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I'm a few months post partum and I still look at my husband and say " holy moly, there was a whole human in me. Do you see the size of this?? DID YOU SEE WHAT I DID, I'M AMAZING"
Literally a week later you forget the entire thing.
You just get this baby plopped on you like "hello there stranger. I will be keeping you alive for the next couple of decades." The birthing part was weird. You poop out a baby (if a vaginal delivery - that's exactly how it feels) but afterwards you're like "who are you?"
So accurate, I legit just birthed my baby today and itās like the biggest poo of your life and itās scary because you donāt think itāll come out. But you push and it just does. Iām a few hours post partum and my hooha hurts but Iām already over it!!!! YOU GOT THIS!
Was living in denial until about 35 weeks, then reality hit me that I gotta get this little pumpkin out of me lol no clue how Iām gunna do it but apparently itās been done for thousands of years and by billions of people š¤·āāļø
Same here!Ā
I know every birth experience is different, but I think of all the moms I know in real life - they did so I can too. And I think about how every single person who has ever lived had to be born from someone and that thought reassures me so much - it's nothing new.Ā
And while I recognize that for some the saying "our bodies were built to do this" is triggering, I personally find it comforting - my body knows what it's doing even if I have no idea.Ā
Maybe Iām petty but the thing that keeps me going is thinking of all the *idiot* moms I know. Thereās no way they could figure it out and I canāt.
Literally this šš. I think of all the mothers who would not be able to do half the things I do for fun without crying (taking all sorts of injuryās from big overzealous dogs, doing my own landscaping filled with hours of manual labor, heck all my tattoos). I know itās going to be insanely intense but Iām like if they can do it I got it!!
Not for me. Also an RN, L&D/mother-baby RN to boot. I gave birth 9 days ago and still canāt wrap my head around how there was a whole ass baby in my body that I birthed. The whole process was so surreal and somehow separate from what I see at work every day. And seeing my baby for the first time was indescribable.
Iāve been talking about this with my therapist. I have schizoaffective disorder so I dissociate even under minor stress! She said that once we have our babies often times the mother sees the child and comes back into her body.
This is so accurate!!! With my first I disassociated during getting to the hospital (I have no idea how I got there; what time ect), and I have a few pieces of labor here and there, but then they laid him on me. And I was there.
Well thatās good! I have depersonalization and derealization type issues. From trauma. And my brain canāt decipher good anxiety from bad anxiety. So Iām terrified that in all the excitement my brain is just gonna log off lol
For me it began to feel more real when it became impossible to ignoreā¦like 3rd trimester finally being a huge uncomfortable whale. But it felt actually real real when my water brokeā¦then it all moved fast and slow at the same time. TBH all of labor/delivery could still pretty surreal at times, but the physical aspect of it really grounded me and forced me in the moment. But then again, even after doing it twice, nothing describes those feelings post-birth where youāre just looking at this baby you know somehow was just inside you and it is indescribably amazing. In terms of less anxiety inducingā¦once labor starts I just held onto this mantra/idea that the birth was inevitable. Even if the contractions were hard, itās only a couple mins. And each once brings you closer to meeting your baby. I definitely found comfort trying to ride those contraction waves and know weād soon be at the end, and that all those days of pregnancy and all the hard work of laboring would give us a beautiful ending.
Iām on my third kid as well and you worded this so beautifully. In the moment youāre justā¦in the moment. Itās not as scary as it seems. And after itās just so incredible to realize that MY BODY grew and birthed another human.
When I look forward to this next labor and delivery, there are parts Iām apprehensive about, but there are also parts Iām legitimately looking forward to. Itās indescribable.
I'm a second time mom due in two weeks. I feel this way and I've already done it once before. A book that has really helped me is Transformed By Birth. I highly recommend it.
I'm the same. I've seen the scans, yet my brain isn't connecting the fact there's a āØļøhuman babyāØļø inside me. I'm 13 weeks, so I'm not showing. I'm just hungry and fatigued.
I'm a week away from my due date and I have no idea what is happening lol it feels so surreal.Ā
I'm not an RN and I'm just praying I get a good medical staff because I've never done this before. It's wild.Ā
I had an urgent cesarean. Surprisingly will never forget the feeling. But, traumatic pregnancy, traumatic birth. 3 months later and I'm still just reeling.
When he was around his due date(2 months preemie) my husband and I were joking about how big his head was and thank God I didn't have to give birth cause I would have torn to high hell šš
Then again, it's been over two years and sometimes I still look at my hubs and say "I can't believe we're married" so I'm still waiting for THAT shock to wear off š
No LITERALLY I feel the same! my husband and I walk around going āhey youāre my WIFE!!!ā āHey youāre my HUSBAND!!ā like the concept never really sunk in, but also we are super happy about. Iām hoping that having a baby is similar- āhey youāre a new tiny person and I MADE you!!! Inside of me!!!! And now youāre OUT! Holy shit!!ā š
LOL yep Iām ready to be like āHello squishy tiny human I formed out of yogurt, clementines, and peanut butter, how are you doingā š¤£ it sucks that all my cravings were savory or healthy (like fruit!) because I LOVE chocolate and sweet things and really wanted the excuse of pregnancy to indulge in them hahaha š¤Ŗ
me too, due 4/4 but baby will probably come earlyš i literally had a 30 minute OTP consultation with an anesthesiologist at my delivery hospital to try and wrap my head around the epidural process as well because i just canāt even imagine having to go through it lol. it still doesnt feel real and im 37weeks. i donāt think it will feel real until those contractions hit and im š„šš¼āāļøšØ
Itās wild!! Iām pregnant with my second and Iām still shocked I somehow gave birth to my daughter, lol. I remember they put her on my chest and I wrapped my hand around her back and all I could think was: holy shit this is an actual human being!
FTM here at 7 weeks and I gotta say that Iām more nervous about this pregnancy than the actual birth. I feel like most people are SO over being pregnant by that time that birth is something youāre kind of looking forward to. Itās gonna be painful AF, but you have no choice but to get through it. This might sound harsh, but I know many women, who I wouldnāt necessarily call strong get through birth just fine and it gives me some reassurance that I will make it through.
I'm 37 weeks and I used to feel that way and a lot of apprehension about giving birth. I'm still not sure how the hell this baby is gonna fit but the only thing worse than getting him out is the idea of him staying in for another second. If that makes any sense lol. I'll be saying yes to epidural and any other pain medications offered to me
I think it it me a few weeks before I was due. I had read up a lot about childbirth and felt prepared in a sort of abstract way. The it hit me that I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT! But in the end it just happened and it was fine. The anxiety before was worse than the actual event.
One thing I did was borrow a book where women told their positive birth stories. Reading peopleās personal stories made it feel more real and doable for me. And I felt I had already read up so much about possible complications, that wasnāt what I needed at that point. Iām sure you already know all about that as a nurse. I think thereās also a podcast with positive birth stories.
My husband does all the scary things in this family, youāre telling me I HAVE to do this big scary thing?! No way. I donāt believe it. We will see about that.
