Is natural childbirth really terrible?

[lisa a]

Tell me the truth !

[midwifeloretta]

Hi Lisa,
I am a midwife and I get this question a million times a day....it is a great question. My answer is always the same.....your birth will be exactly what you expect. This means that if you think it will be awful then it will, or if you think it will be wonderful, then it will.
Birth is all about how you perceive it and how you think about it day in day out. What you need to do is not seek out other people's stories but instead focus on exactly what YOU want. For example, if you want a short, easy labour then that is what you will get. I suggest you focus on exactly what you want your outcome to be, which is holding your baby in your arms and smiling into their face, knowing that you had a fantastic birth. Visualise this every day and actually create a little movie in your head that depicts your outcome then think about it everyday. Even include things like smells and feelings that you have toward your baby and your support people. The more detailed the movie, the more this will work for you. Try to take a small 15min break each day where you are just focusing on this movie and relaxing. Tell yourself that you are fit, healthy and capable of birthing the way you want.
I hope this helps you.
You can take a look at my blog it is all about birth, http://www.naturalbirthplan.com
Good luck on your wonderful journey.
Loretta