Stress During Pregnancy
Contents:
- Symptoms of Stress
- Why is Stress During the Course of Pregnancy Dangerous?
- How to Get Rid of Stress During the Course of Pregnancy?
Stress and Pregnancy
Even if a person is in his or her usual state, stress can be a serious trial to the organism. Consequently, there is no use denying that it is hard to cope with it in case of pregnancy. During the course of pregnancy, everything from outer factors (cold and heat, hunger and thirst, physical load etc.) to emotional and psychological factors (being tired or offended, fear of labor, death of a close person, nervous strain etc.) may influence nervous system and disable it. Any kind of stress during pregnancy is dangerous not only for a mother, but also for the baby she’s carrying under her heart.
Symptoms of Stress
Very often it so happens that a pregnant woman lives in the conditions of a constant stress. She get’s so much adapted to it that she starts perceiving all her fears and worries as naturally occurring things. Constant stresses, meanwhile, doesn’t waste time. They start affecting the organism negatively from the inside. That’s why every future mother should be able to analyze her condition and pay attention to the main symptoms of stress.
- insomnia;
- apathy, being indifferent to everything;
- a decrease in your working capacity;
- periods when you feel nervous or worried for no reason;
- frequent heartbeat;
- an increased blood pressure;
- feeling giddy;
- tremor of hands and feet (trembling);
- your immune system works worse than before – you may often catch colds.
If all these symptoms do occur, then it’s most likely that you have a serious health problem here that needs to be rectified as soon as possible. The scientists have found out that if an organism of a pregnant woman is under a stress, this causes a significant increase of particular hormones. These hormones are called glucocorticoids. They do not only influence the genes, but also they are closely connected with the way the placenta functions. Consequently, the consequences of their influence may be very serious.
Why is Stress During the Course of Pregnancy Dangerous?
There are women who say that they have experienced very strong stresses during the pregnancy. They also say that these stresses have had absolutely no effects on their babies or the process of labor. However, this fact can be doubted since the effects of a stress may occur much later. A child may start having difficulties at the age when he or she gets to school or, later, in his or her teens when serious mind changes occur. The doctors have long since explained the way a stress influences the course of pregnancy and a baby’s health.
A stress may have the following consequences:
- a low weight of a baby;
- a premature pregnancy;
- stress on the late stages of pregnancy causes abnormalities in the way the nervous system of a baby is formed;
- having difficulty adapting in society or company;
- autism or hyper activity;
- fears and phobias;
- stress on the early stages of pregnancy may lead to a serious case of fetal hypoxia;
- enuresis;
- serious labor abnormalities such as cleft palate or a harelip;
- allergic and asthmatic reactions of a new born baby;
- the development of diabetes;
- cardio-vascular diseases.
As you can see, stress may affect seriously not only a future mother, but also her baby. That’s why it is so important to do everything possible to avoid it. Keep in mind that not only a woman herself, but also people who are around her during the course of pregnancy should understand it.
How to Get Rid of Stress During the Course of Pregnancy?
The doctor, who keeps the course of the pregnancy under control, and also a woman’s relatives and friends should help her get rid of stress. The emotional and mental state of a woman depends exactly on relatives and friends. Pregnancy is no time for quarrels, hysterics and, above all, getting divorced. In order to avoid a nervous tension a future mother needs to know methods with the help of which she is able to fast and effective get her nervous system balanced again.
- Learn to control your thoughts. Stop thinking about what is bad and wait only for the bad to happen. Get to thinking in appositive way, think of how good your labor will go and about your baby that you’ll soon get to hug. If you feel that you yourself are unable to do it, you need to necessarily visit a couple of trainings or pay a visit to a psychologist.
- Do not stay alone and on your own with your fears. Find a person whom you can tell all these things. Do not let negative stay inside of you, get rid of it using every possible way.
- Go for a walk more often and breathe in fresh air. Do not forget to air your room.
- You should get all the nutrients you need. There should be many fruits and vegetables in your diet.
- You may sleep for as long as you wish.
- Do special exercises for pregnant women. It may be a special gymnastics, swimming or even yoga.
- Communicate only with those people with whom you like communicating. Do not talk to those people who irritate you or often offend you.
- Have more rest, especially during the first months. While you’re still going to work it is necessary to make a lunch break. Do not work in the evenings. Before you go to sleep you should learn to relax and get pleasure from something you like.
- There are various ways to relax. Start visiting sessions of aromatherapy, check in to procedures of massage or acupuncture or free some time for meditations.
Each woman that is getting ready for becoming a mother should know, for sure, the dangers that stress during the course of pregnancy may have and why it is so important to get rid of it using every possible way. In order to keep your baby safe from the negative consequences you need to be able to focus on the most important thing – on your current state of pregnancy, and try to ignore all small failures and disappointments that are not worth your attention.