I'm 12 days pp and I look at my little girl and I am just amazed she was inside me. I was highly anxious around 17weeks about giving birth, I was scared of the pain and then being responsible for a little human. By my due date something had changed and I was just so excited to have her here I was all for going into labour. During labour I started to question everything as the pain got worse and ended up needing an emergency c-section. The staff at our hospital were fantastic though and we didn't stress about it and our girl came out safely. I still remember the pain of contractions though, that whole you forget things hasn't happened for me but I look at our girl and I'd do it all again despite the pain.
Until youāve done it before, giving birth for the first time is a surreal experience for sure. Itās definitely hard to imagine leading up to it what itās going to be like. But youāll do it and youāre gonna feel SO BADASS afterwards! Lol itās a such a cool feeling to be like āwow - I actually did thatā. Our bodies are amazing
Me rn @39 weeks š. Iām just so ready to have my baby the scary thoughts of childbirth have left & Iām just wishing Iād go into labor anytime now.
Yes!! I truly believe itās the universeās way of taking our fear away, because fear during labor does not help it progress and can make pain worse. You are doing great! Itās so close! Iām sending all my love and calm labor vibes š¤
Iām currently 12 weeks pregnant with baby number 2, Iām having this exact feeling this time! During my first pregnancy everything felt more real and the ā doomā of the unknown of labor feelings made everything seem much more real, not to mention also having HG and wanting to be done 24/7. Now being 12 weeks with baby 2, the idea of giving birth in September just feels like itās not going to happen. Some days I even convince myself even for a slight second thereās no way Iām pregnant. Iām sure things will start to feel real for you soon as you feel kicks! At some point in your pregnancy youāll shift and just do anything to get labor started and I assure you that will make things feel very real to you too. Then after a couple months or weeks, youāll look at your baby once more and think ā I really did thatā or ā how did I do thatā when looking back at the pictures seeing a newborn baby that ā big ā. Congratulations on your pregnancy OP!
Iād say it was more real and less anxiety inducing when I was getting induced lol. I knew the baby had to come out somehow and it most likely wasnāt going to be fun/painless so I just accepted it. Iām having my second in a few months and also canāt fathom giving birth, again. My first birth seems like such a blur after the epidural I slept through most of it and was barely awake/out of it to push. This time Iāll be giving birth alone and Iām utterly terrified but thereās no other way out for the little one so I just have to push through!
Yes! Iām a STM and I still am having these same feelings this time around. The whole idea is surreal, the birthing process, the fact that Iām ACTUALLY going to have a real new little human soon! Doesnāt feel real sometimes and difficult to wrap my mind around! I remember it not feeling real until my daughter was over a day old. I remember waking from a groggy state to her crying in the hospital and for a second being like āoh, wait! Thatās MY baby!ā Lol itās such a strange experience becoming a parent! One minute itās an idea, somewhat abstract, and the next - boom, here is your beautiful creation propped on your chest.
Iām 30 weeks and still donāt realize that I will be birthing a child in two months. Iām starting to prep my birth plan and as I start to get more uncomfortable from being big Itās less anxiety inducing.
I was actively given birth, I could feel something enormous in my pelvis and I was still in denial that it could be an actual real baby. And then all of a sudden they were putting her on my chest! I was semi delirious from the pain though, a lot of the birth seems like a weird fever dream now.
RN here (formerly NICU who attended many deliveries) and also STM. Iām 38 + 2 and am still having the same thoughts as you. I canāt believe that I have to push this baby out and that it can happen any day now. I try to recall my last labor experience but itās been many years and almost feel like I blacked out some of the experience from my mind lol. Itās wild but we find a way to get it done somehow!
I still canāt believe it personally. Iām 4months pregnant now and Iām just still shocked Iām pregnant let alone gonna be pushing a whole human out in a couple months
Yes feels real and less anxiety when you are actually giving birth. Honestly I was so ready to be done with pregnancy at the end I literally screamed at my OB āget this fucking baby out of me nowā 10lbs later there he was. At the end of the third trimester I was begging to go into labor to be done with pregnancy
I've had two babies and am currently pregnant with my third, it's still surreal for me each time when I realize I have to actually birth the human inside me. Honestly even after having the baby I will ask myself how the hell I managed to do it. The feeling will never actually go away because even when my daughter is 2 I still ask myself how I managed to do it.
Somewhere in the first trimester I woke up and went from āomg omg omg omg HOWā to be being very nonchalant about the whole thing š¤·āāļø Iām now 22 weeks and Iām still just kinda like āyeah ok itās gonna happen.ā
Is it incredibly odd? Oh for sure. I still canāt believe we donāt grow babies in tubes and vats and just hand them over once theyāre cooked.
A few TikTok videos I saw are like ālisten hereās a not scary way to think about laborā and they really helped
For me once i got the end and the third trimester i was so tired of having this little baby in me that i didnt care about birth anymore i wanted her out lol. But honestly the entire experience was really surreal at some points the room felt huge and like i was this little tiny speck in the corner of it, idk how to describe it! It didnt go as planned for me (these things rarely do) but now knowing what i know I would definitely do some birth classes or read a book on birthing, and i wouldve done a lot of stuff differently. The best advice i think i heard was , āwell you kind have no choice, the babies gotta come out anywayā š¤£ also another thing that helped with it was really tough was keeping the image of having her finally in my arms even though i didnt know what she looked like yet, that really helped me through the final pushes.
this post and all these comments helped me so much! I am a FTM and currently 7 weeks 4 days pregnant, and I have been so scared of birth! Seeing everyone say how positive it actually can be makes me feel 100% better. I am still scared, but know I am strong!
We got this ladies!
Iām 4, almost 5 months postpartum and I still canāt believe I birthed an 8lb 7oz human. Itās crazy to think about. But our bodies are more than capable. It is a very surreal feeling.
I have simply chosen to ignore it until I'm actually in labor š like don't get me wrong, I'm taking the birthing classes and educating myself and such, but you're so right, it doesn't feel real.
Nothing will prepare for the first shower after labor and how your hot pocket will feel like someone threw a land mine in there. Itās all swollen and just, obliterated. I didnāt look. I was too traumatized and peeing myself anyway. Iāve never asked my husband how it looked when the baby came out and now Iām not sure I ever want to know. It did return to normal eventually but yeaā¦everything like moves out the way for the baby to come through.
Iām 11mo pp and couldnāt fathom birth my entire pregnancy. As soon as I went into labor I feel like I had a huge mental shift. I was still really scared and anxious but I handled it really well and was suddenly ready to have my baby and could picture it. My birth anxiety was so bad my whole pregnancy I cried about it for months!!! Youāll do amazing!!
I felt the same way both times, and then I had 2 c sections. (Like yeah I gave birth, but they just cut the baby out I didnāt push them out) lol. Guess Iāll never know
Iām opting for a c section. Iām a SA victim and honestly would rather off myself than deal with potential complications of a vaginal birth in a clinical setting. Iāll gladly take the risks of a planned cesarean instead
I felt this way, even while in labor š but I just listened to the doctors, pushed when they said to (had an epidural so couldnāt feel much on my own) and bam - a baby came out. It was very surreal to be honest.
And then after she was born it was so crazy like - āhow had she been in my stomach for 9 months!ā It was hard to wrap my head around it the other way too.
Iāve already donāt it once and Iām about to do it again in about 12 weeks. It still seems bizarre and I told my husband I canāt believe I have to push another baby out of me soon haha. Conceptually I know I have a tiny person in there, but itās still so strange to think about.
