Anxiety can be a struggle, especially during pregnancy. Whether you’re worried about labor and giving birth or how well you’ll do as a parent, these concerns are valid. Mama or mama-to-be, you’re not alone; the truth is nearly every pregnant woman has concerns and worries.
Anxiety & Pregnancy
There is an amount of anxiety to be expected during pregnancy. It’s only another part of the pregnancy journey, not to mention it’s a part of being a normal human. We all have worries and concerns to a degree; why would pregnancy be any different?
Pregnancy-specific anxiety is estimated to take place in around 15 percent of pregnancies. Some of us worry about our developing baby and whether or not we will be good parents. While others a concerned about life with a newborn. There is a lot to consider when there’s a baby on the way.
Coping With Anxiety During Pregnancy
Coping with anxiety can be a struggle, pregnant or not! Due to the fact that prescriptions and pregnancy can be iffy, many healthcare providers will try to treat anxiety with a holistic approach. Things such as cognitive behavioral therapy, acupuncture, mind-body practices, and techniques like yoga. Let’s look at a few other ways to fight anxiety during pregnancy.
Changing Your View or Perspective of Anxiety
Rather than seeing anxiety as something harmful or dangerous, we should view it as something we CAN tolerate, accept, and function with. Anxiety is one of the ways our body responds to what it views as a threat. Something we can do is to talk ourselves through it. Remind yourself that you can handle this situation. It may sound funny, but give your brains thanks for the warning and push through.
Empowering Yourself
There will be times that you should stop and jot down your worries and concerns. Look over the list and try to tackle the fears. For instance, if labor and delivery are the cause of anxiety, it might be a good idea to sign up for a birthing class. Whatever issues are causing your mind to spin endlessly should be addressed and worked through.
The primary key is to focus on all of the aspects you can control. While you may not be able to control what happens during delivery, you can empower yourself by gaining more knowledge about what you can expect and how to prepare yourself.
Anxiety is often rooted in feeling like things are out of our control or uncertainty. While we can never fully control all situations, we can put focus on becoming more proactive.
Practicing Self-Compassion
Pregnancy isn’t easy. It’s essential to go easy on yourself and treat yourself with gentleness, kindness, and patience. We should always strive to treat ourselves the way we would a friend we love dearly. This in itself can help us move through a challenging experience gently rather than beating ourselves up about it.Think about the ways you can take care of yourself. What sort of things are you in need of currently?
Pregnancy isn’t easy! There is so much going on inside your body right now; anxiety should be expected. This doesn’t mean we should suffer. There are always ways to come out on top of things. Treat yourself when necessary, cry if you feel the need, and reach out to the people that care about you. Sometimes a hug or tender touch is enough to pull us through the tough times.
If you’re having a difficult time with anxiety throughout your pregnancy, we urge you to reach out to a professional to get some help. There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking assistance. You’ll do great! We’re not perfect, and we’re not meant to be. However, doing the best we can is sometimes enough.
