It’s natural for you to get stressed if you are pregnant. If you want to make sure that your pregnancy is as stress-free as possible then this is the guide for you.
Be Wary Of Medicines
During pregnancy, you might be offered different types of medication to help you feel better. While some medicines are absolutely fine and will not harm your unborn baby, others can cause potential damage if you consume them during this time. For example, Tylenol has been linked to autism if taken during the early stages of pregnancy. There was actually a big lawsuit regarding this. You can read more about it on ActionMatters.org. So, if you ever feel as though you need medication for a cold or flu, then it’s best to speak with your doctor first. They will be able to tell you what is safe and what is not so that you can make an educated decision.
Take Some Time for Yourself
It’s so important that you take some time for yourself every day. Do something that’s just for you. Take a bath, chill out and play some music or even just close your eyes. Do whatever you can to make yourself feel at peace and also make sure that you put yourself first. If you can do this, then you will soon find that you can feel much more relaxed overall.
Talk to Someone
Getting things off your chest and talking your worries through with someone will help you greatly. Talk to a family member, a friend or even a colleague. If you can do this, then you will soon find that you can make a huge difference to your mental and your physical health. Be open about how you are feeling if you can, as this will help you to take much more control over your situation.
Stay Active
Exercise helps you to release endorphins and this can lift your mood. You don’t have to do cardio classes and you also don’t need to hit the gym either. Just do what you can to make exercise a daily part of your routine. It may be that you go for a walk for example. The great thing about doing this is that it will reduce your stress and it will also be great for your unborn baby.
Rest
Staying active is important, but so is rest. It can be very hard for you to feel cheerful if you are exhausted and constantly uncomfortable. You have to make sure that you take the time to rest if you can. This will help you to unwind and it will also help you to look after the number one person, which is you.
Ask for Help
Can your family or your friends cook you a meal? Can they help you with the shopping? Maybe they can look after your children. Either way, your family and your friends are there to support you, so you have to make sure that you are not afraid to ask for help. If you need it, you have to remember that it is there, so make sure that you take advantage of this. If you are concerned because you’ve been looking up “what is linea nigra” or if you believe that you feel way more tired than you should, then reaching out is the best thing for you to do.
Be Realistic
Be realistic about how much you are able to do, whether it’s at home, in your social life or even at work. Everyone’s guilty about taking too much on from time to time, but if you are pregnant then you need to let go of this. Saying no can be difficult, but you have to make sure that you take care of yourself. The people around you will certainly understand if you need to say no to them, for whatever reason at all.
Eat Well if you Can
A balanced and varied diet will help you and your baby to grow and develop. Eating well is essential, for you as well. If you want to help yourself to eat well, then you need to focus on eating a lot of fruit and vegetables. You also need to make sure that you are getting the right vitamins through supplements too because your body will absolutely need extra.
Be Informed
If something is concerning you then be proactive and make sure that you chat with your doctor or your midwife. They can then talk you through all of your options. They can also talk you through where you can get support. You can also try and talk to people who have been pregnant before as they will always be able to tell you if they have experienced some similar symptoms or concerns. If you have just found out that you are pregnant, then it’s a good idea for you to try and stay up to date on the process, so you know what is going to happen and when. This will help you to make the most out of your experience.
Meet Other People
Meet other pregnant women if you can as well. Ask your midwife or even your local children’s center, to see if they can tell you what is available in your local area. If you can share your feelings with other people then this will help you to find out if anyone has a similar experience to you so that you can feel way less isolated. This will help you to be more comfortable and it will also help you to feel less alone.
Disregard Any Hype Regarding Pregnancy
Sometimes it may feel as though everyone else is happy and that they are coping well all of the time, but you have to remember that everyone goes through their own challenges. Lots of women tend to feel low in pregnancy or even after the birth. These people hide the way that they feel quite often, so don’t believe it when people say that pregnancy is a dream, or that it’s super easy. For you, it might not be, and that’s okay. You just have to make sure that you look after yourself, and that you have the right support network. If you can do this, then when you do feel low, you have people who you can talk to. Feeling emotional during pregnancy is common, because of the hormone changes you’ll experience. That being said, you have to make sure that you ask for help if you are feeling sad more than you are happy. Your GP or your midwife should be the first option you speak with if possible. They can help you to get the treatment you need.
Practice Mindfulness
Do you ever find yourself being totally caught up with your worries? Maybe you are going through the motions of the day, and you are finding it increasingly difficult to enjoy all of the little things around you. Either way, you need to stop for a second and you need to try and focus on the feelings you have. Focus on the sensations and practice mindfulness if possible. Mindfulness will help you to live in the moment and it will also help you to block out worries too. It can also help you to bond with and connect to your unborn baby.
Try Yoga
Yoga is a fantastic activity for you to try if you want to focus on your mental and physical well-being. Yoga in pregnancy is also a good way for you to stay active and it helps to strengthen your body. As if that wasn’t enough, it can also help you during active birth. It gives you the chance to try and manage your pain and it also helps your baby to get into position. If you are new to yoga, then it’s a good idea for you to choose a class that is suited to pregnant women. This will help you to learn all of the right techniques and it will also help you to be much more confident. Yoga classes tend to end with meditation, which is ideal if you are prone to stress or if you feel as though things are getting on top of you with your pregnancy, so keep that in mind.
