- October 9, 2018
- Manias and Phobias
- Gladkikh Asya
In this article we will look at what a woman should do if she is afraid of pregnancy.
Excitement and fear of pregnancy and childbirth are a normal natural state in the life of every woman. It often happens that fear of pregnancy does not make a woman happy. She is afraid of this process and the appearance of a child in the family. In most cases, such women do not have the opportunity to deal with this problem on their own; the help of a specialist is required.
So, what is the name of fear in which a woman is afraid of becoming pregnant and giving birth?
Tokophobia
Tokophobia means that a person, at the level of a pathological condition, is afraid of the process of pregnancy and the birth process. The pathology is currently observed in every tenth woman. They give up the idea of having children, but at the same time, on a subconscious level, they retain the desire to experience the happiness of motherhood.
The situation when a woman is afraid of pregnancy has an impact on demographic indicators in many European countries. Often the causes of this phenomenon originate in childhood and are caused by a negative environment in relationships with parents, or between father and mother.
Young girls can be very impressionable, especially when they are told that giving birth is painful and painful. They develop a fear of physical sensations, and they cannot cope with it and refuse to procreate.
How to stop being afraid of pregnancy is a question that is more relevant today than ever.
How to overcome anxiety
The phobia of getting pregnant itself is a fear that is projected into the future. It seems like everything is under control, but it's not. A person is constantly in anticipation that something bad might happen to him or his fetus. The feeling is so strong that the person is sure that something bad is bound to happen.
Symptoms of anxiety include severe discomfort, increased heart rate, increased sweating, weakness and frequent dizziness. Each of these conditions requires treatment.
Types of pathological phenomena
There are two types of tokophobia: primary and secondary. The first type refers to those women who do not yet have children. The cause of this phobia may be sexual violence in the past, fear of an ectopic or frozen pregnancy, or fear of dying during childbirth. Secondary tokophobia refers to women who already have children. It happens that many of them experienced a difficult birth, after which they developed severe depression or some kind of physical complications. After this, women are afraid of a second pregnancy.
There is a certain probability that pregnancy will occur. At the same time, the woman begins to be tormented by strong fears and a desire to have an abortion. Most often, such pregnancies are terminated, but experts warn young mothers that modern medicine has sufficient capabilities to make motherhood happy. Women are provided with comprehensive psychological assistance, which is based on a variety of techniques.
Many people are afraid of pregnancy, but want a child, but the phobia is so strong that they cannot fight its manifestations on their own.
If the expectant mother nevertheless agrees to give birth, she often persistently persuades doctors to perform a cesarean section (in this case, there may be no clinical indications). In case of tokophobia, many doctors agree to perform this operation in order to preserve the health of the unborn child and mother, since during childbirth she may have a panic attack, which will be extremely difficult to cope with. The reaction on the part of such a patient during childbirth can be the most unpredictable.
How exactly are they afraid of pregnancy?
Women's fears may be as follows:
- fear of losing physical shape;
- fear of frozen pregnancy;
- fear of an ectopic pregnancy;
- fear of dying during childbirth;
- fear of the birth process and pain during it;
- fear of financial instability after the birth of a child (fear of hunger, lack of money, etc.);
- fear of not being able to give the child the necessary upbringing and education;
- fear of miscarriage;
- fear of losing a spouse, fear of infidelity on the part of a husband.
Causes
Any phobia is a signal for action and decisive steps. It shows what you need to change in life, in which direction to direct your efforts. Unfortunately, almost all people tend to hide behind their fears, not realizing that ignoring them will not achieve anything. It is impossible to escape from yourself. No force can overcome a phobia by self-accusation and countless criticism.
Fear of difficulties
A woman's life changes rapidly with the birth of a child. She just can't stay the same. You have to learn to perform a bunch of new responsibilities that previously seemed like a mere trifle. Not all women are ready to overcome daily difficulties or fight significant obstacles. For many, it is much easier to postpone the birth of a baby for now or completely abandon such a “tempting” prospect. As for young girls, their phobias are most often based on ignorance of how to properly handle a newborn, what to do with him when he cries, does not want to eat, etc. As a rule, such fears quickly pass with the advent of useful practical skills.
