This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

Have you been digging deep through numerous google searches and Pinterest pins looking for ways to manage your pain during natural childbirth? After everything you read and heard from friends, are you still coming out afraid of what’s to come when your due date hits?

Most women develop intense pain during childbirth simply due to fear. Yes, FEAR! Fear alone is the number one factor for why women develop pain during childbirth.  

It doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to come out of childbirth saying it was the most painful thing you have ever experienced.

Continue reading to learn how to be fearless during childbirth and how I was able to change my mindset in such a way to come out of 4 natural childbirths with little to no pain.

Have You Ever Experienced Pain Before? 

Have you ever participated in a really hard workout where your muscles were burning? Yeah, it hurt for a bit, but really, it didn’t hurt. It was a burning pain that you are used to when working out. You know the pain will go away shortly and it’s no big deal.

Or maybe your muscle are sore after an intense workout and you develop delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) for two days. It’s hard to squat to get into your car, your dog jumps on your belly and you can’t handle the excessive weight and pressure of him lying on your lap from the intense muscle soreness.

Or maybe you accidentally pulled a muscle doing something crazy that you shouldn’t have been doing, like participating in a mud-run. Your pulled muscle probably hurt for about a week or two, right?

Pain Is Only Temporary

These are all good examples of how pain can arise and it will eventually go away. It’s tolerable if you want it to be, it’s not life threatening, and it’s inevitable that the pain will not be with you for the rest of your life. It’s temporary.

Now let’s take this kind of mindset and apply it to natural childbirth.

Related: Do You Know The 7 P’s For Successful Childbirth

 Natural childbirth can be accomplished in a pain-free state of mind. Pain is perception. Some people have high pain tolerance and some have low. No matter what pain tolerance you think you have, let’s retrain our bodies to tolerate all pain.

What Does It Feel Like During Childbirth?

Go ahead and hold up both of your arms and hold it for as long as you can straight out in front of you.

Eventually your arms will begin to burn and it will be uncomfortable.

That’s what your natural childbirth experience can feel like if you want it to.

During childbirth, your body is contracting the same way your arms are creating a contraction to hold your hands in the air. It’s a constant contraction, which is called an isometric contraction (muscle contraction without actual movement of the limb).

You will have a series of contractions that typically cause pain (according to the average woman), but do you think you can tolerate the feeling of a contraction (are you different than the average woman)?

It might sound silly, but when I delivered my 4 babies naturally, I actually imagined myself in an intense workout program (like P90X, Insanity or something along those lines! You get the idea).

Related: Physical Therapy Recommended: 6 Best Exercises To Get You Ready For Labor & Delivery | VIDEO  

I wasn’t afraid of childbirth, I wasn’t afraid of the pain, I just prepared my mind to think I was going to go through the hardest workout of my life, contraction after contraction and so on.

Parker Baby Diaper Backpack – Large Diaper Bag with Insulated Pockets

Fixate Your Mind On Something Other Than Pain

Keeping your mind fixated on something other than the pain is what helped me the most. Like looking at family photos or listening to music (I love the song “Fix My Eyes” by For King and Country) 

I focused on the contraction and how that contraction is moving my baby down more. Each contraction was another step further to delivering my baby.

I focused on my cervix dilating and expanding wide enough for the baby to make her way out.

And I focused on my strength and abilities to do what the doctors and nurses wanted me to do.

They were my trainers, and I was being motivated to PUSH!

You can do the same. Think about what motivates you. Have you ever been in an intense workout and your trainer or class instructor kept pushing you even though you wanted to quit? Did you keep going? That’s the mindset you need for natural childbirth.

Persistence and Drive!

Fearless and Determined!

Motivated and Unstoppable!

Strong and Powerful!

Stamina and Tolerance!

Able and Resilient!

This is who you need to be on the day you deliver your baby.

Compression Socks For Swelling – 15-20 mmHg 

What Does The Bible Say About Fear?

“Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” -Isaiah 41:10

“For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” -2 Timothy 1:7

“I sought the Lord, and he answered me and delivered me from all my fears.” -Psalm 34:4

Beautiful Word Bible, NIV

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can flesh do to me?” -Psalm 56:3-4

“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.” -Psalm 56:3

Things To Remember 

Things to remember on delivery day:

• Be fearless
• Avoid focusing on the pain
• Focus on your muscles contracting and working towards a purpose – pushing your baby out
• Focus on your cervix relaxing and dilating
• The contraction will not last forever
• The contraction is not meant to be painful, but rather just a contraction
• You are strong and able
• Keep working hard to get to the finish line
• Your body was made for this
• Focus your attention on the end goal in mind – holding your baby

Baby Bump Exercise Birth Ball

Sometimes Things Change

I want you to know that it’s ok if you end up going into labor and your birhtplan changes. You might have every intention of going to the hospital wanting a natural child birth and something happens to divert your plans.

You don’t have to feel ashamed. I want you to know that your efforts, epidural or not, during childbirth are all rewarded. Childbirth is a miracle, and no matter what happens during your childbirth experience, you are an amazing woman and you are going to be the most amazing mom! 

 Related: 15 Mom Bloggers Give Their Best Advice For New Moms

Fear Is Only What You Make It To Be

The more you know the less you will be afraid. I highly recommend reading The 7 P’s For Successful Childbirth, which will help you to feel more confident and prepared going into delivery day.

As for many other things in life, if you know what to expect and you have a good understanding of something, you are significantly less likely to be afraid of that thing. Take a birthing class and learn The 7 P’s, and you will be on your way to a successful childbirth.

I know you probably have a lot more questions as I only skimmed the surface of natural childbirth. Please leave a comment or question below so I know how else I can further help you on this topic. I would love to hear from you. What are your fears, what are you most unsure about?

 Keep Smiling,

Dr. Jena Bradley, DPT

This post contains affiliate links. For more information, see my disclosures here.

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