psychological factors impacting on labour/birth

[fi1980]

I'm expecting my second baby, a boy and am very excited to meet him!

My first preg was easy and uncomplicated and I felt good throughout. However, I didn't go into labour and was induced with a posterior baby (ouch!) which ended in quick c/s due to fetal distress. I was very upset and disappointed as I had very much wanted a natural birth.

After DD was born I got a bit of PND and found that issues from my childhood which I happily ignored pre-baby really came back to bite me on the bum I have been struggling and trying to work through this ever since. Needless to say this preg is much more emotional than the first.

Anyway, it has only been recently that I started to wonder if I had some sort of 'psychological block' that interfered with me going into labour naturally first time around. I know that many women don't go into labour naturally and there is not necessarily any reason for this and babies come when they are ready etc. But as I'm thinking about this more I realise that I really am very closed off in some ways and that maybe this was a factor in my first labour & birth. Perhaps I wasn't really ready to open up and be receptive to these things happening to my body?

I'm hoping that working through some issues and preparing myself mentally will put me in a much better position to be able to have the VBAC I want.

So I'm wondering, how much of an impact do you think psychological factors might have on a woman going into labour naturally and successfully having a natural birth?

[littlelara]

So you think that psychological factors prevented you from going onto labour in the first place?
Fwiw becoming a mum did the same for me and forced me to work through a bunch of stuff I'd happily suppressed before.
Suddenly those old avoidance techniques are no longer available and there's nowhere else to go. You need to sort through and unpack it all eventually (the only way out is through, as they say).
It's hard, but I believe it's made me s better mum.
I hope you get your vbac

[Traveller]

I completely agree that psychological factors can block people going into a labour. In times of war, women will often not give birth during evacuations from their home or battles, until they have reached somewhere safe. Also stressed or scared women will often labour less effectively, hence why homebirths are so successful as women labour better at home where they feel comfortable and safe. However I would dispute this

I know that many women don't go into labour naturally

because all women will labour given enough time. Yes there are debates about how long is safe for a pregnancy to continue, but all women will eventually go into labour if left alone. In cases of induction, often babies are not in the right position to be born and therefore the induction is very likely to fail as the body will resist the process.

I would recommend you look into hypnobirthing or calmbirthing classes in preparation for your next labour as they will deal with the importance of having your mind prepared for labour as well as your body. Good luck

[belle75]

Wow! I've been wondering the same - your story sounds so like mine! Had a long long (42hr) labour with DD1. She was posterior and ended up with forceps delivery. I just kept thinking "I'm not ready for this". I was doing really really well for the first half of my pregnancy, then had mum come stay with us at 22wks and it all went downhill from there. She lives overseas and seeing her (after 5yrs) brought back a lot of deep-seated and very painful memories for me. I got PND at around 8months and nearly had a mental breakdown just before DD's first birthday. I just couldn't shake off the past. It was as if I was feeling the pain all over again and my muscles/body was literally shutting down. I strongly believe it had a lot to do with my experience of labour.

This time around, I am finding it really difficult to bond with bub. Read "Ina May's - guide to childbirth". It has some excellent points on dealing with emotional blocks to labouring. I found meditation also helped me heaps. I lost track with my first pregnancy after mum's arrival (and getting whooping cough, losing my dog at the same time). this time I am trying to find meditation methods (in particular visualising how I want my labour to go and telling my body to do what I know it can). It also helps to stay away from trigger factors (for me, my mum ..long story). Spoke to her last night to tell her about my pregnancy and had another relapse!

Dealing with deep-seated emotions is never easy - especially difficult while pregnant. But I believe it does more harm not to deal with stuff. Pregnancy brings out all suppressed memories. I learnt the hard way. Stay strong and try to get as much support as you can (especially from your partner) from family, friends, professional support if you need it.

Sorry for rambling on ( and possibly deviating away from the topic!), but Yes.. to answer your question - I do think psychological factors have a role to play in labour.

[fi1980]

Thanks everyone for your replies

littlelara - yes I wonder if even though I wasn't fully conscious of it at the time these issues did provide a block and prevented or delayed me going into to labour. You are right, the only way out is to go through it and I guess that's way we avoid things for so long, because going under, over or around is much easier than going through! I'm really glad to hear that you have worked through some stuff and feel that you are a better mum because of it.

Traveller - thank you for the information, I had often wondered what happend to women intimes of crises etc. And you are right about all women going in to labour, I guess what I mean is that a lot of women don't go into labour naturally within our idea of a 'normal time frame'.

belle75 - it was amazing to read your post and see the similarities! I have actually just started reading Ina May's book! From what I have read so far it is very inspiring and reassuring and I'm sure I will read some of those beautiful birth stories over and over to help me stay focused and positive and believe that I can do it. I really hope that you can stay strong and focused and have a much better birth outcome this time as well, from your attitude I can see that you are already half way there so I'm sure things will work out for you, but I wish you the best of luck hun!

[belle75]

Hoping for a positive outcome for us both hun. Thank you for your positive words. We CAN have that beautiful birth we dream of.