In addition, many modern women find themselves too busy building a career and strive at all costs to move up the career ladder. This requires activity, psychological and physical endurance. The appearance of a child in such a family can ruin all plans and interfere with the development of a successful career. A woman focused on her own success may hesitate to become a mother for a long time. Sometimes they give birth at a fairly mature age, and this is a choice worthy of respect. Many modern ladies need to feel that they are able to overcome the difficulties that arise before deciding to take such a responsible step.
Lack of money
Many families today have very limited material resources. When you have to count every penny, there can hardly be a desire to become parents. Every normal woman wants the best for her child and wishes all the best in the world, and accordingly understands what a huge responsibility lies on her fragile shoulders. Lack of money is a serious barrier to affording the birth of a baby. And it’s hard to disagree with this. In the modern world, only one who not only gave life to his son or daughter, but also managed to give a good education and provided the necessary material benefits, can consider himself an accomplished parent.
An insufficient amount of money depresses a woman, depriving her of moral strength and hope that everything will miraculously change someday. If work does not bring joy, and you have to work long hours, then you have to forget about the birth of a child. Unfortunately, not all girls have good support from their own parents and a reliable partner. Many people are forced to go through life alone, to cope with all the difficulties that arise on their own. A phobia associated with pregnancy only aggravates a woman’s situation, making her more wary and suspicious.
Fear of spoiling your figure
It is known that pregnancy transforms a woman from the inside: she becomes more open, soft and attentive to the needs of other people. However, not all representatives of the fair sex agree to undergo physical changes. Many are afraid of the prospect of gaining a lot of weight after childbirth, which, by the way, is quite real. Not everyone knows how to take proper care of themselves, and some simply don’t want to lose their beautiful figure and then spend a long time getting into shape.
“I'm afraid of getting pregnant” - this phrase is often uttered by young girls who do not yet realize the beauty of motherhood and the good things that it contains. Rather, such fear in this case suggests that what matters to the girl is how she looks, and she does not want to lose part of her beauty. Only with time comes the realization that pregnancy actually cannot ruin your appearance.
Uncertainty about your partner
Today, rarely anyone can boast of strong and sincere relationships. Their very presence is more likely to indicate the psychological maturity of the couple than to fantastic luck. We all go through our own life lessons and everyone meets the wrong women and unworthy men. Here you must not despair, but continue to look for your soul mate. Someday she will definitely be found.
Uncertainty in a partner gives rise to additional fears and doubts. Rarely does anyone decide to have children in a situation where there is no family as such yet, and people just meet and have fun with each other. In this case, pregnancy will be an undesirable event. A girl who is not sure of the seriousness of her chosen one’s intentions will subconsciously fear that he will one day leave her with a baby in her arms. No one wants to cope with numerous difficulties alone. It is important for a girl to feel support and protection in the man she has chosen.
Fear of childbirth itself
The process of childbirth cannot be called pleasant, although the birth of a baby is a joyful event. Women are very afraid of how they will give birth, many are even so worried that they cannot sleep normally, constantly thinking about it. Pregnancy-related phobia is one of those related to the process of childbirth. Need I say that this is severe torment that no man could endure? Fear of upcoming pain can completely discourage the desire to carry a baby in your womb. It is much calmer and safer to go about your business day by day, successfully build a career, and advance in your career.
Symptoms
Tokophobia provokes quite serious problems. What is the fear of pregnancy? This female pathology has certain symptoms. These include:
- increased heart rate;
- panic attack;
- insurmountable anxiety and fear;
- sleep disturbance;
- irritability and depression.
These factors become a serious threat to pregnancy, and if the phobia is not dealt with, spontaneous miscarriage may occur. The feeling of panic and fear has a detrimental effect on the body. Each new stress negatively affects the pregnancy process.
Why are they afraid of pregnancy?
How not to be afraid of childbirth - advice from a psychologist
Often, having learned about the future appearance of an heir, people begin to rapidly prepare their material base, from renovating an apartment to relaxing in a sanatorium. However, psychologists focus on the point that it is important to prepare the internal psychological space for the birth of a child. To prepare this base for an easy, smooth and productive birth, make and display your family tree in a visible place, you can draw or even paint your family tree regularly. This also includes the transfer from the grandmother, for example, of jewelry as material signs of “you and I, for you, we love you.” After all, visual stimuli are very important, they will give you strength through the awareness of yourself as part of the family, its continuation and the patterns of your pregnancy and upcoming birth.
