and masks. Enjoy this wonderful treatment. Then blow dry. This will take you a few minutes. And for us, every minute spent in a comfortable state is important.
- Massage and self-massage. In special courses you can get acquainted with both massage techniques and pain relief points for contractions. During childbirth, you can ask your husband or loved ones for a massage.
- Movement. Experience shows that lying down during contractions, as a rule, does not alleviate suffering. If there are no medical contraindications, walk along the corridor, ward, or stairs. By doing this, you help the baby move through the birth canal. Use the equipment available to you in modern maternity hospitals - fitballs and rocking chairs.
- Look for the body position that is most comfortable for you, in which the contraction is less noticeable. And no matter how ridiculous this position may seem to you, accept it, regardless of conventions.
- Talk. You will benefit from someone who can “occupy your head.” Look for an active and interesting interlocutor - and time will pass unnoticed.
- Conversation and correspondence on the phone. One of my client, a businesswoman, talked about how she very quickly passed the time of labor by transferring affairs in her company, giving out valuable instructions.
- Telephone and computer games.
- Drawings, coloring books, making collages, solving crossword puzzles.
- Knitting and embroidery, if that's what interests you.
- Reading a book (if it is interesting and you like to read).
- Watching a movie, favorite TV series, program.
- Listening to music. Stock up on CDs - these can be relaxation compositions, classics, boogie-woogie or other music.
- If you are at home, do some household chores - cook dinner or clean up.
- If it so happens that you are not alone in the prenatal ward, find an opportunity to help your neighbor: bring a glass of water, give her a massage, etc. Psychologists have a good recommendation: “If you feel bad, find a person who is even worse and start helping him.”
- Read prayers.
- Look at photographs and magazines.
- Sing. Singing calms and relaxes. And if you are worried about what the medical staff will think of you. Ask your doctor what is better - screaming or singing.
- Talk to your baby. It's very difficult for him now. After all, everything he is used to begins to change dramatically. And the queen-house squeezes him from all sides and directs him to the exit. The unknown lies ahead... So support him! And ask him for help. You can tell him: “Come out, dear, don’t be afraid. I will be able to relax and let you out. You will be born easily and freely." Stroke the belly, communicate with the child both verbally and physically. He needs it so much!
- Imagine your baby in a few years. What will he be like when he grows up? How do you want it to be? Dreams Come True!
- Relax between contractions, find every opportunity to rest and relax.
- Imagine images. Pictures about traveling to the mountains, the sea surf or flying in the skies over a field of dandelions. Imagine your future, remember pleasant pictures from the past. Experts say that during childbirth it is useful to imagine flowers blooming and doors and windows opening. These images give a signal to the uterus to open the throat.
- Work with your breath. Master breathing techniques and you will have an easy birth.
- Use pain visualization techniques. To use it, it is important to fulfill two conditions: use your imagination and believe that this technique will help you. So imagine your pain. What does she look like? What color is it? What is its size, consistency, density? How does pain transform when it decreases? In this technique, it is important to trust your imagination and imagine. The more original the image you present, the better. These may be visualizations of a ball changing in color, size or density, deflating or disintegrating; images of an animal or plant. Any living or inanimate object can become your image. Work with him. During uterine tension, imagine it most vividly, fully, and palpably. When the pain subsides, imagine how it changes in color, size or density. Take a few good exhalations, during which you imagine how your image of pain transforms and changes. Leaves.
- Accept the pain. The fact is that if we think of pain as something bad, dangerous and scary, it will have a negative impact on us. Try turning your attitude towards pain 180 degrees. Love her. Thank her for having her. Think that the sensations given to you during contractions are your sensations. They say that your uterus, your body, is working. The titanic work of the uterus serves the birth of your baby. The nature of your pain is not to signal damage to the body, on the contrary, this pain is a signal that life is changing. And your baby will be born soon. So enjoy the pain. Thank her. Make friends with her. Stay with her for some time without protesting or resenting her. She is yours. She is for you. You don’t have to deal with it, you just have to live with it for a while.
Try to answer the question: “What share of responsibility for childbirth am I willing to take on?” If the “percentage of responsibility” is between sixty and one hundred percent, then this is an indicator that you are well prepared for childbirth. By choosing or not choosing a doctor, working or not working with the body, breathing, fears, you are responsible for the course and result of your birth. And no one will do this work for you!