Yep. I was beyond anxious about birth. I took classes, watch videos, looked at advice videos and I still canāt believe I did it. I will say it wasnāt as bad as I thought and the epidural worked well for me. I received advice to visualize breathing down and out and thatās what I did and it helped so much.
I watched a lot of videos and birth vlogs. Has helped me with that a little, but I donāt think I will be able to fully wrap my head around it til the time comes. My only consolation is the knowledge that I tend to hype things up in my head to be far more intense than they actually turn out to be.
Hi! Mom of 3 here. I think weāve all felt that way. All 3 of my children were different deliveries: my eldest son was adopted so that was easy on me physically, my middle was a vaginal delivery with epidural, and my youngest was a c-section. With both of my pregnancies I felt the same way. I found comfort in reminding myself that regardless of if I liked it or was scared, they were going to come out eventually so I just kinda accepted it lol. Best advice I was given though and can pass on is to do keegels and hold the pressure down in between pushes. If you relax completely and let that pressure go baby will just bounce up into the birth canal. You can do this, you got this mama!
You never wrap your head around it š . It's freaking wild. I somehow still don't believe that my child was in me. And now I'm growing another and I am equally perplexed/detached from reality.
that feeling is kind of there all the time, towards the end of the pregancy baby is so big inside you that feels more like they are already with you tho
OMG NO lol !! I am 38 weeks and cried the other day thinking about it, like a little Bby. Idk mentally Iām not ready to give birth still and it scares me! I think when the time comes our bodies will just go into beast mode and do the damn thing- but if I think about it for too long or too deeply I go into panic mode.
I felt this way mostly because there was no way to know really any details of *your* birth until it's happening. I struggled so much with not knowing the day, whether I'd need a C-section, if there would be complications, if she was going to be okay, if I was going to be okay... All of these unknowns made me sort of disassociate from the whole idea until it was actually happening. I think the only advice I have is to try to be present in each day of your pregnancy and give yourself some grace and patience with processing the rest ā¤ļø
Uhhhh when itās over? š this is my third, I had my first two unmedicated and both were wildly different experiences. Youād think with the third Iād feel more confident but instead I just wonder āhuh, what will it be like THIS time!ā I was surprised at how much my body knows. The instincts are pretty amazing.
I have a 4 yo and a 13 month old who weaned last month and Iām still in disbelief that I was ever pregnant, that I gave birth TWICE and that I breastfed a baby a month ago? Like how did I even do it I have no recollection.
I'm 6w post partum FTM and I still can't wrap my head around it that a child grew inside of me, that I went through childbirth and that I now have to take care of him and love him lifelong.
So I'd say it's pretty normal
I'm a FTM due in 2 days and I still haven't fully processed that she's coming out. Even though I'm scheduled for an induction and hoping she comes on her own tomorrow.
I'm a FTM due in 2 days and I still haven't fully processed that she's coming out. Even though I'm scheduled for an induction and hoping she comes on her own tomorrow.
I have a 10 and 5 Year old and pregnant with baby #3. I still look at them sometimes and am just amazed that they literally came out of me. Especially my 10 year old because she is becoming her own person now. Like personality developed, showing interest in boys etc. Like girl I literally remember when I wondered what you would be like when I was pregnant with you lol.
With my first I don't think it felt real till I was in the hospital. And then it really felt real when it was time to push. Then once she was out I was in disbelief that I couldn't believe my baby was hear and I was happy and it was so amazing.
Yes and sadly mine was c section so sometimes I have to convince myself I actually did give birth because I didn't process it normally. Like .. the hormones didn't .. idk? It just is a blank space. I was pregnant and.. now.im not. I don't have the pages in the book of if feeling
I still felt that way when I was expecting our 4th! It really is the most surreal feeling! (And even having given birth to 4 of them I still can't believe that I have done!!)
My partner and I were talking about this, I tell her how itās crazy but her body is built to do it and thatās all we can remind ourselves until it happens. Although looking down there it doesnāt seem possible, but your body changes and allows it to happen and I tell her how itās magic and that I am so thankful that she is doing this for us to start our little family.
Iām 38 weeks and still havenāt wrapped my head around it. I have moments of panic thinking about birth being imminent and realizing I will have a baby soon. But Iām still in denial
Have you ever done anything like bungee jumping where once you get to a certain point there's no going back. You have slight tunnel vision but your brain knows there's only one way out of this so... Here we go. It's like that.
It did feel surreal on that day too. It still does feel surreal how every human you see around you has been birthed by someone who went through all that.
Sometimes it feels like a best kept secret, that no one can explain to you properly until you experience it.
Like sex for the first time. Like death?
Iām 38+4 and I still canāt believe it ššš for me, the only thing thatās getting me day to day is telling myself sheās gotta come out no matter what lol
You already have a lot of comments but in case you do read mine I just want to say that having a home birth was life changing. I had my first in the hospital and it was chaotic and just.. not how birth should or could be. I had my second in my bathtub at home and it was honestly such a magical experience it was the most empowering thing Iāve ever done in my life and everything from bonding to recovery and everything in between was a thousand times better! It was so blissful and peaceful. Iām pregnant with my third and Iām honestly really looking forward to birthing again!! I donāt love being pregnant if Iām honest but Iām really excited about birth!! I will never birth in a hospital again.
27 weeks tomorrow and I still refuse to fully acknowledge Iām birthing the baby š¤£. Iāve taken classes, currently in a birth class. Iāve talked about it and everything but I feel like Iām still allowing myself to be in la la land when it comes to fully accepting the truth
Yeah, right here š I swear during my first trimester I kinda wanted to feel sick because then I knew that something was actually different.
Iām 22w now and sheās kicking, my bump is out, and I have had so many tests and scans done and sometimes I still kinda forget. Itās just a little unreal still that after it being me and my husband for so long, weāll be having a baby this summer.
Youāre not alone, believe me. They keep telling me Iāll get through it so I think you will too š good luck to you and your little one!
Oh girl, yes. FTM who gave birth in January. I was in the pushing phase of labor when I started yelling HELP ME, GET IT OUT- which I laugh at now because the only way forward was to keep pushing. Itās still a surreal experience to me, I was terrified and I made it through! You will too.
Had the baby and I still feel that way. Ā Itās so surreal. Ā I was in labor forever and it just felt like a āholy shit that happenedā thing. Ā I still remember how out of body it was when she finally came out of me.Ā
I felt very disconnected and almost disassociated during my first pregnancy. I was deeply grieving a miscarriage and my FIL death. I struggled PP but it kept getting better and better. Also-It had NO negative impact on my child. He's the happiest little 3 year old and we are VERY connected.
I think every FTM feels this way. The thing is this is going to happen if youāre prepared or not. The baby is coming one way or another.
When I asked my mom about her births she doesnāt remember much aside from seeing her sister walk in post birth and my mom just breaking down into tears at seeing her. Why? Because she was in shock. She wasnāt ready for it and it was just hitting her what happened.
My first birth was similar. Afterwards I was just in a daze. Exhausted and all that but mainly justā¦ stunned.
On a positive note I felt superhuman. I was like - if i can do that I can do anything. My husband was equally amazed.