How not to be afraid of labor pain? Learn breathing techniques and pushing for labor and delivery. Remember, for a successful birth you need not only to wait, but also to be able to provide assistance to the child, including physically. Bring your skills to automaticity, which requires at least 21 days of training.
There is a common myth that pregnant women should not worry or worry, that pregnancy is a time when you need to focus on the positive, not notice anything negative, in fact, this means ignoring a significant part of life. The bad consequences of this myth is that as negative emotions are suppressed, the degree of experience of positive emotions also decreases. If we have removed all the negativity from life, there will be no positivity either, we will remain in an unemotional state, often leading to depression.
Therefore, it is important to experience all emotions as they are, since emotions are markers of need, they are neither bad nor good. During pregnancy, a woman experiences all life events more emotionally. When a woman becomes pregnant, the activity of her cerebral cortex, the new brain responsible for rational thinking, decreases. At the same time, a dominant of pregnancy appears in the subcortical structures of the brain - a focus of excitation, which we will see if we give the woman an MRI. Subcortical structures such as the pituitary gland and hypothalamus, which are closely connected with the limbic system, which is responsible for emotions, are activated. When we reduce the amount of emotions, we suppress them - the pituitary gland and hypothalamus also reduce their activity, and with them the amount of hormones necessary for the healthy maintenance of pregnancy decreases.
Therefore, it is important to fully experience everything that happens, it is important not to ignore any aspect of life. If the emotions that arise are complex, difficult to experience, such as pain, resentment, guilt, fear, shame, disgust - you should not pretend that they are not there, but find a way through which you will be able to be with them, interact, live them, find those people who will understand you and be able to share them with you. It’s good if these are close people, but if they are unable to provide you with psychological support, without evaluating, condemning, or advising what you should do, when you don’t ask for it, you can make a request to a psychologist, psychotherapist, doula .
How not to be afraid of childbirth? Advice from psychologists on this matter is as follows: do not try to become less worried and sensitive. On the contrary, pregnancy is a process in which many emotions rise to the surface of consciousness. Often these are previously suppressed feelings that now make themselves known to you due to changes in hormonal levels - natural physiological changes. Don't ignore, look for ways to live and transform these emotions. Most often, a woman faces fears, doubts, and uncertainty during pregnancy.
“I’m afraid of pain during childbirth,” the woman realizes. When faced with the question of how to stop being afraid of childbirth, it is not useful to turn a blind eye to your feelings, thinking that everything will pass and be resolved on its own, and, on the contrary, it is useful to look in this direction, interact with those experiences that emerge, getting to know yourself more deeply. Genuine psychological preparation consists of working with our complex feelings that can occur during pregnancy, recognizing ourselves in pregnancy, in childbirth - what are my attitudes and introjects in this regard.
Perhaps your consciousness tells you one thing - how much you want a child, how great and wonderful it is, but your emotions tell you something else, you are afraid, you are not experiencing simple, not the most pleasant feelings. Perhaps some beliefs about childbirth that you learned as a child will emerge, someone else's experience that has superimposed on your perception of pregnancy, irrational fears about yourself, the child, or the birth process in general. Psychological preparation will also help resolve the difficulties of relationships, ideally, which should be done before childbirth, so that it does not entail consequences during pregnancy. It is worth establishing relationships with your family, both your own and your husband’s family, and even with friends.
Pregnancy confronts a woman with herself; when she truly experiences it, you will find yourself closer to yourself, your feminine essence, your realization in motherhood, your body, naturalness. You may feel more wild, instinctive, emotional, open, feminine. Pay attention to the signals that come from the unconscious, from the body, because knowing yourself is always interesting and exciting, which pregnancy contributes to, like nothing else, use it as a resource.
Causes of fear
The phobia is often based on the woman's experiences. This fear paralyzes actions and will, the patient gets worried, her hands tremble, her pulse quickens, and the functioning of the autonomic system is disrupted.
