If you feel tired all the time, have swollen ankles, and also have a stomach that cannot keep anything down, it is only natural for you to feel stressed out. Pregnancy brings in a lot of changes in both your life and body, and this may begin the inadvertent process of worrying and feeling augmented levels of stress.
If you feel this stress is taking a toll on you, and you start to experience constant anxiety, then it might be time for you to seek for advice from your doctor or midwife. There are definitely many external factors that contribute greatly to your child’s emotional ability to relate with others, but when cortisol, the stress-causing hormone is secreted in high amounts, there is a high probability of it negatively affecting the building blocks responsible for the emotional development of your child.
Avoiding stress during pregnancy involves making small adjustments in your daily routine. Unlike long ago when pregnancy meant staying indoors and performing no chores, today it is considered to be a normal part of life that does not have to affect your everyday to-do list (for the most part at least).
Pregnant women love being pampered; who doesn’t? However, they could use some help here and because pregnancy should not be viewed as an illness or a period of confinement. So, what can you do to have a stress-free pregnancy?
Get ample rest.
During pregnancy, it is totally advisable to give in to your body’s resting needs. Do not let that ever mounting pile of dirty laundry stress you; hire the services of a regular cleaner to do it for you. Also, if you have other kids, you could ask your significant other, a friend or even hire a nanny to look after them for some time.
If your back cannot handle any more work, sit, put your feet up on a pillow and let no thoughts of duress at the back of your mind guilt trip you into doing anything but relaxing at that moment. You deserve to have some alone time to relieve your body from the physical stresses of daily life while being pregnant.
In case you experience difficulties during your pregnancy and you happen to work, talk to your boss to see if you can get them to take some of the workload off your shoulders or even to adjust your working hours to be more conducive until you return from maternity leave.
Relax yourself.
If you want to avoid feeling stressed during pregnancy, try get your mind off things that agitate you. Just because you are pregnant doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. Go out with a friend and get yourself a cute dress that will make you and your growing bump look more attractive. It is all about your mindset and choosing to be positive and avoiding feeling of negativity and stress.
Hit the gym for gentle exercises.
Exercising when pregnant will not only help tone those curves but also greatly improve your mood. It should however not involve strenuous activities that will bruise your poor joints. The exercises considered to be ideal for pregnant women include: swimming, yoga (limited poses) and taking walks for at least half an hour.
You will start to notice that exercising is helping ease the pressure off you at an astonishing rate.
Do not keep to yourself too much.
When pregnant, you may have multiple concerns about your baby, your wellbeing, or even other ongoing personal issues. If this is the case for you, avoid harboring so many feelings in your heart; open up to whoever you feel comfortable talking to. Also, let your significant other in by open and honest communication, fully letting the know how you feel and what you need to ease your stress.
Expressing yourself not only lifts a huge load of your chest but also helps your partner know how he can be of help to you during this period. You could also consider joining clubs or online platforms whose members are primarily pregnant women. You might be surprised that you share similar concerns and can help each other through this journey by sharing tips and experiences.
Get answers.
During your first pregnancy you will find yourself having very many questions and concerns pertaining to your baby bump. When you visit with your doctor or midwife, take full advantage by having them give you answers to the questions you may have or ask them to refer you to books and websites that will ease the tension you are currently experiencing.
Planning to breastfeed after you give birth? Get your research out of the way before the third trimester and find your future breast pump so that you aren’t stressing out later by waiting last minute.
Being well informed will help you sleep well at night knowing that you can handle any complication that arises. This also prepares you for child birth which most women who are pregnant for the first time often get anxious about.
Also, antenatal classes are highly advised. Here, you will equip yourself with knowledge that will help you deal with the various types of discomforts pregnancy dishes out to your body.
Adopt healthy eating habits.
Eating a balanced diet, especially one which consists of omega-3 fatty acids, minerals and vitamins flushes the feel-good hormones right into your system and helps you avoid stress during pregnancy.
When you want a quick snack, choose to eat nuts as they contain tryptophan, a hormone that will keep you happy and smiling. Alternatively, you can eat chicken, kale, asparagus and even yogurt for similar results.
You will also need to drink lots of water; if you can hit the recommended target of six to eight glasses per day, the better. Low water intake can cause you to have persistent headaches that will render you susceptible to increased levels of duress.
