journal prompts for releasing fear

Pregnancy is a time to release your fear and dream big. This is especially important because our culture is full of scary narratives about birth.

From screaming at your partner like in Friends or Knocked Up, to …the Game of Thrones birth scenes. If you have images of birth in your mind, which you do unless you’ve consumed no media in your life, they are probably negative. Or at least false.

I’ll leave the false ideas for another post (like my colleague who said she didn’t believe she was in labor until she was really far along because she thought your water had to break before you were in labor, and all because of the Cone Heads movie - iykyk) Or better yet, take a birth class.

But right now, I have some journal prompts for your pregnancy that can help you begin to envision the birth you really desire.

1. How do I want to feel during birth? (not how do I think I will feel, but what’s my wildest dream here?)

2. What preconcieved narratives/ideas do I have about birth?

3. Where did I get these narratives/ideas from? Are they mine or were they given to me by someone else?

4. How do I want to feel after my baby is born?

I hope these questions can really open you up to any thoughts/feelings that might be bubbling just below the surface.

Most importantly, if you’re currently on a trajectory that doesn’t align with how you want to feel during birth or after your baby is born, it’s never too late to change. Talk to your doula (hopefully me!) about how to get what you want from birth.