How Can I Calm My Anxiety While Pregnant?

Even though pregnancy is a joyful experience for many women, it can also bring on some anxiety. However, remember that you can get help and that you are not alone. In this article, we'll discuss the causes of pregnancy anxiety and offer some strategies for coping with it.

Some suggestions include: finding a relaxing activity, such as yoga or meditation, and practising it regularly; talking to a trusted friend or loved one about your worries; practising deep breathing techniques before night; and so on. Some more methods for dealing with this common complication of pregnancy include the ones listed above.

How Anxious Should One Usually Feel During Pregnancy?

Human nature, not only pregnancy, causes us to experience anxiety. We're all anxious people, but pregnancy can bring out the worst in us.

Anxiety disorders during pregnancy are nearly as frequent as depression, with studies showing that roughly 15% of pregnant women suffer from them.

Some mothers-to-be have health concerns regarding their unborn children, especially if they have experienced miscarriages or infertility in the past.

Others may be concerned about their ability to parent effectively, the impact of parenthood on their relationships with their partners, the adjustment their siblings will need to make, or the financial implications of starting a family.

Worrying about all these things is also common.

But antenatal anxiety, which can range from mild concern to complete preoccupation, is not the same thing.

If your anxiety is affecting your ability to focus, your ability to carry out daily tasks, your level of panic, or if it is causing you to experience physical symptoms like a racing heart or difficulty breathing, it may be time to consult a doctor.

Specially designed, one-of-a-kind baby room accessories. Explore the options available at My Baby Nursery.

Why Do Women Feel Anxious While Pregnant?

The majority of expectant mothers worry. Pregnant women may experience anxiety due to hormonal shifts, past traumatic miscarriages, or trouble sleeping.

Perhaps you're concerned about the financial impact of expanding your family or how having a kid will alter your connections with current friends and loved ones.

These are all perfectly reasonable concerns. Anxiety serves a protective function, spurring us into action when we need it most (whether that's getting the job done or getting away from a bear).

How Can One Recognise the Presence of Anxiety While Pregnant?

Your baby's health is a natural concern, but if your anxiety levels are through the roof, you may need professional help.

Even if doctors reassure parents that everything is well, worrying about the newborn's well-being can become an obsession. Physical manifestations of anxiety include, but are not limited to, racing heart, shortness of breath, and panic attacks.

Anxiety may be frightening, especially if it's your first time feeling it. If your doctor notices that your stress is getting in the way of your daily life, relationships, or work performance, you may be diagnosed with an anxiety disorder.

Anxiety during pregnancy can hit at any time, and its symptoms may not emerge until well after delivery. Anxiety that begins during pregnancy and continues after the baby is born is referred to as perinatal anxiety.

In the first trimester of pregnancy, hormonal changes may account for the apparent increase in the prevalence of generalised anxiety disorder.

Constant worrying, restlessness, muscle tightness, impatience, experiencing dread, difficulty concentrating, and difficulty falling asleep are all frequent anxiety symptoms.

Panic disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and post-traumatic stress disorder are all forms of anxiety that can manifest in women.

Two of the most widely used mental health screening instruments during pregnancy are, however, not particularly good at picking up on signs of worry.

Pregnancy and postpartum anxiety disorders are underrecognized but affect up to 20% of pregnant women and 10% of new mothers. Sadly, many women never speak about their pain.

The following are signs of extreme anxiety during pregnancy:

• Living in a constant state of anxiety, worry, or restlessness
• Distraction from daily tasks and activities
• Problems maintaining daily activities, whether at home or in the workplace
• Suffering from a case of excessive thinking
• Things that used to make you happy no longer did.
• Symptoms of irregular heartbeat
• Tense muscles
• Hyperventilation (rapid breathing) or shortness of breath (which is a common symptom of pregnancy; if you aren't experiencing any of the other symptoms of pregnancy anxiety, don't panic).

