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How can you manage anxiety during pregnancy?

Pregnancy is an exciting time. You will soon become a parent to an adorable, tiny human. You may expect to experience the rollercoaster of emotions during pregnancy, or emotions may catch you off guard. Some women feel joy at every flutter or kick, marveling at their changing bodies. For other women, pregnancy is hard, giving no reprieve as it brings severe fatigue, mood changes, and constant worries. You may notice that with every passing month, your thoughts are spiraling out of control, affecting your performance at work and your relationships at home. But how do you manage your anxiety, and should you treat it?

What causes anxiety during pregnancy?

Worries during pregnancy are universal. Hormonal changes of pregnancy, prior heartbreaking miscarriages, and sleep difficulties may all contribute to anxiety for mothers-to-be. You may worry about how a baby will affect your relationships with friends or family members, the health of your future child, the delivery experience, or the financial burden of an additional family member. All of these worries are completely normal. For humans, a certain amount of anxiety is protective; how else could we motivate ourselves to complete our work or run away from a bear?

What are the symptoms of anxiety disorders during pregnancy?

Although it’s normal to be worried about the health of your baby, in some cases this worry becomes debilitating and may require further attention. Thoughts about the health of the baby may become obsessive, even when doctors are reassuring. Worries may also appear as physical symptoms, such as a rapid heartbeat, difficulty breathing, or panic attacks. If this is the first time you experience a high level of anxiety, this may be frightening in itself. When anxiety starts to interfere with your day-to-day functioning, relationships, or job performance, it may be classified as an anxiety disorder — if your doctor picks up on it.

Anxiety can occur at any time during pregnancy, or it may first appear after delivery (perinatal anxiety is the term used for anxiety during pregnancy and after delivery). The rates of generalized anxiety disorder appear to be highest in the first trimester, likely due to hormonal changes. The most common symptoms of anxiety include constant worrying, restlessness, muscle tension, irritability, feeling dread, an inability to concentrate, and difficulties falling asleep due to worries. Some women also experience symptoms as a result of other anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, or post-traumatic stress disorder.

Unfortunately, two of the most common mental health screening tools in pregnancy (the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Screen and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item Scale) are not great at detecting anxiety in pregnancy. Although underdiagnosed, anxiety disorders during pregnancy and in the postpartum period are common, and may affect up to one in five women. Many women suffer in silence.

What are the effects of untreated anxiety on the fetus?

When thinking about management of anxiety, it is important to consider both the risks of treatment as well as the harms of untreated anxiety. Although less studied than depression, research suggests that anxiety may negatively affect both the mother and the fetus. Anxiety increases the risk for preterm birth, low birthweight, earlier gestational age, and a smaller head circumference (which is related to brain size).

What are some treatments for anxiety during pregnancy?

Fortunately, there are many treatments that can reduce anxiety during pregnancy and help you feel better. For many women, anti-anxiety medication is not an option during pregnancy, as there is little information on the safety of such medication on the fetus. Some women who had previously taken medications for anxiety may wish to discontinue medications during pregnancy for personal reasons.

Therapies such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) demonstrate promise in the peripartum period (the period shortly before, during, and after giving birth). CBT focuses on challenging maladaptive thoughts, emotions, and actions, and it uses anxiety management strategies such as diaphragmatic breathing (adapted to pregnancy).

If your anxiety is severe, medications may be an option for you. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are commonly prescribed for depression and anxiety during pregnancy and after delivery. It does not appear that SSRIs are associated with an increased risk of major congenital malformations. However, SSRIs may be associated with transient neonatal symptoms such as jitteriness, tremor, crying, and trouble feeding, which resolve on their own in a few days.

The use of benzodiazepines such as lorazepam (Ativan) and alprazolam (Xanax) during pregnancy has long been a controversial topic. Although older studies showed an association between their use and an increased risk for cleft lip and palate, a more recent study looking at benzodiazepine use during pregnancy did not show this link when these medications were used alone (although there may be an increased risk when combined with antidepressants).

What else helps anxiety during pregnancy?

• Engage in regular physical activity. In general, it is safe to engage in physical activity during pregnancy. However, if you are at risk for preterm labor or have pregnancy complications, consult with your doctor first.
• Ensure adequate sleep. Whether it’s a calming bedtime routine, pregnancy pillow, or a few nights in a bed away from your snoring partner, now is the time to learn what works for your sleep.
• Practice mindfulness. Research shows that mindfulness may reduce worries about labor, and it may even prevent postpartum depression.
• Journaling. Writing about your worries may help you brainstorm potential solutions, and it allows you to reflect on your concerns.
• Schedule worry time. We often worry because we do not want to forget something. Setting aside 30 minutes toward the end of the day provides you with a time to worry productively, but it frees you from holding onto your worries the rest of the day (practice reminding yourself "I’ll get to these thoughts later").
• Yoga, massage, meditation, and acupuncture. Finding relaxation techniques that work for you may take some experimentation — but their benefits will continue even after the baby arrives.