A situation in which a woman is afraid of pregnancy and childbirth is most often associated with a previously experienced negative event. There may be both psychological and physical reasons. These include:
- sexual violence, as a result - severe depression, which develops into a phobia;
- early pregnancy, when, for example, the girl has not yet reached adulthood, morally she is not yet ready to become a mother and there is not only fear of the process of pregnancy and childbirth itself, but also of condemnation from the people around her;
- early abortions;
- difficult first birth;
- postpartum depression;
- the birth of a stillborn fetus or a child with complex pathologies;
- fear of losing beauty or health, fear of death during childbirth;
- fear of not being a good parent.
Why am I afraid of pregnancy and childbirth? Main fears
Why is pregnancy so scary? Mainly because it is a certain psychological milestone. A young woman says goodbye to youth and carefreeness. The time comes to take responsibility for another person, so defenseless, tiny, beloved.
Pathological fear appears when panic begins at the thought of a possible pregnancy. Girls are afraid of ruining their figure and losing their attractiveness. Pregnancy often evokes thoughts about inevitably approaching old age, possible illness, and the hardships of bearing a fetus. The biggest fears before childbirth are:
• pain;
• possible complications;
• death.
Of course, labor is accompanied by pain. It must be accepted, as it is a natural consequence of the birth of a child. Another thing is that people experience pain differently. Therefore, women with a low pain threshold suffer more than women in labor who cope well with pain. It is they who, going “for the second”, do not stop complaining: I’m afraid of pregnancy and childbirth... Well, what can I advise? First of all, get ready. Yes, it will hurt, but it is necessary, good pain. She shows that everything is in order, the child is alive and is about to be born. But what a huge relief, what incredible happiness the mother will experience when the obstetrician places the little treasure on her chest! She will instantly forget about the pain, and the day of birth will become one of her most cherished memories.
Anesthesia during childbirth is an acceptable option. But the decision on the possibility of pain relief should be made together with a gynecologist. You can also agree on the presence of your husband or mother at the birth. Support from a loved one can really help reduce physical pain. There is no need to be afraid that your husband will lose sexual interest after seeing the painful process of giving birth to a child. Firstly, he won’t see anything special, since he is allowed to stand at the head of the bed. And secondly, a man will touch the great mystery of the emergence of life, will appreciate and love both mother and child more.
The fear of possible complications is associated with the complete helplessness of the woman who finds herself on the birth table. As anesthesiologists say, just relax and trust. The habit of controlling everything plays an important role in the formation of such fear. But in reality, you just need to completely trust the doctors. Next to the woman in labor are an obstetrician, a resuscitator, and a neonatologist. They are ready for any development of events, since modern clinics are equipped with everything that both mother and baby may need. And if a woman has a chronic disease, believe me, a host of specialists will gather around her.
As for the baby, there is definitely no need to worry about him. He made a difficult, painful journey through the birth canal in order to live. The obstetrician will receive the baby, remove the umbilical cord, wipe it, clean the mouth and nose, and make sure that the heart is beating well. Modern medicine works real miracles. Who would have believed fifty years ago that a baby born at half term and weighing 500 grams could be delivered? But they are nursing, and there is no sensation in this today. So why worry about a full-term healthy baby in advance?
Fear of death is generally a phobia. Until recently (in a historical context), women gave birth at home and even in the middle of an open field. In such conditions, yes, there was something to be afraid of. Today? Sterile conditions, clean rooms, experienced doctors who attend several births per shift. No one will simply allow a woman in labor to die!
In fact, a woman is not afraid of death, but of the unknown. Here again the psychological attitude is important. And you don’t need to listen to women’s gossip and horror stories, it’s all complete nonsense. Neighbors, girlfriends, random fellow travelers with their advice and horror stories should be sent away. To calm down, it’s a good idea to work with positive affirmations, read special literature, and see a doctor.
The strangest thing is that sometimes too careful study of an issue may not calm you down, but, on the contrary, increase anxiety. Having read and watched too much, even I myself, a strong girl, begins to say “I’m afraid of pregnancy and childbirth.” So there is no need to get hung up on unnecessary information. And you should trust only competent people and reliable sources.
Ways to overcome a phobia
So, how to stop being afraid of pregnancy?
If you have this type of phobia, it is important to promptly contact a medical specialist who will provide the woman with appropriate assistance. Such fear, like any other disease, can be treated. It is important to recognize this problem and take a step towards solving it, because having children is not only a natural human need, inherent to him by nature as an instinct, but also in many ways one of the conditions for well-being and happiness in the family and success in the social sphere.
