When you are pregnant, the decisions you make affect both you and your baby. Since our bodies are integrated systems, pregnancy causes changes to your entire body, including your mental health. Your emotions, stress reactions, and relationships can all be affected by the hormonal and nutritional demands of your body as you nurture your unborn child.
It’s important to be aware of these changes so you can know how to respond and maintain a healthy body, mind, relationship, work environment and a healthy baby. Life at times, can be stressful so it is important during pregnancy to finds ways to manage that stress. There are many physical and emotional stressors that can affect the health of the mother, the couple, and the child including the after effects of infertility treatment, medical issues during pregnancy, decreased mobility, lack of sleep, work demands, among others.
Basic health practices
Of course, taking good care of yourself is even more important when you’re pregnant. However, it can also be more challenging. We should always strive to get plenty of rest, exercise, and eat nutritious foods, but this can be harder during pregnancy. You may find yourself more tired or struggling with insomnia, experiencing nausea or cravings, and not feeling up to exercising. Talk to your obstetrician about these issues, and make sure to consider all options including natural remedies. Low iron can be one of the causes of exhaustion during pregnancy. Cravings can be a sign that you may be missing some vitamins or minerals. Speak to your doctor about all your health concerns and work together to find ways to make your pregnancy as healthy as possible for you and your baby.
Mental health practices
Emotional swings and weepiness are common effects of hormonal changes during pregnancy. Being aware of this and having an honest discussion with your partner and others you see often such as co-workers and friends should help to avoid any hurt feelings or damage to relationships. It may even strengthen your bonds, as your loved ones and friends will be much more sympathetic and will probably look for ways to lessen your stress.
Stress, though often caused by hormonal changes, is also a very real part of most pregnancies. You may have concerns about how growing the family may strain finances. You may have a small home or apartment and wonder how you will accommodate a child (or an additional child). If your marriage is already strained, the pregnancy is unexpected, or you are not really excited about being pregnant, then these stressors can negatively effect your mental health during the pregnancy.
Common emotional or mental health issues during pregnancy include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Fear and worry
- Panic attacks
- Feelings of inadequacy
- Loss of motivation
- Loss of libido
- Mood swings and irritability
Getting help if you need it
It’s important not to go through these emotional struggles alone. Certainly, talk to your medical team to make sure you are physically healthy and your hormones and vitamins/minerals are in a healthy range. A marriage counselor, one who is experienced in working with couples through the challenges of pregnancy, can play an important role in keeping you mentally and emotionally healthy while simultaneously strengthening your relationship with your partner.
Sometimes events have unintended consequences. A welcomed pregnancy may cause strain on a healthy marriage; an unexpected pregnancy may, with some counseling, help heal a strained marriage. Either way, don’t allow the arrival of a new baby to cause your mental health or your relationships to deteriorate.
It is important to be in as calm a state of mind as possible when the baby arrives because caring for a newborn can be an even greater strain. For over seven years I was a postpartum doula, visiting couples in their homes, listening, and counseling both mothers and fathers through the challenges and joys of first-time parenting.
If you feel like you need some help managing the challenges of pregnancy and even those first few weeks after birth, I encourage you to find the help of a licensed counselor who is trained in helping couples through the strain of pregnancy and caring for a newborn. If you are in the New York City area, please give me a call to see how I can help. Sometimes, just a few sessions can give you the insights and strategies you need for a healthy, happy marriage, pregnancy, and baby.