Katarina Rodriguez shares having pre-labor anxiety, advices 'talk to other moms'

Katarina Rodriguez opened up about having pre-labor anxiety before giving birth to her second child.

On Instagram Wednesday, the Miss World Philippines 2018 titleholder said “something I never thought I’d go through” happened on New Year’s Eve.

“My mind went somewhere dark and scary. Although my first birth experience was amazing, I had [or] have been having anxiety and fear of the labor to come,” she wrote in the caption.

As there were numerous things that were triggering her, Katarina said she’s been going to the hospital daily and eventually checked in since “I felt safer.”

Katarina said she is due to give birth on January 19 and assured that her bundle of joy is doing okay. In fact, she could sometimes even hear her saying “Mom, relax. We got this!” inside her tummy.

“It's me, I am the problem. My mind was spiraling to so many unnecessary thoughts and I felt like my vision was clouded, literally and figuratively,” she said.

“I had never felt fear at this caliber before. I was just so scared to give birth again,” she added. “Luckily, my little girl somehow comforted me. I suppose knowing she's doing good made me feel secure.”

As she waits for the big day, Katarina took the time to thank her fellow moms who experienced or are having the same problem. She also wants conversations on this to be normalized.

“I have drawn strength and bravery from each of you,” she said. “I want other mothers out there who might be experiencing the same thing I did to know, you are not alone.”

“Talk to other moms, shut out anything that might trigger you and remember, we are so much stronger than we think we are. Rise above your fears as many other women have before you and will after you.”

Katarina announced her second pregnancy with Niño Barbers à la Britney Spears in October 2022 - a year after she gave birth to Quino in August 2021. -- BAP, GMA Integrated News