At some point while laboring in the tub, I turned so that my belly was pointing up and I felt
the strangest popping sensation, like a balloon had just shot out of me.
Then, a
sensation such as
popping ears due to increasing altitude, a stomach drop due to turbulence, or feeling smothered in the recycled air can all contribute to catastrophic thoughts of losing control, dying, or simply being trapped in a metal tube for hours with hundreds of
strangers, a surefire way to jump - start a panic attack.