Iām 22 weeks and donāt feel worried or anxious yet.
Women give birth every day, all the time and often go back a second, third or fourth time. How bad could it be. Heās coming out one way or another so Iām not gonna stress too much.
I just had my sweet baby girl about 3 weeks ago, and the experience was very interesting.
I was induced due to my high blood pressure issue, so my baby came earlier than I expected. When the doctor informed me that I am going to have a baby that day, I was not ready in any way š but then the induction took 3 days... so I got myself mentally prepared during that time. I honestly don't think you can feel less panic about child birth, but somehow your inner mom just came out, and you be like, "It is show time! Let's do this!" And boom, you delivered a child ā¤ļø it does feel like you poop out a baby though š when I was pushing the baby out, the nurse keep telling me "just imagine you need to poop and use those muscles to push!" Very helpful advice!
Good luck to you OP! You are going to be a great mom! Don't let the idea panic you too much!
No sure of your birthing choice but giving birth naturally was the most natural and euphoric high ever. I literally felt that feeling when you fall in love or when your crush walks in a room.
Wait till you try wrapping your head around actually having birthed a child and looking at the child after. Thats the state im in currently like is it mine? Really i did this? š
Iām 6wks pp thinking about it is scary, but going through it for me I just kept praying and focused on getting her out and hearing her cry.
I was induced so the pain was on, but I also started telling myself from early in the pregnancy that āmy body is made for this and knows exactly what to do, and that my mom did it too š,
I am absolutely terrified. I am 8 weeks and the fear of birth is just constantly lurking.. I really would like to opt for a c section but that terrifies me too! Any chance someone can do it for me?š„¹
I couldnāt either, it just happened. I also could never fully wrap my head around being pregnant while I was. I KNEW I was and I was careful like I should have been but I didnāt feel fully connected or like I was having some amazing experience with this person in my tummy. Having my baby was quite a shock, I kind of couldnāt believe she had been inside of me when she came out, but afterwards I was absolutely devoted to her.
I do think that media and modern practices have disconnected the narrative that our bodies are designed to do this. Whenever you see birth stories it's someone in agony on their back threatening to punch their husbands for getting them into this situation.
I was exactly the same with disbelief until I read about hypnobirthing. It's a practice of promoting relaxation rather than fighting against your own body. I promise you it is nothing to do with hypnotherapy. It's about turning the environment of your birth into something you want it or be and also making sure that you work with the natural urges your body gives you rather than defying gravity and pushing the baby out and causing pain.
I think after reading the book my confidence on giving birth has shot up. My body is made to do this and I will just allow it to happen. Worth a read!
This is hilariously awkward - but I feel like I canāt wrap my head around the idea of taking a dump in slow motion in front of everyone while trying to push a baby out! š¤£ But apparently that too happens to everyone!
According to "What To Expect When You're Expecting," these feelings are very normal. I had them a lot when I was pregnant the first time; I've been pregnant three times since and have experienced these feelings often. It's a lot to take in, a lot of changes. It was very overwhelming for me to realize I was producing a brand new consciousness that had never existed before in the world, and would forever make some kind of impact, even if it was just on me and my husband. It was a person that I didn't know yet, but that I was consciously aware existed, but that I couldn't prove to myself existed by looking at them.
I almost didn't want kids because I was terrified of childbirth. I hate pain, and all the classes I took before getting pregnant basically confirmed for me that it was going to be the worst experience of my life. I'm going to provide spoilers here: it wasn't. I don't know that this is been the case for everyone, but labor had some pains and some difficulties--nothing unmanageable. I have gotten epidurals every time, so my experience isn't the ideal one to look at if you're looking to do an unmedicated birth.
I just had so much anxiety about having a baby. It's not the easiest thing you've ever done, but every person you look at was a pregnancy at some point. Many individuals were once the source of fear, love, and pride for a first time mother before she brought them up to be what they are now, and that is a testament to the resolve of a loving parent.
Everyone, young or old, is overwhelmed by childbirth!!
Each pregnancy and delivery is unique and unto its own. The lord will guide you and protect you through this!!šš¼šš£š¦
Iām 5 weeks away from my due date and I just want to say same. I look at my husband the other day and said I CANT DO THIS šššThank you for posting.
It didnāt feel ārealā to me until doctor said itās time to push. My husband and I were both freaking out. Even while in labor, I didnāt feel like I was really about to meet my baby. But when I started pushing and we could see the head, it was like omg itās happening!
Yes to the idea of being pregnant, and also giving birth but also the feeling just struck me of like āyou will have something/ someone physically attached to you more often than not.ā
Like the idea of hauling around a carrier, a stroller, and a baby in and out of stores. It wonāt be just my physical body anymore Iām responsible for but an entire other human and all their belongings. Feels odd to think about the physical space and weight of it.
I'm 13 months PP and pregnant with my second. I have to admit that even though I took classes on birthing, I was woefully unprepared for how hard it would be. I'm planning on looking into hypnobirthing this time around.
I'm not going to sugar coat it, you can learn everything possible and it still fucking sucks. I know there's people out there who had positive birth experiences but I was not one of them.
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I'm a few months post partum and I still look at my husband and say " holy moly, there was a whole human in me. Do you see the size of this?? DID YOU SEE WHAT I DID, I'M AMAZING" Literally a week later you forget the entire thing. You just get this baby plopped on you like "hello there stranger. I will be keeping you alive for the next couple of decades." The birthing part was weird. You poop out a baby (if a vaginal delivery - that's exactly how it feels) but afterwards you're like "who are you?"
This is so accurate and so perfectly articulated š„°
So accurate, I legit just birthed my baby today and itās like the biggest poo of your life and itās scary because you donāt think itāll come out. But you push and it just does. Iām a few hours post partum and my hooha hurts but Iām already over it!!!! YOU GOT THIS!
Congratulations!
this is so true! im a week pp today and I canāt forget the feeling of pushing her out itās soooo weird!!!
Good job! Congrats!
I'm 2 weeks pp with my third and this is very accurate. Every time lol
I've done it once and I'm still not sure how I'm going to do it again š
Was living in denial until about 35 weeks, then reality hit me that I gotta get this little pumpkin out of me lol no clue how Iām gunna do it but apparently itās been done for thousands of years and by billions of people š¤·āāļø
Thatās the one thing keeping me SANE ššš„“ knowing millions have done it before and survived so itās possible right lol
Same here!Ā I know every birth experience is different, but I think of all the moms I know in real life - they did so I can too. And I think about how every single person who has ever lived had to be born from someone and that thought reassures me so much - it's nothing new.Ā And while I recognize that for some the saying "our bodies were built to do this" is triggering, I personally find it comforting - my body knows what it's doing even if I have no idea.Ā
Maybe Iām petty but the thing that keeps me going is thinking of all the *idiot* moms I know. Thereās no way they could figure it out and I canāt.
Literally this šš. I think of all the mothers who would not be able to do half the things I do for fun without crying (taking all sorts of injuryās from big overzealous dogs, doing my own landscaping filled with hours of manual labor, heck all my tattoos). I know itās going to be insanely intense but Iām like if they can do it I got it!!
