| Anxiety and Pregnancy |
| Written by Kathy Moran | |
|
After all, every hormone in your body is doing the Highland fling and your body is changing in ways you’d never think possible before pregnancy. There are so many things to think about and pay attention to that it is quite easy to get overly concerned at times. You are trying to make sure that you are eating and drinking right, not only for your own health but also for the health of your baby. You are probably concerned over the exercise you need to be getting. On top of everything else you need to get so much ready for the baby itself. Things like a corner of the house for all that furniture and other things the baby requires-and actual space for the baby too! Decisions need to be made on important things such as formula feeding or breast feeding-pacifiers or no pacifiers-feeding on a time schedule or on demand. Dealing With Anxiety During PregnancyWith all these decisions to be made and your hormones going crazy, of course you are going to have some anxious moments. The best way to ease your stress and anxiety is to talk to other people about what’s bothering you, especially someone that has already gone through pregnancy a few times.The best people to talk to are: your mother, your friends, and to keep the channels of communication open, your husband. He might even be feeling some stress and anxiety himself. If the stress and anxiety get so bad that it is taking over the biggest part of your day and you’re feeling depressed or very sad about everything then it is time to talk to your healthcare professional about it all. Anxiety and the BabyWhen you get overly stressed and your anxiety hits a high level it can cause problems not only for you but for your baby as well. Stress and anxiety could cause an early labor and birth. It could also cause a low birth weight baby. So seeing your healthcare professional at this point is a must.Take Care Of YourselfBefore you get to that point, one of the things you can do to cut down on your stress and anxiety is to make yourself your priority. Take time to pay attention to your mental and physical needs. Start taking care of your needs by saying the word “no” a little more often.Try doing a few less things during the day and using the time to sit with your feet up, or lying down for a short nap. If you are employed, make sure to take your breaks on schedule and see if you can arrange to take those breaks sitting or lying down for a few minutes. Also, if you can, try taking a few sick or vacation days towards the end of the pregnancy. You can try deep breathing, yoga or swimming to help you relax. Walking is also good for your moods and physical well being. Don’t forget you will need extra sleep during your pregnancy because your body is working so hard. Go to bed early and get the sleep you need. One thing you need to be aware of is too much information. There is so much info about pregnancy. This includes books, internet websites, and your friend’s stories. Some pretty hairy pregnancy stories exist and some of them may be true and many are exaggerated. It does not do you any good to read or hear these stories. Many are about things that will have a very slim chance, if any, of ever happening to you. But hearing these stories may cause your stress and anxiety level to shoot sky high. So do not read or listen to these kinds of stories. Keep your equilibrium and stay within your stress free zone. If you find yourself out of that stress free zone and headed for deep anxiety, seek out that healthcare professional and get the help you need pronto. It is very important. SummaryPregnancy causes physical, emotional and hormonal changes on the body. These changes can cause more stress and may increase your anxiety level. Some anxiety is normal but you can deal with this increase by taking care of yourself and making sure you eat healthy and get plenty of rest. If you feel you aren’t dealing with the anxiety in a healthy way, it is important to speak to your doctor. |
| < Prev |
|---|
