Pregnancy can be a very difficult time in a woman’s life. She feels immense joy, anxiousness, stress, and all of these at the same time. The nine months of pregnancy is full of new experiences and anticipation of what’s to come. There are lots of unknowns and for many moms pregnancy can cause a bit of anxiety and stress.
Pregnancy is a big demand on a woman’s body, so knowing ways to be stress free during pregnancy is very helpful! Recent studies have shown that high stress during pregnancy can have negative effects for mom and baby-to-be, so finding ways to stay calm and relaxed is oh-so important.
If you find that your stress level is rising, look for community resources that can help you find ways to reduce your stress and deal with challenges. Here are our best tips and ways to be stress free during pregnancy.
The Useful Ways To Stay Stress Free While Pregnant
- Dealing with pregnancy with all the scary thoughts and everyday responsibilities can become extremely stressful. Having friends and family over and talking to them can take your mind off these crazy thoughts and they could also help you take care of everyday chores.
- There is a growing body of research that shows anxiety and stress, in some women, lead to pre-term birth, smaller babies, and potential problems later for the child from respiratory illness and developmental delays.
- Make sure you are sleeping enough. Learn other ways to rest and relax. Your public library will have books and audiotapes about reducing stress and learning to relax.
- Eating well will give you the energy you need to cope with daily life, plus, the better nourished you are, the less likely you are to be affected by stress. Eat plenty of oily fish to keep the stress hormone cortisol in check and lots of fruit and vegetables to keep you fighting fit.
- Exercising during your pregnancy is important for your physical health and has the added bonus of being a wonderful stress reliever. Be sure to choose exercises that you enjoy, otherwise you probably won’t do it!
- Every now and then, go get yourself a pedicure or a facial. Have pre-natal massage at least once while expecting, and be amazed by how much it will reduce your stress levels!
- A nightly bath with a set of bath salts is a great way to relax. If the pregnancy is further on, make sure the water is not too warm and that someone is around to help mom into and out of the bath tub.
- It is common for a pregnant woman to get dehydrated due to loss of appetite and other sickness. Drinking lots of water (at least eight glasses a day) will keep you healthy and also eliminate certain toxins in the body which cause stress.
- Steer your career: Moms need to remember they have 30 years left in a career, so she might want to consider taking some down time during pregnancy if she is prone to worry and tension.
- Treat yourself: If you’re not feeling good about yourself a little pampering can go a long way. A bit of me-time will soon feel like a thing of the past – so make the most of it now and go for a manicure, spend time with friends or indulge in a bit of retail therapy.
Share with us your tips for staying pregnant and stress-free. What has worked best for you? I’d love to hear your opinions, so please comment below. Thanks for reading!