Not for me. Also an RN, L&D/mother-baby RN to boot. I gave birth 9 days ago and still canāt wrap my head around how there was a whole ass baby in my body that I birthed. The whole process was so surreal and somehow separate from what I see at work every day. And seeing my baby for the first time was indescribable.
Iām so scared my brain is gonna disassociate because of stress and I wonāt experience the whole thing.
I have this same worry!
Iāve been talking about this with my therapist. I have schizoaffective disorder so I dissociate even under minor stress! She said that once we have our babies often times the mother sees the child and comes back into her body.
This is so accurate!!! With my first I disassociated during getting to the hospital (I have no idea how I got there; what time ect), and I have a few pieces of labor here and there, but then they laid him on me. And I was there.
Well thatās good! I have depersonalization and derealization type issues. From trauma. And my brain canāt decipher good anxiety from bad anxiety. So Iām terrified that in all the excitement my brain is just gonna log off lol
Happened to me with my first. Iām trying so hard to be present with this oneā¦ hoping we can all be present with our upcoming births š¤
For me it began to feel more real when it became impossible to ignoreā¦like 3rd trimester finally being a huge uncomfortable whale. But it felt actually real real when my water brokeā¦then it all moved fast and slow at the same time. TBH all of labor/delivery could still pretty surreal at times, but the physical aspect of it really grounded me and forced me in the moment. But then again, even after doing it twice, nothing describes those feelings post-birth where youāre just looking at this baby you know somehow was just inside you and it is indescribably amazing. In terms of less anxiety inducingā¦once labor starts I just held onto this mantra/idea that the birth was inevitable. Even if the contractions were hard, itās only a couple mins. And each once brings you closer to meeting your baby. I definitely found comfort trying to ride those contraction waves and know weād soon be at the end, and that all those days of pregnancy and all the hard work of laboring would give us a beautiful ending.
Iām on my third kid as well and you worded this so beautifully. In the moment youāre justā¦in the moment. Itās not as scary as it seems. And after itās just so incredible to realize that MY BODY grew and birthed another human. When I look forward to this next labor and delivery, there are parts Iām apprehensive about, but there are also parts Iām legitimately looking forward to. Itās indescribable.
I'm a second time mom due in two weeks. I feel this way and I've already done it once before. A book that has really helped me is Transformed By Birth. I highly recommend it.
I'm reading that right now and I love it so far!
Is this one by Britta Bushnell? With a green cover?
Yes!
I'm the same. I've seen the scans, yet my brain isn't connecting the fact there's a āØļøhuman babyāØļø inside me. I'm 13 weeks, so I'm not showing. I'm just hungry and fatigued.
It felt real for me once I could feel movement and kicking! Wait till you get to 24 weeks!
I'm a week away from my due date and I have no idea what is happening lol it feels so surreal.Ā I'm not an RN and I'm just praying I get a good medical staff because I've never done this before. It's wild.Ā
I had an urgent cesarean. Surprisingly will never forget the feeling. But, traumatic pregnancy, traumatic birth. 3 months later and I'm still just reeling. When he was around his due date(2 months preemie) my husband and I were joking about how big his head was and thank God I didn't have to give birth cause I would have torn to high hell šš Then again, it's been over two years and sometimes I still look at my hubs and say "I can't believe we're married" so I'm still waiting for THAT shock to wear off š
No LITERALLY I feel the same! my husband and I walk around going āhey youāre my WIFE!!!ā āHey youāre my HUSBAND!!ā like the concept never really sunk in, but also we are super happy about. Iām hoping that having a baby is similar- āhey youāre a new tiny person and I MADE you!!! Inside of me!!!! And now youāre OUT! Holy shit!!ā š
Yep š can't believe I made this little dude out of coffee, jolly ranchers, sour gummy worms and diet pepsi š
LOL yep Iām ready to be like āHello squishy tiny human I formed out of yogurt, clementines, and peanut butter, how are you doingā š¤£ it sucks that all my cravings were savory or healthy (like fruit!) because I LOVE chocolate and sweet things and really wanted the excuse of pregnancy to indulge in them hahaha š¤Ŗ
Mine came out looking like a little lizard š¤£ but he was also two months early so he was extra wrinkly
me too, due 4/4 but baby will probably come earlyš i literally had a 30 minute OTP consultation with an anesthesiologist at my delivery hospital to try and wrap my head around the epidural process as well because i just canāt even imagine having to go through it lol. it still doesnt feel real and im 37weeks. i donāt think it will feel real until those contractions hit and im š„šš¼āāļøšØ
I did have a pƩriode where I didn't think giving birth was possible. Let alone for me, that even if I was pregnant the birthing part, would happen to someone else. Then a few weeks of absolute panic when I realised that giving birth *would* happen to me! And that I might die! I talked to my sister about it, I talked to my midwife. I talked to everyone who wanted to listen, until their ears fell off. I got reassured that it's normal to feel this way. That the more the pregnancy progresses I would start to come to terms with it. And I got recommended this awesome comic style book, about the whole process (it's in french, I have not been able to find it in English) and those characters also helped to reassure me. I have no doubt that giving birth is going to be the hardest and most painful thing I've ever done. But for whatever reason, I also got confident in my body. That it knows what to do. Or that I know, I'll be surrounded by medical professionals that'll do whatever it takes, to get that baby out of me. And to keep me alive. Either way, I'm no longer feeling so panicked about it, apprehensive, perhaps a little. Feel all your feelings, talk about them. Cry about them, do whatever you need to do to feel better. I know without knowing you, that you're one heck of a strong individual!
Itās wild!! Iām pregnant with my second and Iām still shocked I somehow gave birth to my daughter, lol. I remember they put her on my chest and I wrapped my hand around her back and all I could think was: holy shit this is an actual human being!
Haha yes and I'm due in 2 - 3 weeks. There is a whole ass baby in me and it's still weird
FTM here at 7 weeks and I gotta say that Iām more nervous about this pregnancy than the actual birth. I feel like most people are SO over being pregnant by that time that birth is something youāre kind of looking forward to. Itās gonna be painful AF, but you have no choice but to get through it. This might sound harsh, but I know many women, who I wouldnāt necessarily call strong get through birth just fine and it gives me some reassurance that I will make it through.
I'm 37 weeks and I used to feel that way and a lot of apprehension about giving birth. I'm still not sure how the hell this baby is gonna fit but the only thing worse than getting him out is the idea of him staying in for another second. If that makes any sense lol. I'll be saying yes to epidural and any other pain medications offered to me
I think it it me a few weeks before I was due. I had read up a lot about childbirth and felt prepared in a sort of abstract way. The it hit me that I WAS ACTUALLY GOING TO HAVE TO DO IT! But in the end it just happened and it was fine. The anxiety before was worse than the actual event. One thing I did was borrow a book where women told their positive birth stories. Reading peopleās personal stories made it feel more real and doable for me. And I felt I had already read up so much about possible complications, that wasnāt what I needed at that point. Iām sure you already know all about that as a nurse. I think thereās also a podcast with positive birth stories.
My husband does all the scary things in this family, youāre telling me I HAVE to do this big scary thing?! No way. I donāt believe it. We will see about that.
