Today we had a very interesting discussion on natural childbirths. It made me think deeply about some of the conversations I keep having with expectant mothers on how to overcome the fear of labour.I think as doctors we focus very little on the psychological preparation of the expectant mother.May be we need to have support from counsellors and childbirth educators for giving more time and understanding the mother----to hear her story! We need to tell our mothers that labour is a kind of  physiologically monitored physical and psychological strenuous event in their lives which they have to deal with like any other challenging phase in their lives. They should practice regular meditation and focussed concentration breathing to divert their minds away from unfounded fear. There is nothing to fear when you are surrounded by relatives and health professionals you trust .Like they say what you believe in actually happens ,so believe in your body,mind and the ability to birth your own baby because nature has made us that way.