However, therapy can help those struggling with this extreme sort of anxiety that goes beyond everyday fretting.

Causes of Pregnancy Anxiety

Pregnancy-related anxiety is a complex illness with multiple potential causes that have not been well investigated.

Anxiety can be triggered by environmental factors, such as a traumatic experience or a change in routine, or by biological factors, such as a family history of the disorder.

It could also be the result of a stressful scenario at home or at work, a fear of giving birth (perhaps due to hearing a terrible birth story), or any number of other factors (for example, issues in a relationship or financial difficulties). It could have been caused by the pregnancy itself, especially if it had come as a complete surprise.

Anxiety during pregnancy is a physiological condition and not the result of anything you've done, so try to keep that in mind while you deal with whatever is triggering these feelings or thoughts.

Are There Factors That Increase the Chance of Anxiety During Pregnancy?

Anxiety during pregnancy is a normal and common occurrence. However, if you meet any of the following characteristics, you should pay especially close attention to how you're feeling during pregnancy because you're more likely to develop a severe anxiety condition during pregnancy.

• History of anxiety disorder diagnosis
• Depression and worry during a prior  pregnancy
• A history of anxiety disorders or panic attacks in the family
• Condition(s) addressed(s) in the past (e.g., depression, anxiety, etc.)
• Trauma that has occurred in the past
• Using prohibited substances
• Regular life stress levels too high
• A history of infertility or miscarriage
• A pregnancy or bed rest that is more challenging than expected (Despite this, doctors nowadays rarely recommend complete bed rest).
• Age (Pregnancy-related anxiety is more common in younger women).
• There is a potential increase in anxiety during pregnancy due to all of these causes.

To What End Should You Seek Help for Anxiety During Pregnancy?

Many women incorrectly believe that toughing it out is the greatest strategy for dealing with anxiety. However, there are a few situations in which it is best to seek assistance.

Research has shown that women who have anxiety throughout pregnancy are more likely to experience postpartum depression after the birth of their baby, despite the fact that they may persuade themselves that they will feel better once the kid is here.

Anxiety and depression are not always co-occurring, but they are strongly linked; therefore, if you can learn to manage your stress levels before the birth of your child, you will have a better chance of being able to fully appreciate those first few months of your child's life.

Just one more argument for trying different therapies: If you suffer from chronic, severe anxiety throughout pregnancy, it may have a negative impact on your child's growth and development.

Preterm birth, low birth weight, and future emotional or behavioural difficulties in the child have all been linked to maternal anxiety and depression in several studies.

What Anti-Anxiety Medication Is Suitable During Pregnancy?

Some antidepressants, of which most medicines used to treat anxiety are part, should be avoided during pregnancy because of the risks they pose to the unborn child.

Prescription of these drugs during pregnancy should always be preceded by a thorough evaluation of the potential risks and benefits.

If you and your doctor decide that medication is required to manage your anxiety during pregnancy, you should discuss the pros and disadvantages of each option carefully to ensure the health of you and your unborn child.

If you and your doctor or therapist work together, you can find a medication that minimises negative effects while maximising positive ones (and how low a dose you can take and still get those benefits).

You may also need to change or adjust the dosage of any medications you were taking for panic attacks, anxiety, or depression before you got pregnant.

Wanting to find storage options for a baby's room. See what's available at My Baby Nursery.

How to Relax During Pregnancy

Medication is one option for treating anxiety disorders, but it is far from the sole one. Seeing a therapist, such as a psychologist, psychiatrist, or counsellor, is often the first and best step in determining the source of anxiety and developing a treatment plan to alleviate symptoms or teach relaxation skills.

These methods of reducing stress and worry can also be useful:

Just sleep more. Some studies have shown that getting too little sleep might make anxiety worse, so try to get seven or eight hours per night if you can.

Changing your habits may help you sleep better, but if it doesn't, or if the problem persists, you should discuss sleep aids with your doctor. If you're pregnant and have trouble sleeping, your OB/GYN or midwife may recommend a medicine like Unisom, Tylenol PM, Sominex, or Nytol.