Fears of pregnant women are overcome - nine useful tips :: Clinician

25 10.2017

• Unfounded fears

• Unnecessary alarms

• Worries unsupported by arguments

• Natural doubts

The time of pregnancy is nine months of happy expectation of a miracle, but sometimes the same number of months of fears and worries about the unborn child. In order to find joy and avoid unnecessary worries, to enjoy the gestation period, the necessary task is to get rid of the complexes, having determined the cause of the anxieties, to “quench” them. Mothers, husbands, relatives, of course, will help you (psychologically and physically), but the main mission to overcome your own anxieties lies with the pregnant woman. nine0003

The cause of anxiety is most often the physiological restructuring of the body, which leads to overwork, a weakened physical condition. This means that the expectant mother from the very beginning is predisposed to anxiety precisely in terms of physiological indicators. But understanding this phenomenon does not make it easier. The attending physician prescribes vitamins, trace elements, and in some cases hormones. It seems to be competent and according to plan, but ... it's still scary! nine0040

But what are these very fears and how to overcome them? How many pregnant women, so many fears. Not all have a logical background, some are based on myths and superstitions, and some are based on elementary ignorance.

Unfounded fears

A woman does not always plan pregnancy while leading a normal life. And when she finds out about an accidental pregnancy, she begins to count with horror the number of glasses of wine drunk, cigarettes smoked, what harmful food she ate during conception. Of course, the correctness of the recommendations indicating the need for timely planning of pregnancy sounds reasonable. But if everything has already happened, a decision has been made to give birth, then it is important to clearly understand that the wisest thing is to bring your psychological state into harmony and create favorable conditions for the development of the fetus. nine0003

Fear of miscarriage is an understandable concern. To identify the problem as early as possible, take tests every other day. The best arguments for well-being in this matter are indicators and numbers.

Futile worries

To drink coffee or not to drink - fans of aromatic grain drink exhaust themselves with this question, who cannot live a day without this drink. But every morning to tremble at this thought is definitely harmful to the unborn child. Let's look for an alternative. Is it better to spend the whole day at work sluggish and sleepy than to still dare to drink a cup of coffee with milk to cheer up? nine0003

Recent scientific studies have shown that a cup of coffee a day does not harm the baby. Pregnant women are allowed to drink, but it is recommended to use it less often, in addition, use sparing options: instant coffee or no caffeine at all.

Taking medicine or suffering pain (discomfort)? Pregnant women are usually extremely distrustful when even doctors prescribe pills to them. Even after the time spent at the consultation with a specialist, some “pregnant women” discuss the medicines prescribed by the doctor on women's forums for greater reliability. In order not to panic and not look on the Internet for advice from pregnant alarmists whose competence you are not sure, it is wiser to find a doctor who you can trust 100%! The field of gynecology in our clinic is one of the most developed and intensive areas of work. nine0003

Anxiety unsupported by arguments

Does it seem to you that your belly is growing slowly or, conversely, is it too big? This is not a serious cause for concern. The main thing is that the ultrasound confirmed that the fetus develops according to the deadline. Also, pregnant women worry that they are gaining weight rapidly or are malnourished. Eat a balanced diet and get enough (again, with the permission of your doctor) to move, then the weight will be within the normal range.

When the baby pushes hard, it is scary at first, and if the pushes are weak, perhaps even more scary. Indeed, both may indicate hypoxia. Share your concerns with your doctor, a toned uterus is a solvable problem. Just in case, study the so-called "method 10", based on the calculation of the fetal heart rate. So you will participate in the process not passively, but meaningfully. By the way, it is in your power to actively help the cub: walk daily in the fresh air, sign up for an oxygen cocktail course. Most likely, this is how the child simply shows temperament. But if the reason is more complicated, remember that medicine can cope with such problems. Hypoxia (if it is not chronic) is amenable to medical adjustment, as a result of which the tension of the walls of the uterus decreases, and blood circulation improves. nine0003

Childbirth is delayed, and this is fraught with the fact that a woman is daily absorbed in listening to herself and looking out for harbingers in fear of missing the start of the long-awaited process. On the one hand, vigilance does not seem to interfere, but one thing is clear - it is impossible to miss childbirth, there is no turning back. Perhaps the day of birth is simply incorrectly determined, because pregnant women do not always know the day of conception exactly.

