Anxiety throughout pregnancy can be common. From the changes in hormones, to the anxiety of giving birth, anxiety during pregnancy isn’t something to be ashamed of.
This post will give you some insight into the causes of anxiety during pregnancy and the solutions to help deal with anxiety throughout your pregnancy.
Let’s begin by understanding what anxiety is and what it looks like during pregnancy. Anxiety in pregnancy and can come in many forms, one of the clinical terms for anxiety during pregnancy is antenatal anxiety.
There are so many triggers to anxiety and with the fluctuating hormones that pregnancy can bring, it’s easy for any women to fall into a state of anxiousness. Antenatal anxiety has many different symptoms that varies multiple forms. These forms include:
- Panic attacks
- Worrying that is often focused around fears of your health or wellbeing of your baby
- Traits of obsessive or compulsive behavioral patterns
- Mood swings (outside of the ordinary realm of hormonal changes)
- A consistent “low” feeling
- Lack of energy that cannot be connected to how much rest your getting
- Having no real interest in the things that previously brought you joy
- Sleeping too much or not sleeping very well at all
- Loss of interest in sex ( although this can happen throughout pregnancy)
- Being easily annoyed or irritated
- Difficulty in focusing
- Having thoughts of death or suicide, or self-harm.
Causes of Anxiety During Pregnancy
Changes in hormones:
Hormonal changes throughout pregnancy can affect the chemicals in your brain and cause anxiety. For first-time moms, this can be even more evident when you have never experienced anxiety before.
Changes in hormones are one of the main causes of anxiety during pregnancy but also changes in weight.
Unexpected amount of weight gain:
Many women find that as their weight begins to change this can cause a feeling of anxiousness. Most of the changes that you will physically, mentally, and emotionally experience are not in your control, which also tends to cause a feeling of unease.
Previous miscarriage or bad birthing experience:
Previous bad birthing experiences, as well as previous losses of pregnancies, tend to cause many women to feel anxious about their journey of pregnancy. Which is completely normal!
An unplanned pregnancy:
Anxiety during pregnancy can also occur if your pregnancy is one that you haven’t planned for. A lot of anxious feelings can attach themselves to that. Again, normal! Pregnancy is not always something we can prepare for in its entirety. Even planned pregnancies can come with a multitude of unexpected feelings of anxiety and stress let alone pregnancies you haven’t mentally or emotionally prepared for.
Overall, pregnancy is a time of constant change. Some of these feelings of change can come with excitement, and anticipation for the unknown, while others can feel completely uncomfortable and very scary.
How Can You Treat Antenatal Anxiety While Working Full-Time?
If you find yourself suffering from antenatal anxiety, it is always wise to research and talk with a psychological therapist who specializes in relaxation and cognitive therapy.
There are however other ways to treat your anxiety if mild, and occurring while working full-time.
You may not have the time for a therapist but multiple ways to help ease your anxiety.
One of them is through finding a reliable friend that makes you feel comfortable and safe.
It’s so essential that while feeling vulnerable you have someone that can help you to offload during this time.
There are multiple ways to release the tension of anxiety during your pregnancy, from your body, especially after a long day at work.
After sitting in a chair the whole day, physical activity will be your best natural form of releasing endorphins.
Endorphin, act as a natural pain killer while producing a beautiful body high.
Exercises that help with anxiety:
- Yoga
- Jogging
- Aerobics
- Mindful walking
Always speak to your doctor before engaging in physical activity but once she/he gives you the okay, these are great ways to help release endorphins after a long day.
Here is a list of the little things that recenter me and make me feel bomb!
Journaling:
Sometimes talking about how you feel can be a lot harder than writing how you feel. Sometimes when we talk about how we feel, even to friends and family, it is easy to worry or hold back because of the fear of feeling judged.
Putting pen to paper can be so freeing. Consider taking the time out to write what you feeling and ending each journal entry with a line of gratitude.
Reflecting on one thing you are grateful for can help ease anxiety and take you back to a place of mental peace.
Empower yourself with knowledge:
If your pregnancy anxiety is similar to mine and is linked with the fear of child birth this section is for you.
Tokophobia.
Tokophobia is the fear of childbirth. If your anxiety is tied to childbirth itself, consider signing up for a birth class. Learning about the different stages of labor, what your body does, and what to expect at each turn may help demystify the process.
Also, consider signing up for pregnancy groups and talking with other women who have a similar due date to you but have less anxiety around their birth.
You are as strong as your tribe!
Affirmations for Anxiety
Affirmations are a great way to overcome anxiety while affirming yourself of what is true, and what is possible.
Throughout my pregnancy, I went hard on affirmations and reminding myself of my strength.
Finding affirmations online is easy, but why not try creating a few for yourself to keep on your desk at work?
I created my affirmation by reminding myself of the positive possibilities.
The picture above is one of the affirmations I created to remind myself that this journey of pregnancy may not be easy, but it has been tailored to what I can handle.
I reminded myself that God would not give me something I couldn’t handle too soon, no matter how I felt or what my mind told me I consistently chose to believe.
I was made for this journey.
That helps ease anxiety and take you back to a place of mental peace.
Empower yourself with knowledge:
If your pregnancy anxiety is linked to the fear of a child birth, this section is for you.
Tokophobia.
Tokophobia is the fear of childbirth. If your anxiety is tied to childbirth itself, consider signing up for a birth class. Learning about the different stages of labor, and what to expect at each turn may help demystify the process.
Also, consider signing up for pregnancy groups and talking with other women who have a similar due date to you but have less anxiety around their birth.
You are as strong as your tribe!
Get Affirmed
Check out another post that provides you with free daily affirmations and printable notes to get you through your pregnancy.