Many patients are afraid of a frozen pregnancy, but the likelihood of this is low.
A psychologist, during a personal conversation, will help the woman find out and understand what were the reasons for the development of such fear. It often happens that a woman has no one to share her experiences with, especially when her husband is obsessed with the idea of procreation. And close people do not always understand such emotions and thoughts, especially the fear of pregnancy becomes a topic for discussion. A specialist can usually not only talk about personal topics, but also prescribe treatment.
The expectant mother needs to understand what will happen in her body during pregnancy, what stages the birth process consists of, and how great the risks of complications are. Don't be afraid of what may not happen in reality. The psychologist works with women both individually and in groups.
Close people should first of all provide support to the expectant mother. They must constantly demonstrate that all women go through childbirth, and children are a normal program for the body, laid down by nature.
Various meditation techniques, yoga, and some types of relaxation can also help get rid of fear. For example, breathing exercises relax the body, reduce the severity of panic attacks, and stabilize the functioning of the vascular system. Hypnosis can sometimes be used to treat tokophobia.
Sometimes a woman is afraid of an ectopic pregnancy, and this fear may have an unknown origin, for example, in cases where there have been no difficult situations related to this in her life before. In this case, the phobia can be treated much easier - it is enough to undergo a course of psychological therapy. Since fears can be easily explained, it will not be difficult for a specialist to understand a woman’s experiences, and then help her cope with them.
Fear of not being able to cope with the role of mother
Long before the baby is born, a woman begins to prepare for a new role. As a result, our heroine formulates a clear list of requirements for herself, a child development plan for the next 100 years, as well as strict guidelines for family life. But in practice, as you understand, everything is a little more complicated than in theory. However, some mothers continue to strive for an ideal image without adjusting for reality: they perceive each new day as another test for compliance with the requirements and are very afraid of failing it.
At first, the main criterion for assessing maternal performance is the duration and frequency of children's crying. Imagine that our mother calculated the average indicators of whims, observing the children of her friends, and set the bar - two hours of crying a day. But contrary to her expectations, her beloved baby easily exceeded the norm, moreover, he became a record holder among the children he knew. As a result, the woman declares “I am a bad mother.” In fact, the crying of a newborn baby is not always a signal of trouble or a consequence of the mother’s mistake. The baby develops, recognizes this world, tries to communicate with it, attracts attention by crying and does not even intend to upset his mother. So it’s better not to blame yourself for imperfection, but to explore the wonderful world of motherhood without comparison. Remember - only happy parents have happy children.
As the child grows, our heroine has new criteria for evaluation, and therefore new experiences. If the baby begins to hold his head up, crawl, walk, and talk later than the rest, she is a bad mother. If the baby copes worse than others with children's puzzles, making crafts, and later with reading and writing, she is a bad mother. Here are just a few stories:
“I'm a bad mother. I don't like, and sometimes even hate, my son. He is 8 years old. I am very worried about him, I kiss him, I hug him, but every day he makes mistakes that drive me furious. The point is that he does everything in a way that I shouldn’t, that I wouldn’t like. He has no dreams, he is unkempt, careless, inattentive. I do not know what to do. I seem to scold him, and then I roar with anger at myself, with pity for my son.”
“It’s hard to admit your mistakes, but I seem to be a bad mother. When the baby drives me crazy, I can’t help myself - I scream, even though I know I shouldn’t. I don’t have enough patience, guilt has become my constant companion.”
As you can see, women’s experiences are primarily related to the fact that they feel a sense of guilt in front of the child, and here, most likely, the problem is simply overly inflated demands on oneself and on the role of the mother in general. It is important to understand that maternal perfectionism leads to irritation and causes a constant feeling of guilt, which the child hardly needs.
Drug therapy
In some situations, tokophobia cannot be treated with conversations and visits to a psychologist’s office alone. Sometimes the root of the problem lies in deeper physiological processes. In such circumstances, drug treatment is used. It is important to remember that a phobia can be overcome; the only question is the correct selection of medications.
If a woman is already pregnant, then taking medications will be contraindicated. Therefore, she is recommended to contact a psychotherapist who will select the most effective techniques of auto-training, hypnosis or psychotherapy. At the stage of pregnancy, the doctor is faced with the task of using all means to prevent a situation where the patient terminates the pregnancy. Perhaps it will be enough for her to meet other pregnant women who already have children, who can share tips and dispel myths.