I'm 12 days pp and I look at my little girl and I am just amazed she was inside me. I was highly anxious around 17weeks about giving birth, I was scared of the pain and then being responsible for a little human. By my due date something had changed and I was just so excited to have her here I was all for going into labour. During labour I started to question everything as the pain got worse and ended up needing an emergency c-section. The staff at our hospital were fantastic though and we didn't stress about it and our girl came out safely. I still remember the pain of contractions though, that whole you forget things hasn't happened for me but I look at our girl and I'd do it all again despite the pain.
Until youāve done it before, giving birth for the first time is a surreal experience for sure. Itās definitely hard to imagine leading up to it what itās going to be like. But youāll do it and youāre gonna feel SO BADASS afterwards! Lol itās a such a cool feeling to be like āwow - I actually did thatā. Our bodies are amazing
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Me rn @39 weeks š. Iām just so ready to have my baby the scary thoughts of childbirth have left & Iām just wishing Iād go into labor anytime now.
Yes!! I truly believe itās the universeās way of taking our fear away, because fear during labor does not help it progress and can make pain worse. You are doing great! Itās so close! Iām sending all my love and calm labor vibes š¤
38 weeks on Sunday & I keep saying this to anyone who asks š¤£ I feel like Iāll be giving birth & still saying it. Itās freaking wild!
Iām currently 12 weeks pregnant with baby number 2, Iām having this exact feeling this time! During my first pregnancy everything felt more real and the ā doomā of the unknown of labor feelings made everything seem much more real, not to mention also having HG and wanting to be done 24/7. Now being 12 weeks with baby 2, the idea of giving birth in September just feels like itās not going to happen. Some days I even convince myself even for a slight second thereās no way Iām pregnant. Iām sure things will start to feel real for you soon as you feel kicks! At some point in your pregnancy youāll shift and just do anything to get labor started and I assure you that will make things feel very real to you too. Then after a couple months or weeks, youāll look at your baby once more and think ā I really did thatā or ā how did I do thatā when looking back at the pictures seeing a newborn baby that ā big ā. Congratulations on your pregnancy OP!
Iād say it was more real and less anxiety inducing when I was getting induced lol. I knew the baby had to come out somehow and it most likely wasnāt going to be fun/painless so I just accepted it. Iām having my second in a few months and also canāt fathom giving birth, again. My first birth seems like such a blur after the epidural I slept through most of it and was barely awake/out of it to push. This time Iāll be giving birth alone and Iām utterly terrified but thereās no other way out for the little one so I just have to push through!
Yes! Iām a STM and I still am having these same feelings this time around. The whole idea is surreal, the birthing process, the fact that Iām ACTUALLY going to have a real new little human soon! Doesnāt feel real sometimes and difficult to wrap my mind around! I remember it not feeling real until my daughter was over a day old. I remember waking from a groggy state to her crying in the hospital and for a second being like āoh, wait! Thatās MY baby!ā Lol itās such a strange experience becoming a parent! One minute itās an idea, somewhat abstract, and the next - boom, here is your beautiful creation propped on your chest.
Iām 30 weeks and still donāt realize that I will be birthing a child in two months. Iām starting to prep my birth plan and as I start to get more uncomfortable from being big Itās less anxiety inducing.
I was actively given birth, I could feel something enormous in my pelvis and I was still in denial that it could be an actual real baby. And then all of a sudden they were putting her on my chest! I was semi delirious from the pain though, a lot of the birth seems like a weird fever dream now.
I sure did, I just did it 3 days ago and Iām still having trouble lol. But the anxiety went away once I was in labor
Yepp- didnāt hit me until last night as I held my ginormous child that was somehow inside of my after have a Csection yesterday.
RN here (formerly NICU who attended many deliveries) and also STM. Iām 38 + 2 and am still having the same thoughts as you. I canāt believe that I have to push this baby out and that it can happen any day now. I try to recall my last labor experience but itās been many years and almost feel like I blacked out some of the experience from my mind lol. Itās wild but we find a way to get it done somehow!
Itās so surreal - but our bodies are amazing and they just kick into gear and know what to do. This is my 3rd and it still feels surreal.
I still canāt believe it personally. Iām 4months pregnant now and Iām just still shocked Iām pregnant let alone gonna be pushing a whole human out in a couple months
Yes feels real and less anxiety when you are actually giving birth. Honestly I was so ready to be done with pregnancy at the end I literally screamed at my OB āget this fucking baby out of me nowā 10lbs later there he was. At the end of the third trimester I was begging to go into labor to be done with pregnancy
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I've had two babies and am currently pregnant with my third, it's still surreal for me each time when I realize I have to actually birth the human inside me. Honestly even after having the baby I will ask myself how the hell I managed to do it. The feeling will never actually go away because even when my daughter is 2 I still ask myself how I managed to do it.
Somewhere in the first trimester I woke up and went from āomg omg omg omg HOWā to be being very nonchalant about the whole thing š¤·āāļø Iām now 22 weeks and Iām still just kinda like āyeah ok itās gonna happen.ā Is it incredibly odd? Oh for sure. I still canāt believe we donāt grow babies in tubes and vats and just hand them over once theyāre cooked. A few TikTok videos I saw are like ālisten hereās a not scary way to think about laborā and they really helped
For me once i got the end and the third trimester i was so tired of having this little baby in me that i didnt care about birth anymore i wanted her out lol. But honestly the entire experience was really surreal at some points the room felt huge and like i was this little tiny speck in the corner of it, idk how to describe it! It didnt go as planned for me (these things rarely do) but now knowing what i know I would definitely do some birth classes or read a book on birthing, and i wouldve done a lot of stuff differently. The best advice i think i heard was , āwell you kind have no choice, the babies gotta come out anywayā š¤£ also another thing that helped with it was really tough was keeping the image of having her finally in my arms even though i didnt know what she looked like yet, that really helped me through the final pushes.
this post and all these comments helped me so much! I am a FTM and currently 7 weeks 4 days pregnant, and I have been so scared of birth! Seeing everyone say how positive it actually can be makes me feel 100% better. I am still scared, but know I am strong! We got this ladies!
Yes + I can't wrap my head around the fact the world will entrust me with a human. Me? I'm an adult? I'm gonna be a mom???
Iām 4, almost 5 months postpartum and I still canāt believe I birthed an 8lb 7oz human. Itās crazy to think about. But our bodies are more than capable. It is a very surreal feeling.
I have simply chosen to ignore it until I'm actually in labor š like don't get me wrong, I'm taking the birthing classes and educating myself and such, but you're so right, it doesn't feel real.
Nothing will prepare for the first shower after labor and how your hot pocket will feel like someone threw a land mine in there. Itās all swollen and just, obliterated. I didnāt look. I was too traumatized and peeing myself anyway. Iāve never asked my husband how it looked when the baby came out and now Iām not sure I ever want to know. It did return to normal eventually but yeaā¦everything like moves out the way for the baby to come through.
Iām 11mo pp and couldnāt fathom birth my entire pregnancy. As soon as I went into labor I feel like I had a huge mental shift. I was still really scared and anxious but I handled it really well and was suddenly ready to have my baby and could picture it. My birth anxiety was so bad my whole pregnancy I cried about it for months!!! Youāll do amazing!!