Natural doubts

Are you afraid of natural childbirth, scary and surgical intervention? Remember that most panic plans (not related to pregnancy) are implemented in a completely different way than your imagination draws, so fantasizing, winding yourself up is not a good idea. Even if the child is born as a result of a caesarean section, this sometimes happens. The main thing is that the birth is safe for the baby and the mother. To give confidence in this matter, it is useful to attend childbirth preparation groups with your husband. nine0003

The fear of not being able to cope with a new role is familiar to everyone who has “passed through” pregnancy. Long before the birth of a child, a woman begins to "try on" motherly cares. And a common misconception here is to make demands on yourself based on the image of your own mother. After all, you are unique, you have your own ideas about care and upbringing, dreams and dreams. Anxiety is unproductive, they take away strength, depress energy, instead read a book about the development of the baby. When he is born, there will be much less time for reading. nine0040

In preparing for childbirth, it is important not only to follow the doctor's recommendations, but also to overcome fears. Psychologists believe that awareness of the causes of fears and knowledge help to cope with problems, especially for women - “courageous”, thinking and hardy beings.

Pregnancy and emotions | Nutriclub

The joy of the impending appearance of a new person and the energy that is in full swing during pregnancy can be replaced by fears, insecurity, sadness and anxiety for the future. Sometimes these changes happen at breakneck speed. Nutriclub will try to understand how the emotional state changes during pregnancy and what it is connected with. nine0003

How the emotional state changes depending on the trimester

• First trimester
  

In the first trimester, the level of the hormone progesterone increases significantly, which is responsible for attaching a fertilized egg to the uterine wall, preparing the body for pregnancy and childbirth, and for the state of the woman's nervous system. Due to the rise in progesterone levels during this time, you may tire more quickly than usual. A constant desire to go to bed can also become your companion during this period. Don't fight biology, lie down and rest whenever you can. nine0003

In the first trimester, you may experience elation, anxiety, excitement and exhaustion (sometimes all at the same time!). Even if you are very excited about the upcoming changes in your life, your new state can cause stress. Another common companion of this period of pregnancy is sudden mood swings. Know that what you are experiencing is normal and due to a hormonal rush. But if mood swings cause you significant discomfort, be sure to discuss them with your doctor. nine0003

• Second trimester

Many people consider this time to be the most pleasant during the entire pregnancy: toxicosis is already receding, it is not difficult to carry the stomach yet, and the baby inside begins to move noticeably (and this still looks like butterflies dancing in the stomach). Often in the second trimester there is a surge of energy. The emotional state at this time is usually the most stable: this is a great time to choose a maternity hospital, furnish a nursery and look for courses for future parents.

• Third trimester

The day of childbirth is approaching, and with it the fear of childbirth may become more acute (especially if you are expecting your first child). You may be tormented by questions such as: “How much does it hurt?”, “How long will this last?”, “How will I deal with this?”. Courses for pregnant women will help to dampen this kind of anxiety, where they will tell you in detail about all the stages of childbirth and prepare you for various possible scenarios. When possible, experts recommend communicating with women who are happy with their birth experience and keeping a diary of their emotions. Planning ahead can also help deal with fears: for example, if you are going to breastfeed, you may need suitable underwear and clothes for this. And, of course, it doesn't hurt to talk to women in your community who have had successful lactation experiences. nine0003

Fears during pregnancy: what they are and what to do about them

You may be worried about your health or the health of your child: pregnancy is not a disease, but it can have complications. Therefore, it is important to eat right, do not forget about physical activity and be in touch with your doctor in order to receive answers to emerging questions in a timely manner.

Another common fear is related to the financial situation or the housing problem. To minimize expenses, you can take care of buying used things in advance (or arrange with friends who will give you things for the baby for free - children grow up very quickly and do not have time to take down a bunch of clothes). nine0003

The fear of childbirth, which we have already mentioned above, occurs in most women, even if they are not giving birth for the first time. It helps a lot to cope with the fact that millions of women have already gone through this, some more than once - which means you can too.

Some women worry about their careers and see having children as a threat to their professional growth. Yes, maternity leave can really become a career brake - but it is up to you to plan everything so that your work is almost not affected. At the same time, many women, having given birth to a child, understand that a career is not so important now and make a choice in favor of spending his infancy with the baby. You can choose any option that suits you. nine0003

Pregnancy depression

It is absolutely normal to feel sad, longing, worrying and worrying about the future during pregnancy. But it is important to distinguish these conditions from a dangerous disease: pregnancy depression. The statistics* are as follows: from 14 to 23% of women experience depression during pregnancy.

How can you tell the usual mood swings in pregnancy from depression? It is difficult to do this without the help of a specialist, but there are a number of signs that may indicate that it is worth seeking help from professionals:

• exhausting anxiety for the child
• low self-esteem
• inability to enjoy activities that normally bring joy
• insufficient medical care during pregnancy
• smoking, drug and alcohol use
• insufficient weight gain due to poor nutrition
• thoughts of suicide

When using any materials from the site nutriclub.

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