first time mom scared

I'm due on September 30th and now since i'm 9 weeks away from the due date i'm starting to get very nervous about labor. I've never been so scared in my life, I get very upset and freak out which I know is bad considering I shouldn't be under any stress. My friends laugh at me because they think i'm very tough because I can get tattoos and piercings with no problem, and i'm a volunteer fire fighter, so they think I of all people can get through labor with no problems. Does anyone have any advice on what to do to relax myself and help me feel more comfortable about giving birth??

Just think about it like this, that baby is coming out one way or another. You'll be fine. You can't turn back now.

Quoting firechick42:“ I'm due on September 30th and now since i'm 9 weeks away from the due date i'm starting to get very nervous ... [snip!] ... no problems. Does anyone have any advice on what to do to relax myself and help me feel more comfortable about giving birth??”

I am scared too but millions of women do it and many natural. The unknown is always scary we can't help that and nobody can tell you its not that bad or its terrible its different for everyone, obviously its going to be painful. As you get more uncomfortable you will want the baby out its just natures way of preparing you....you will be alright!

It's normal. I'm scared out of my mind and have been since I was 6 months. All I have to do is think about how it'll be worth it afterwards. Or take a bath to just calm yourself down. You can talk to your OB about what to expect I guess. I'm nervous and I'm a week away from my due date! =] Good luck though!

With my first, i worked myself up SO much. I was very scared and nervous but right after delivery i said, "hhmmm that wast too bad. Id do it again".

heres how I had to look at it...women have been giving birth (with and without meds) since the beginning of time, so if they can do it, so can you!!! I freaked the heck out to be honest, but then I would think well they were having babies in caves, I can def do it in a hospital! You'll be just fine, oh and don't watch a baby story or any of that mess, it will not help you!!!!!!!!  

well, you run into a burning building cause you know whatever pain or discomfort you may encounter isn't as great as the reward of saving a life. so just think of it like that. you face labor pains knowing you are bring a life into the world. whatever you experience will only be temporary but the outcome will be worth it!

and try to remember that the pain is only temporary. it wont last forever =] good luck!

For me the best thing that helped me calm down was realizing that I didn't have a choice in the matter. If you think about it, its ONE day out of these whole 9 months. We've been thru hell getting there.... Labor really isn't that bad. I've heard my share of horror stories, but I've also heard a lot of really wonderful stories. Have a plan before you go in, like whether or not you are open to having pain meds, do you want to try to get in the water, try having people around that make you laugh. Seriously though, its a few hours out of many months. You CAN handle it I'm sure!

I was scared shitless when I was pregnant. But the whole time I was in labor I was just...i dunno, in the moment, I guess. I was so focused on getting my little girl out. Giving birth really isn't that bad, in fact, I can't wait to do it again!

Like so many have said countless women have done it...that never really helped my. But it is true like some other have said in that moment something else just takes over and you just can do it. And I am the BIGGEST wimp in the world my family all made fun of me and said I would never make it. And it is so true you forget any and all pain so fast.

Yeah my thought on it was I can't wait to see my baby and used that as motivation. Try talking to women who have gone through it before in your life and see what their take on it is. Don't be afraid to scream and wine because it hurts but its so temporary and once you take a look into that beautiful baby's face its like what pain. I watched a movie called the business of being born that had information about when you give birth your brain lets go of what they call the "love hormone" and its realeased and it makes you bond instantly with your baby. Luckily for women God made it so we forget the pain and suffering we go through or every woman would only have one baby and the population of the world would go way down. Don't stress too much and just imagine holding that baby it'll all be worth it. Definately have a plan going in and be educated though like people have said. Good luck!

Yeah, I've had people tell me about it. Both my mother and mother in law had all natural births and I think they are brave as hell b/c I said from day 1 i'm going to want drugs. I thank god that my husband is there for me and is trying to help me feel better by making jokes andtelling me it's going to be ok. IDK I feel like if I can have a C-section i'd feel so much better about the situation.

Quoting firechick42:“ Yeah, I've had people tell me about it. Both my mother and mother in law had all natural births and I ... [snip!] ... jokes andtelling me it's going to be ok. IDK I feel like if I can have a C-section i'd feel so much better about the situation.”

Well think of it this way, a normal vaginal birth you can leave the hospital the next day if everything is going fine. With a C-section its major abdominal surgery and the recovery time is a lot longer. Once you go through it and have that baby normally you'll wonder why you were ever worried and you'll recover and life will go on with a new family member. I don't blame you for wanting the drugs, I am epidural all the way I slept through most of my labor and had a wonderful experience with my son.

Quoting firechick42:“ Yeah, I've had people tell me about it. Both my mother and mother in law had all natural births and I ... [snip!] ... jokes andtelling me it's going to be ok. IDK I feel like if I can have a C-section i'd feel so much better about the situation.”

from what i see and hear c section is not a good way to go. they say its hard for you to walk it can take months for recovery, infections, tearing at the wound, scar tissue, infertility, breathing complications for baby i mean these are prob worse case but still. They are considering doing a c section and taking my gallbladder out that way and i really dont want it from what i have read

Quoting firechick42:“ Yeah, I've had people tell me about it. Both my mother and mother in law had all natural births and I ... [snip!] ... jokes andtelling me it's going to be ok. IDK I feel like if I can have a C-section i'd feel so much better about the situation.”

I thought that too! I was like well I know if I have a c-section that I'll be okay....no way, I was up and moving getting yelled at by the nurses to get back in bed...and I'm so glad b/c the bed made my butt hurt, I was able to drive afterward also, and well lets face it didn't have major cutting my abdomen open surgery (nothing against c-section mommies at all!!! you rick, and are super brave in my eyes!)