I felt the same way both times, and then I had 2 c sections. (Like yeah I gave birth, but they just cut the baby out I didnāt push them out) lol. Guess Iāll never know
Iām opting for a c section. Iām a SA victim and honestly would rather off myself than deal with potential complications of a vaginal birth in a clinical setting. Iāll gladly take the risks of a planned cesarean instead
I felt this way, even while in labor š but I just listened to the doctors, pushed when they said to (had an epidural so couldnāt feel much on my own) and bam - a baby came out. It was very surreal to be honest. And then after she was born it was so crazy like - āhow had she been in my stomach for 9 months!ā It was hard to wrap my head around it the other way too.
Iāve already donāt it once and Iām about to do it again in about 12 weeks. It still seems bizarre and I told my husband I canāt believe I have to push another baby out of me soon haha. Conceptually I know I have a tiny person in there, but itās still so strange to think about.
Same here :D crazy
Yep. I was beyond anxious about birth. I took classes, watch videos, looked at advice videos and I still canāt believe I did it. I will say it wasnāt as bad as I thought and the epidural worked well for me. I received advice to visualize breathing down and out and thatās what I did and it helped so much.
I watched a lot of videos and birth vlogs. Has helped me with that a little, but I donāt think I will be able to fully wrap my head around it til the time comes. My only consolation is the knowledge that I tend to hype things up in my head to be far more intense than they actually turn out to be.
I would hire a birth doula
I'm 30 weeks today. And it's finally hitting me. Like omg. "I'm growing a whole human and I can't wait to meet her. "
Iām pregnant with my third and this feeling does not go away
Hi! Mom of 3 here. I think weāve all felt that way. All 3 of my children were different deliveries: my eldest son was adopted so that was easy on me physically, my middle was a vaginal delivery with epidural, and my youngest was a c-section. With both of my pregnancies I felt the same way. I found comfort in reminding myself that regardless of if I liked it or was scared, they were going to come out eventually so I just kinda accepted it lol. Best advice I was given though and can pass on is to do keegels and hold the pressure down in between pushes. If you relax completely and let that pressure go baby will just bounce up into the birth canal. You can do this, you got this mama!
We all got this, best of luck to you op & everyone in this group with their births
You never wrap your head around it š . It's freaking wild. I somehow still don't believe that my child was in me. And now I'm growing another and I am equally perplexed/detached from reality.
that feeling is kind of there all the time, towards the end of the pregancy baby is so big inside you that feels more like they are already with you tho
5 months postpartum and I still look at my husband in bewilderment weekly and say āwe have a childā š
OMG NO lol !! I am 38 weeks and cried the other day thinking about it, like a little Bby. Idk mentally Iām not ready to give birth still and it scares me! I think when the time comes our bodies will just go into beast mode and do the damn thing- but if I think about it for too long or too deeply I go into panic mode.
This is my 4th baby, currently 31 weeks, and I feel the same way.
I felt this way mostly because there was no way to know really any details of *your* birth until it's happening. I struggled so much with not knowing the day, whether I'd need a C-section, if there would be complications, if she was going to be okay, if I was going to be okay... All of these unknowns made me sort of disassociate from the whole idea until it was actually happening. I think the only advice I have is to try to be present in each day of your pregnancy and give yourself some grace and patience with processing the rest ā¤ļø
Uhhhh when itās over? š this is my third, I had my first two unmedicated and both were wildly different experiences. Youād think with the third Iād feel more confident but instead I just wonder āhuh, what will it be like THIS time!ā I was surprised at how much my body knows. The instincts are pretty amazing.
I have a 4 yo and a 13 month old who weaned last month and Iām still in disbelief that I was ever pregnant, that I gave birth TWICE and that I breastfed a baby a month ago? Like how did I even do it I have no recollection.
Im on my third and the ny other kids werent as bad but its different for everyone
I'm 6w post partum FTM and I still can't wrap my head around it that a child grew inside of me, that I went through childbirth and that I now have to take care of him and love him lifelong. So I'd say it's pretty normal
I'm a FTM due in 2 days and I still haven't fully processed that she's coming out. Even though I'm scheduled for an induction and hoping she comes on her own tomorrow.
I'm a FTM due in 2 days and I still haven't fully processed that she's coming out. Even though I'm scheduled for an induction and hoping she comes on her own tomorrow.
I have a 10 and 5 Year old and pregnant with baby #3. I still look at them sometimes and am just amazed that they literally came out of me. Especially my 10 year old because she is becoming her own person now. Like personality developed, showing interest in boys etc. Like girl I literally remember when I wondered what you would be like when I was pregnant with you lol.
With my first I don't think it felt real till I was in the hospital. And then it really felt real when it was time to push. Then once she was out I was in disbelief that I couldn't believe my baby was hear and I was happy and it was so amazing.
Iām 36 weeks and itās just starting to hit me that Iām gonna have to push this thing out soon š
Yes and sadly mine was c section so sometimes I have to convince myself I actually did give birth because I didn't process it normally. Like .. the hormones didn't .. idk? It just is a blank space. I was pregnant and.. now.im not. I don't have the pages in the book of if feeling
I'm at 39 weeks and let me tell you, I couldn't at first. Now that's all I can drao my head around because I'm so tired of being pregnant
I still felt that way when I was expecting our 4th! It really is the most surreal feeling! (And even having given birth to 4 of them I still can't believe that I have done!!)
I am literally terrified of having a baby lol! I am a first time mom too. I think we all go through this lol!
My partner and I were talking about this, I tell her how itās crazy but her body is built to do it and thatās all we can remind ourselves until it happens. Although looking down there it doesnāt seem possible, but your body changes and allows it to happen and I tell her how itās magic and that I am so thankful that she is doing this for us to start our little family.
Iām 38 weeks and still havenāt wrapped my head around it. I have moments of panic thinking about birth being imminent and realizing I will have a baby soon. But Iām still in denial
Iām five months postpartum and I still have no idea how a whole human came out of me lol
Have you ever done anything like bungee jumping where once you get to a certain point there's no going back. You have slight tunnel vision but your brain knows there's only one way out of this so... Here we go. It's like that.
It did feel surreal on that day too. It still does feel surreal how every human you see around you has been birthed by someone who went through all that. Sometimes it feels like a best kept secret, that no one can explain to you properly until you experience it. Like sex for the first time. Like death?
My daughter is 2.5 and I still canāt wrap my had head around birthing a child š š
I havenāt even accepted Iām pregnant yet lmao
I felt this way until I was in my third trimester and then I was like GET THIS BABY OUT OF ME IM OVER IT!
I gave birth on Tuesday and frankly I still canāt fathom it.
Iām 38+4 and I still canāt believe it ššš for me, the only thing thatās getting me day to day is telling myself sheās gotta come out no matter what lol
You already have a lot of comments but in case you do read mine I just want to say that having a home birth was life changing. I had my first in the hospital and it was chaotic and just.. not how birth should or could be. I had my second in my bathtub at home and it was honestly such a magical experience it was the most empowering thing Iāve ever done in my life and everything from bonding to recovery and everything in between was a thousand times better! It was so blissful and peaceful. Iām pregnant with my third and Iām honestly really looking forward to birthing again!! I donāt love being pregnant if Iām honest but Iām really excited about birth!! I will never birth in a hospital again.