Most often, pregnant patients are prescribed herbal sedatives. It is also important to establish a sleep schedule and calm the psyche. It is very useful to regularly watch educational videos, read relevant literature, and observe other parents and their children.
In advanced forms of tokophobia, a depressed state and depressive disorders may develop. In this case, the specialist prescribes antidepressants and recommends spending more time in the fresh air, with relatives and friends.
Recommendations from psychologists
If a woman does not want a child, she should understand what motives drive her. You should not condemn yourself for lack of desire, there is nothing wrong with that. It may be dictated by natural reasons, for example, the desire to first build a career and get firmly on your feet. If a girl lives for herself, enjoys sex and freedom and does not yet feel the need for motherhood, there is no need to worry about this either.
You should worry when thoughts about pregnancy cause a wave of negative emotions and unconscious fear. If you are afraid, have been afraid of getting pregnant for a long time, then you should definitely trust someone close to you and ask for help.
You can get rid of it on your own only if you have a mild form of the phobia. More severe cases require specialist intervention.
Photo used in this article: https://www.flickr.com/photos/liataharoni/
Phytotherapy
For mild forms of tokophobia, therapy using herbal medications can be very effective. However, all medicinal herbs that have a calming effect can be used during pregnancy. In addition, taking alcohol-based medications is not recommended. Tea made from chamomile, lemon balm and mint is good for calming and eliminating symptoms of irritability, provided that the woman does not have an individual intolerance to these herbs. You can add valerian and linden blossom to this decoction.
Taking tranquilizers, antidepressants and nootropics is prescribed only in extreme cases - when a woman develops panic attacks, anxiety, or dysfunction of the autonomic system. But such medications are strictly prohibited if a woman is pregnant.
If a woman is very afraid of pregnancy, you can simply read more. More on this below.
Independent measures to influence fear
If a woman says, “I am afraid of pregnancy,” she should first understand the reason for her fear, and only then take measures to overcome it.
Become a woman
This means faith in the power of one’s feminine nature, which has such qualities as sensitivity, gentleness and at the same time can demonstrate vitality, will, firmness and determination. The desire to have a child is a natural desire that is inherent in the fair sex. To resist him means to impoverish your life.
Trust fate
If a person has self-confidence, he will be able to find a way out of even the most difficult situations. Life, sending difficulties and trials to a person, always gives several options for solving them. Whether a person finds the most suitable one depends on his qualities and acquired skills. Therefore, you should work on yourself, listening to your desires, studying your strengths and weaknesses. Then the woman will be able to realize herself as a mother and will find many happy moments.
Taking responsibility
When wanting to give birth to a child, a woman must understand that raising him falls entirely on her shoulders. Parents and friends can help her. Her partner will share her joy. However, we must remember that any person lives his own life, he himself may find himself in a difficult situation and will no longer be able to help. Therefore, understanding and accepting that only the mother bears full responsibility for her child makes it easier to resolve many issues in a woman’s life.
A person should rely only on himself, then he will be able to correctly assess the situation and find suitable solutions.
Refusal of self-criticism
The fear of being pregnant should not be accompanied by self-criticism. It is destructive and can lead to depressive disorders. It is necessary to accept any desires or, conversely, their absence. You can't reproach yourself for mistakes you've made. You need to understand that they are natural, they bring experience in self-development. You should draw a conclusion from any situation and try to adhere to the desired line of behavior. Even if it again turns out to be ineffective, we must refrain from criticism, since it will not bring any benefit.
Self-treatment
If a woman does not have the opportunity to consult a psychotherapist or psychologist, there is another way to cope with the fear of pregnancy. It is recommended to read more literature about the course of pregnancy, about happy motherhood, and read favorable and interesting life stories on this topic. A woman can develop the desire to give birth to a child by consciously approaching planning and the process of pregnancy itself.
In addition, gynecologists advise minimizing the risks of frozen and ectopic pregnancy through timely treatment of inflammatory diseases of the reproductive system.
For self-medication, various auto-training techniques, spiritual practices, and self-development hobbies are successfully used. Women are advised to avoid stress and engage in any creative activity (for example, knitting children's clothes - this will create a favorable emotional background at the subconscious level and thoughts about the future child).
