Many women anticipating their first labours will express concerns about the 'unknown' of what their labour could bring. They may go through phases of worrying about the numerous 'What ifs?' sometimes filling their minds at 3am in the morning!
Some common concerns about labour pain can include:
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Not knowing what your pain threshold is or |
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What if it goes on for days? and |
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What if I can't do it? |
For women having a subsequent baby, fears may revolve around the 'known' and not wanting to have a similar experience again (if the last labour was a negative experience).
What can women do with these fears and concerns (if anything)? Should they be ignored and endured as family and friends respond with "Oh you'll be all right!"? Or should they be confronted and dealt with? Perhaps you feel the issue is out of your control, accepting your fears as something that you can do nothing about?
Suppressing your fears is one way of handling them during the pregnancy. But it may be that they will resurface, in some way, shape or form during the labour. If they do, they can affect the way you perceive your pain and how your labour progresses.