It’s probably fair to say that most women, when they’re pregnant, are a bit apprehensive about the birth. I know I was! Especially when it’s your first pregnancy, it’s totally normal to feel worried or even a bit scared about what childbirth will be like.

But my guest on this episode – blogger and comedian Jess Jones aka The Fat Funny One – developed such a fear of giving birth, during her first pregnancy, she was diagnosed with Tokophobia.

Tokophobia is an irrational and extreme fear of childbirth, and although it’s a very rare mental health condition, it can leave sufferers reluctant to get pregnant, or if – like Jess – they’re pregnant when it develops, it can result in panic attacks, anxiety and more.

Jess talks to me about what it feels like, how it manifested itself and how she approached subsequent pregnancies in a way that tackled the Tokophobia.

You can find out more about Tokophobia here, follow Jess on Instagram and buy tickets for her comedy tour. We talk about The Positive Birth Company, Milli Hill and Mars Lord in the episode.

Not Another Mummy Podcast is brought to you by me, journalist and blogger Alison Perry. I'm a mum of three and I love interviewing people on parenthood on the podcast. Go check out my other episodes and you can come chat to me on Instagram: @iamalisonperry or on Twitter: @iamalisonperry

Recorded at: Acast Studio, London
Music: Epidemic Sound
Artwork: Eleanor Bowmer For information regarding your data privacy, visit acast.com/privacy