Dealing with Birth Fears

Birth is filled with uncertainty, and with that come the fears and what-ifs: What if something goes wrong? What if the pain is too much? What if my wishes aren’t respected? What if I need a cesarean? What if I poop? All are valid, but not very helpful feelings. So how can you deal with them? Alexia Leachman has answers. Check it out.

What we talked about:

• Addressing the most common pregnancy and birth fears
  • Fear of the birth process
  • Specific phobias (of needles, etc.)
  • Fear of the unknown, of not being able to control
  • Fear something will go wrong
  • Fear of the system (interventions)
  • Fear of not being heard and respected, of prejudices
  • Fear of not being able to count on your team
  • Fear based on previous experience
• Clearing fears from your body and mind
• Can you really control anything?
• Using a flotation tank in preparation for letting go
• What to do with residual fears that may show up during birth?
• Dealing with fears from previous trauma

Related resources*:

• Feel the Fear and Birth Anyway, Midwife Thinking
• Reducing fear of birth in U.S. culture: Ina May Gaskin at TEDxSacramento video
• Childbirth Without Fear: The Principles and Practice of Natural Childbirth, by Grantly Dick-Read
• Read a chapter from Alexia’s book Fearless Birthing

Related Birthful episodes:

• The Baby’s Birth Experience
• Understanding & Calming Your Baby
• Connecting With Your Baby in Utero Through Song

Courtesy of Alexia Leachman

About Alexia Leachman

Alexia is a therapeutic coach, an author, and the host of the award-nominated Fear Free Childbirth podcast, which helps pregnant mamas prepare for a positive, fear-free childbirth experience. It’s a mix of positive birth stories, birth experts sharing their wisdom and Alexia sharing advice on mindset and tackling fears.

Alexia was tokophobic and overcame her extreme fears to have two fear-free home births and she now helps women to overcome their fears so that they can look forward to their birth with excitement. Alexia has helped thousands of women worldwide to shed the fear and claim their positive birth through her private sessions, her online programs and products, and of course her podcast.

Her second book, Fearless Birthing, was released shortly after first recording this episode. Alexia appears regularly in the press, TV, radio and online including the BBC and SKY and has been featured in Huffington Post, Mail Online, Psychologies, Red, Easy Living, and Mother & Baby magazines.

Learn more at fearfreechildbirth.com, or join the conversation on Facebook (facebook.com/fearfreechildbirth) or Twitter (@AlexiaL) (@afearlessbirth)