Stick to fresh, whole foods. More and more studies are showing that one's diet can have major effects on one's mental health.

Eating nutrient-dense, whole and unprocessed meals (such as fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts, dairy, and whole grains) rather than processed and quick foods is believed to encourage good gut bacteria, which in turn may help alleviate anxiety.

Get moving! Ten minutes of walking can do wonders for relieving stress. Those who exercise routinely have a lower risk of mental health issues including anxiety and depression.

Equip yourself with facts. Studying pregnancy and parenting information can make you feel more ready. That's why you should do some research and maybe sign up for a birthing class.

Make a network of people who will help you out. Visit with other expectant parents or friends who share your situation. You can also find people who are experiencing similar emotions online and join a support group with them.

Schedule some downtime into your schedule. Meditation and acupuncture, when practised regularly, have been found to help persons with anxiety. Alternatively, you may engage in a little bit of yoga, some light listening, or a romantic massage for two. It also helps to practise meditation and deep breathing.

How Does Untreated Anxiety Affect the Unborn Child?

It's important to weigh the benefits of treatment against the risks of untreated stress while thinking about how to handle anxiety.

Anxiety during pregnancy has seen fewer studies than depression, but there is some evidence that it can have harmful effects on both the mother and the unborn child. The likelihood of adverse birth outcomes, such as premature delivery, low birth weight, and an early gestational age, as well as a smaller than average head circumference, are all elevated in stressed pregnancies (related to brain size).

How Can I Find Help for My Anxiety During My Pregnancy?

You can feel better and lower your anxiety during pregnancy with the help of a variety of treatments.

Due to the lack of data on the safety of anti-anxiety medication for the foetus, many women cannot take it during pregnancy.

Some pregnant women who have been taking anxiety medication may choose to stop using it for personal reasons.

Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is one such therapy that shows promise in the perinatal period (shortly before, during, and after giving birth).

Diaphragmatic breathing and other methods of stress reduction are used in cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) for the treatment of anxiety (adapted to pregnancy).

Medication is an option to consider if your anxiety is severe. During pregnancy and the postpartum period, SSRIs are frequently used to treat depression and anxiety.

Contrary to popular belief, there is no evidence that SSRI use increases the chance of serious birth defects.

On the other hand, SSRIs have been linked to short-lived newborn symptoms such irritability, tremor, crying, and problems feeding that often disappear after a few days.

It has been debated for quite some time whether or not benzodiazepines like Ativan (lorazepam) and Alprazolam (Xanax) should be used by pregnant women.

While some studies have connected their use to an increased risk of cleft lip and palate, more recent research has found no such link when the medications were used individually during pregnancy(although there may be an increased risk when combined with antidepressants).

What Else Can Be Done to Ease Pregnancy-Related Worry?

• Maintain a regular exercise routine. In most cases, working out during pregnancy is quite safe. But first, check with your doctor if you're worried about difficulties during pregnancy or the possibility of an early delivery.
• Make sure you're getting enough shut-eye. Now is the moment to figure out what helps you sleep, be it a peaceful nighttime routine, a pregnant pillow, or sleeping alone from your snoring partner for a few nights.
• The art of being present in the moment is worth practising. Mindfulness has been shown to help with labour anxiety and even postpartum blues.
• Journaling. In addition to giving you a chance to think things through, putting your anxieties in writing might help you consider different angles.
• Plan for some time to worry. The fear of forgetting something is a common source of anxiety. You can avoid unnecessarily dwelling on your problems during the day by setting aside 30 minutes at the end of each day to do so (and telling yourself, "I'll get to these thoughts tomorrow").
• Treatments such as yoga, massage, meditation, and acupuncture. Though it may take some trial and error to find the right relaxation techniques for you, the positive effects will remain long after the baby has arrived.