It's normal to be scared You'll start to relax and become more excited as time passes. Right now you're in shock and freak out mode.

I think your feelings are completely valid and pretty normal.

I had my first pregnancy before I was ready. I didn't have fears for the same reasons as you (watching anyone give birth) but I did have huge fears about being responsible for life and bringing it into a pretty crazy world.

My suggestion is to take things one step at a time. Definitely talk to your doctor about your anxiety, because stress is unhealthy anyway, but especially during pregnancy. Perhaps your OB can direct you to someone else to talk to if you would be comfortable with some therapy to help navigate irrational fears from normal ones and cope through all of it.

My two cents and words of wisdom- once you let the cat out of the bag EVERYONE and I mean EVERYONE will have advice for you (see, I don't even know you and I have advice) Every MIL, SIL, MOM etc. know everything and you know nothing and they will make sure you hear about it. God forbid when you actually look pregnant if you go get an ice cream cone on a hot day, watch out, strangers will tell you all kinds of crap. Everything from you should eat this, will you breastfeed, in my day..... just remember that most of them mean well, but ultimately this baby is YOURS and YOUR responsibility and you get to raise it however well you damn please, do what feels right, ask advice from people you trust and know aren't judgmental and treat parenting like the Olympics.

Listen, I am A LOT like you. Very scared of pain, of "what if's" etc. I really wanted a baby though and figured that if millions of people do it and survive then I could do it. during my pregnancy I tried to prepare myself for anything! I read all of these birth stories and trust me some scared the crap out of me!! I was scared about sex after a baby being like "throwing a hot dog down a tunnel" I flipped flopped around the whole 9 months months, between scared, excited, terrified, happy.

All the freaking reading and obsessing did nothing to prepare me for what my birth experience was. you will laugh!
My water broke at 12:15 in the morning and I never had BS until 52 hours later. sounds scary right? Nope... my problem was my water broke, but I never really went into labor. So it was literally 52 hours of sheer boredom, no labor pains, nurses doting on me, DH doting on me, texts, phone calls from friends and family etc. It was like a mini vaca! They tried everything and nothing worked so finally had a C-Section. the C-Section was cake, no biggie, you don't feel or see a thing. Obviously you are sore a few days after, but I was walking around the mall with DH and BS exactly a week later.

I guess my point is, yes there are tons of things that could go wrong, BUT everything could go right too! And trust me, once you have that precious little child in your arms, you will completely forget about any pain!

I feel the exact same.

I am about 6/7weeks pregnant & I worry about labor as if it will be tomorrow.

I just find peace in the hospital where I deliver, I can call them when I'm on the way & as long as I am progressing I can go striaght to the epidural LOL.

As far the baby growing inside of me, that brings me great joy. But I'm sure a therapist could help you with this.

Consider telling your husband. He may be able to help your feelings about it too.

You'll be a great mom. The fact that you're worried about what kind of mom you'll be just makes me feel you'll be awesome at it.

(hugs) & congrats. This is the happy time, enjoy it!

I had the same feelings.
I ended up saying I would rather have a baby any day than be pregnant for 9 months. I had an epidural

There is always the possibilty that you will have an easy labor. I was only in full labor (contractions) for 2 1/2 hours (my water broke 4 hours before that) and I didnt have an epidural. I was very scared of the pain as well and am "a baby" about pain at times, but I survived. Yes it hurt, but it doesn't last forever. Plus there are the options of drugs to help with the pain.

I did a lot of walking while I was pregnant and I think this helped my labor.

Congrats It will all work out. These fears are normal. But please consider talking to a therapist or someone about this.

GET DRUGS if you don't want to be traumatized, seriously. It was my personal experience and I was in so much pain I couldn't talk- when they offered me drugs, it was too late. I had to ride it out. I had 2 1/2 times the amniotic fluid so she was literally floating around and wouldn't crown. I pushed for 5 hours. It was hard, painful beyond belief and exhausting doesn't even describe it after pushing for so long. IF I ever have another child, I will pitch a tent at the hospital when it's getting close bc I would never do it without drugs again if I have a choice.

It is true though, when you see that beautiful face you created you will love more then you even thought possible and ALL the pain really is worth it. You will be fine

Everyone is different! I chose to have both natural no painkillers, that was my personal choice. Was it painful? Sure, take menstrual cramps x5 but I wanted natural I knew and was prepared for the pain and knew I could handle it and worse comes to worse I could beg for drugs lol. I labored for 6 hard hours with both 1st I pushed 5 times, 2nd I pushed 3. The pain was so worth the elation upon birth I barely remember it hurting.
Do I think everyone should go that route no! everyone should make their own choice. I've been present at a total of 12 births, 2 of them c-sections (not for the faint of heart) I've personally physically delivered 3 during my internship the rest were my 2 friends and my DOULA clients. No a single one was the same, everyone's pain threshold is different and they all made a variety of choices on how to manage that pain and experience. Don't let fear paralyze you, get informed.

Sounds like you've developed a phobia. On one level you sense it's irrational. You can get some support to take the edges off the fear.

I found understanding the changes to my body throughout pregnancy and labour much more helpful than the tips to treat myself to pretty underwear or go get a pregnancy photoshoot. Gag me.

Practically speaking, I had an epidural and I felt everything. It took the pain down to a really bad period level. Some women get epidurals and feel nothing. Some women go au naturel - I planned to as well but I had a very painful labour, I have a fear of pain, and it was going on for a long time. I eventually panicked and my husband, who remained sane, suggested and supported the epidural. And for me it was the right choice.

I suggest a good midwife or doula. Where I live, a midwife is essentially an OB so I would only have seen her while actually delivering the baby. I opted for a doula, who does not provide medical support, only emotional support and tips/experience to help. I am so grateful to that woman. It was nice to have someone with us all the time, to make sure my husband and I ate, to coach my husband, to hold a cool washcloth to my head.

My labour was more than 24 hours. A friend of mine was in the shower, her back started to ache, and the baby started crowning. 20 minutes later he was born. You just don't know where you sit on the discomfort/pain spectrum until you're in it.

I think you'll do fine, once you get some help for the fear. And the delivery is scary, like I said, I panicked too. But then it's over. And then the real worries begin, because you'll have a child now. And that's never over.

First of all Congratulations! Unlike yourself I was thrilled about having a baby but that is because it took forever to get pregnant. the first 30 weeks was great until I realized that this baby has to come out sometime at which time I was scared out of my mind. I talked to my mom and bawled about it. What if it took hours and hours of awful pain, what if I can't get an epidural right away, or at all. What my mom told me made me feel better just because I knew I wasn't alone, she said that when she went in to have my older sister she told the nurse she changed her mind and she didn't want to have a baby anymore. It is normal to be scared, I am not sure anyone is truly excited over the labor and physical delivery. The advances in medicine to stop the pain is great as is the support you receive. Plus by the time you are full term you will be begging the baby to come out. You will be walking like crazy, and trying anything you can to start labor, and any pain that comes will be worth it. To say you will be fine is an understatement but remember you can always come here to talk or find an online pregnancy forum where you will find women dealing will very similiar issues.