Fear of Labor

I've been reading this incredible book about natural childbirth, and as I read it I just want to go out and give a copy to every pregnant woman I know. My Mom had 4 kids, all very short and easy labors. She swears by this book. She's been talking about it for as long as I can remember so I decided to spend the $3 to get a used copy online. She says this book is the reason she had easy labors, and after reading it I can see why!

Here are a few lines from it that I liked:

"Conception is a supreme event in a woman's life--it is the beginning of that phase which represents the achievement of her physiological purpose. Conscious and unconscious experiences of her childhood and early maturity flood the vista of her future while being strongly influenced by the fantasies of the past."

"A disturbed mind will upset the circulation of blood to certain organs of the body, perhaps causing a serious deprivation of the oxygen supply within the body that is essential for the well being of the small fetus in the womb." (The book talks a lot about how stress, fear, and anxiety affect the baby in utero, and also during the labor)

"Fear, of course, is followed by tension, and when cervical tension occurs in labor, the previously normal uterine contractions must overcome it. In their turn the uterine contractions get stronger, frequently to the point of producing varying amounts of pain..."

That last quote is the basis of the book. When we are afraid, we tense up, and the tension makes the contractions have to work harder because we are essentially fighting against them instead of letting our body do what it is trying to do. The book talks a lot about relaxation techniques. Not just for labor but throughout the whole pregnancy, because it is important for the baby to get optimal oxygen.

And I will end on this quote from the book, because it so eloquently describes my thoughts:

"Some women who have experienced the happiness of their child's arrival say that they have never known the fullness of love until possessed by the irresistible desire to have more children. Again and again they recall and dream of that transcendental joy that shines like a persistent orb of light, illuminating the wonders of their new life of motherhood. Every act of love is enhanced; the physical and mental desire for the fullness of their husbands' affection perfects the mutual delight of their companionship."

*Insert Smile and Sigh*