If a woman is already pregnant, doctors recommend taking long walks in the fresh air more often, which very effectively prepares the body for childbirth - it trains the pelvic muscles and helps prevent tissue ruptures during the birth process. For the same purposes, you can use special gels and creams that increase muscle elasticity.
A woman should devote more time to herself - walking, relaxing, visiting a beauty salon, etc. This will distract her from depressive and gloomy thoughts. If the expectant mother is worried about the pain of the birth process, and therefore has attacks of tokophobia, then it is necessary to study information about childbirth, but strictly in a positive way. You can sign up for special training courses, where you can not only receive such information, but also find friends, the same pregnant women who are about to give birth.
Light sports activities are also indicated for women suffering from fear of pregnancy. Gymnastics stimulates blood circulation in the internal organs and pelvis. This helps to improve not only physical well-being, but also promotes a good mood and improves immunity. Reduces the likelihood of a difficult course of the baby's waiting period.
Many people want a child, but are afraid of pregnancy.
How to overcome the fear of pregnancy
Fear of pregnancy is quite normal and inherent in every expectant parent. The main thing is not to panic and approach the solution to the problem as correctly as possible, eventually overcoming all your fears.
The first step is to do an examination. If you are planning a pregnancy, there is simply no reason to worry. However, you can do an examination to check for various difficulties in the unborn child. This will help prevent possible problems in advance. All parents of the unborn baby need to be examined again.
Spontaneous pregnancy or pregnancy after 35 years of age requires closer medical supervision. The first few weeks are especially dangerous when it comes to smoking, various infections or stressful conditions in a pregnant woman. This also applies to the future father of the child. It is necessary to be examined by doctors as early as possible for the appearance of all kinds of problems in the unborn child and try to prevent them in advance with the help of various antibiotics.
Modern examination can easily recognize any complications at any stage of pregnancy, be it 1 or 16 weeks. Without repeated examination, there is a chance of minor complications.
After this, you need to enroll in courses that prepare you for childbirth. They help overcome the fear of future pregnancy and prepare for an early birth.
When choosing certain courses, you need to remember that classes consist of the following main components:
- Psychoprophylactic training. These can be individual conversations or lectures aimed at eliminating all sorts of unfavorable emotions that are associated with future childbirth. Their main goal is to form a conscious attitude towards pregnancy, teach to understand childbirth as a physiological process and build confidence in one’s abilities.
- Education about the birth process. The courses are conducted by gynecologists so that the pregnant woman is well aware of the future process of childbirth.
- Group exercises using gymnastics. They focus on training breathing and muscles that will be actively involved in the birth process and help get rid of complications.
- Understanding the physiology of newborns. They help relieve a pregnant woman from fears and worries about her health, and special classes will help train her to care for a child.
However, it is simply impossible to overcome fear entirely, especially during childbirth. A person is designed in such a way that the feeling of fear cannot leave him, no matter how much he persuades himself.
To get rid of fears, a woman should study the physiology of the newborn
Reviews
According to reviews, many girls are afraid of upcoming motherhood. Women are also frightened by pregnancy itself and the process of childbirth. In some cases, this fear turns into a real phobia. Girls report that even at the thought of pregnancy they feel hot, their heart rate increases, and they feel dizzy. These are very unpleasant symptoms.
You can cope with this problem, the main thing is to find a competent specialist. Some people benefit from cognitive therapy and understanding from their spouse.
Death of a child during childbirth
Almost every mother experiences this fear at some point during her pregnancy. This is a completely natural anxiety, which is a reaction to the unknown and situations that may arise, regardless of what the pregnant woman does. Many women report vivid, sometimes disturbing, dreams during pregnancy. Fears and anxious dreams are an integral part of pregnancy and are completely normal. It's a good idea to discuss your fears with your partner and think about how you would cope if a difficult situation suddenly arises.
Thinking through your options will make you more prepared. Of course, it is unlikely that you will have to put these options into practice, but being prepared will help you feel more relaxed. When we focus on our fear, we create negative, stressful thinking. If your fears begin to overwhelm you, consult a psychologist. But, of course, it’s normal to worry and worry a little, the main thing is to remember that your fears are not a premonition.
