Fear of childbirth

There are many reasons why you may feel scared or worried about childbirth. You may have fears about:

• the unknown
• pain
• birth injury (harm to your baby during birth)
• not making it to the hospital in time
• interventions during labour
• bowel movements during birth
• a previous difficult birth experience

Fear of the unknown

Fear of giving birth can come from not knowing what is going to happen. Every labour is different. It can be hard to prepare when you are unsure what is going to happen.

Speak to your doctor and midwife about your birth choices and preferences. They can assist you in making a flexible birth plan and help you to prepare.

Your birth plan might include:

• whether you would like or not like a medical intervention
• who you would like at the birth with you
• if you want to stay active during your labour
• what position you would prefer for labour and birth

Pain

You might be worried about the pain of childbirth. There are different types of pain-relief that can be used during labour.

There are non-medical and medical pain management methods. Your doctor or midwife can discuss the different options with you before labour. If you are informed and involved in decision-making, you may feel more confident. This can help you feel more in control and cope better with labour.

You can change your mind about pain-relief during labour. Your doctor and midwife will support you in making a decision that is right for you at the time.

Birth injury

You may be worried about a birth injury, such as a tear to your perineum.

Midwives, doctors and nurses will be there to look after you. Your healthcare team will support you before, during and after your birth.

Read more about looking after your body after having a baby.

Not making it to the hospital in time

You may be worried about labour going quickly. The first stage of labour may take longer than you expect, so there is usually plenty of time to get to the hospital.

Very few births in Australia occur outside a hospital or birth centre. However, sometimes this happens when a baby comes early.

If you are planning a hospital birth it can be helpful to plan what to do if labour starts early:

• Make sure you have the telephone number for the hospital's maternity unit or delivery suite handy.
• Call the hospital's maternity unit or delivery suite if you think you are in labour. They will let you know when to come into hospital.
• Have your hospital bag packed and ready to go.
• Know how you will get to the hospital.

Interventions during labour

Sometimes your baby will need help to be born for their or your safety. Your doctor or midwife may recommend an intervention, such as:

• a caesarean section
• an episiotomy (a cut that widens the vaginal opening and makes more space for your baby to be born)
• an assisted birth

You might find it helpful to:

• talk to your healthcare team
• go to antenatal classes
• read educational material

Your healthcare team can help you understand your options before giving birth. This can help you feel empowered and confident in your decisions.

Having a bowel movement (pooping) during birth

You may have heard that people can unintentionally poo and wee during childbirth. Many people do not even notice when this happens to them. However, it is common — your doctor and midwife have seen it all before. They will handle it discreetly.

A previous difficult birth experience

A new pregnancy can bring up emotions about your previous birth experiences.

This may occur if you have previously had:

• a traumatic birth experience
• a miscarriage
• a stillbirth
• a termination of pregnancy (abortion)
• fertility challenges
• neonatal death
  
  

It can help if you talk about these feelings with your doctor and midwife before childbirth. They can guide you to the right sort of support.

Your healthcare team can provide trauma-informed care that will recognise the impacts of your previous experiences.

If you are feeling worried or anxious about your birth, it will help to prepare both mentally and physically.

Some strategies that may help you manage your fears around childbirth include:

• exercising
• becoming well informed and learning about childbirth options
• attending antenatal classes
• visiting a maternity ward
• practising meditation (Opens in new tab) or yoga (Opens in new tab)
• practising relaxation techniques (Opens in new tab)
• preparing a birth plan

It can also help to talk with someone who you trust, such as:

• a counsellor
• your midwife
• your doctor
• your partner
• other parents
• family members

For a very small number of people, fear of childbirth can become overwhelming. This is called tokophobia. There are two types of tokophobia:

• Primary tokophobia — this usually develops during childhood and refers to a fear of pregnancy or childbirth with no experience of it.
• Secondary tokophobia — this develops following a traumatic pregnancy or birth experience.

Some people experience mental health conditions (Opens in new tab) during or after pregnancy, such as:

• antenatal anxiety
• depression
• post-traumatic stress disorder (Opens in new tab) (PTSD)

If you think you are experiencing tokophobia or a mental health condition related to childbirth, it’s important to know you’re not alone. Help is available.

If you are feeling fearful and overwhelmed, or your fears are affecting your life, contact:

• your doctor
• PANDA (Opens in new tab) on 1300 726 306
• Beyond Blue (Opens in new tab) on 1300 22 4636

Your midwife or your local Child and Family Health Centre can also help you after you have had your baby. They will be able to refer you to other supports if needed.  

Languages other than English

The Royal Women’s Hospital (Opens in new tab) site offers fact sheets in multiple languages. (Opens in new tab)

The Health Translations (Opens in new tab) page has information on topics such as:

• anxiety in pregnancy (Opens in new tab)
• epidural pain relief during labour (Opens in new tab)
• premature birth (Opens in new tab)