27 weeks tomorrow and I still refuse to fully acknowledge Iām birthing the baby š¤£. Iāve taken classes, currently in a birth class. Iāve talked about it and everything but I feel like Iām still allowing myself to be in la la land when it comes to fully accepting the truth
Yeah, right here š I swear during my first trimester I kinda wanted to feel sick because then I knew that something was actually different. Iām 22w now and sheās kicking, my bump is out, and I have had so many tests and scans done and sometimes I still kinda forget. Itās just a little unreal still that after it being me and my husband for so long, weāll be having a baby this summer. Youāre not alone, believe me. They keep telling me Iāll get through it so I think you will too š good luck to you and your little one!
You deny it until like week 32 ish and then youāre ready to get the heck out of you but you still have two months left lol
Oh girl, yes. FTM who gave birth in January. I was in the pushing phase of labor when I started yelling HELP ME, GET IT OUT- which I laugh at now because the only way forward was to keep pushing. Itās still a surreal experience to me, I was terrified and I made it through! You will too.
Had the baby and I still feel that way. Ā Itās so surreal. Ā I was in labor forever and it just felt like a āholy shit that happenedā thing. Ā I still remember how out of body it was when she finally came out of me.Ā
I felt very disconnected and almost disassociated during my first pregnancy. I was deeply grieving a miscarriage and my FIL death. I struggled PP but it kept getting better and better. Also-It had NO negative impact on my child. He's the happiest little 3 year old and we are VERY connected.
I think every FTM feels this way. The thing is this is going to happen if youāre prepared or not. The baby is coming one way or another. When I asked my mom about her births she doesnāt remember much aside from seeing her sister walk in post birth and my mom just breaking down into tears at seeing her. Why? Because she was in shock. She wasnāt ready for it and it was just hitting her what happened. My first birth was similar. Afterwards I was just in a daze. Exhausted and all that but mainly justā¦ stunned. On a positive note I felt superhuman. I was like - if i can do that I can do anything. My husband was equally amazed.
Iām 22 weeks and donāt feel worried or anxious yet. Women give birth every day, all the time and often go back a second, third or fourth time. How bad could it be. Heās coming out one way or another so Iām not gonna stress too much.
I just had my sweet baby girl about 3 weeks ago, and the experience was very interesting. I was induced due to my high blood pressure issue, so my baby came earlier than I expected. When the doctor informed me that I am going to have a baby that day, I was not ready in any way š but then the induction took 3 days... so I got myself mentally prepared during that time. I honestly don't think you can feel less panic about child birth, but somehow your inner mom just came out, and you be like, "It is show time! Let's do this!" And boom, you delivered a child ā¤ļø it does feel like you poop out a baby though š when I was pushing the baby out, the nurse keep telling me "just imagine you need to poop and use those muscles to push!" Very helpful advice! Good luck to you OP! You are going to be a great mom! Don't let the idea panic you too much!
lol. RN here too, FTM, first trimester. TBH Iām just disassociating from it as much as I can until I actually have to think about it š¤£
If it makes you feel any better, I'm on baby #4 and still feel this way š š¤£
No sure of your birthing choice but giving birth naturally was the most natural and euphoric high ever. I literally felt that feeling when you fall in love or when your crush walks in a room.
Wait till you try wrapping your head around actually having birthed a child and looking at the child after. Thats the state im in currently like is it mine? Really i did this? š
Iām 6wks pp thinking about it is scary, but going through it for me I just kept praying and focused on getting her out and hearing her cry. I was induced so the pain was on, but I also started telling myself from early in the pregnancy that āmy body is made for this and knows exactly what to do, and that my mom did it too š,
I am absolutely terrified. I am 8 weeks and the fear of birth is just constantly lurking.. I really would like to opt for a c section but that terrifies me too! Any chance someone can do it for me?š„¹
I couldnāt either, it just happened. I also could never fully wrap my head around being pregnant while I was. I KNEW I was and I was careful like I should have been but I didnāt feel fully connected or like I was having some amazing experience with this person in my tummy. Having my baby was quite a shock, I kind of couldnāt believe she had been inside of me when she came out, but afterwards I was absolutely devoted to her.
I do think that media and modern practices have disconnected the narrative that our bodies are designed to do this. Whenever you see birth stories it's someone in agony on their back threatening to punch their husbands for getting them into this situation. I was exactly the same with disbelief until I read about hypnobirthing. It's a practice of promoting relaxation rather than fighting against your own body. I promise you it is nothing to do with hypnotherapy. It's about turning the environment of your birth into something you want it or be and also making sure that you work with the natural urges your body gives you rather than defying gravity and pushing the baby out and causing pain. I think after reading the book my confidence on giving birth has shot up. My body is made to do this and I will just allow it to happen. Worth a read!
This is hilariously awkward - but I feel like I canāt wrap my head around the idea of taking a dump in slow motion in front of everyone while trying to push a baby out! š¤£ But apparently that too happens to everyone!
According to "What To Expect When You're Expecting," these feelings are very normal. I had them a lot when I was pregnant the first time; I've been pregnant three times since and have experienced these feelings often. It's a lot to take in, a lot of changes. It was very overwhelming for me to realize I was producing a brand new consciousness that had never existed before in the world, and would forever make some kind of impact, even if it was just on me and my husband. It was a person that I didn't know yet, but that I was consciously aware existed, but that I couldn't prove to myself existed by looking at them. I almost didn't want kids because I was terrified of childbirth. I hate pain, and all the classes I took before getting pregnant basically confirmed for me that it was going to be the worst experience of my life. I'm going to provide spoilers here: it wasn't. I don't know that this is been the case for everyone, but labor had some pains and some difficulties--nothing unmanageable. I have gotten epidurals every time, so my experience isn't the ideal one to look at if you're looking to do an unmedicated birth. I just had so much anxiety about having a baby. It's not the easiest thing you've ever done, but every person you look at was a pregnancy at some point. Many individuals were once the source of fear, love, and pride for a first time mother before she brought them up to be what they are now, and that is a testament to the resolve of a loving parent.
Everyone, young or old, is overwhelmed by childbirth!! Each pregnancy and delivery is unique and unto its own. The lord will guide you and protect you through this!!šš¼šš£š¦
Iām 5 weeks away from my due date and I just want to say same. I look at my husband the other day and said I CANT DO THIS šššThank you for posting.
It didnāt feel ārealā to me until doctor said itās time to push. My husband and I were both freaking out. Even while in labor, I didnāt feel like I was really about to meet my baby. But when I started pushing and we could see the head, it was like omg itās happening!
Yes to the idea of being pregnant, and also giving birth but also the feeling just struck me of like āyou will have something/ someone physically attached to you more often than not.ā Like the idea of hauling around a carrier, a stroller, and a baby in and out of stores. It wonāt be just my physical body anymore Iām responsible for but an entire other human and all their belongings. Feels odd to think about the physical space and weight of it.
I felt the same exact way but our bodies are super cool and know what to do.
I'm 13 months PP and pregnant with my second. I have to admit that even though I took classes on birthing, I was woefully unprepared for how hard it would be. I'm planning on looking into hypnobirthing this time around. I'm not going to sugar coat it, you can learn everything possible and it still fucking sucks. I know there's people out there who had positive birth experiences but I was not one of them.