- Chronic stress during pregnancy can cause sleep issues, high blood pressure, and low birth weight
- Getting 7 to 9 hours of sleep and naps helps reduce fatigue and alleviate pregnancy stress
- Eating small, frequent meals with proteins, grains, fruits, and healthy fats stabilises mood
Though pregnancy is a joyful moment for women, it can also be a source of emotional or physical stress. Persistent stress during pregnancy has also been linked to sleep disorders, high blood pressure, and impaired appetite, and has even been found to contribute to pre-term births and low birth weights. Hence, ways of coping with it form a part of the prenatal care.
Pregnancy is a journey of change, growth, and discovery, not only emotionally and physically but also mentally. Hormonal changes, levels of discomfort, the baby, and the birth process are some sources of stress. Caring for yourself during this phase of life is as important as preparing for the baby. Though some stress is common in pregnant women, too much stress can create problems for both the mother and the fetus. Here are some things that every pregnant woman should know.
1. Understand the effects of stress
Chronic stress can also lead to the release of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Therefore, it can indirectly impact fetal development since it impacts the mother, as excessive amounts of these hormones can lead to sleep disorders, high BP, and appetite loss.
2. Prioritise rest and sleep
The level of stress increases as the level of fatigue increases. Getting between 7 and 9 hours of sleep at night, in combination with taking several naps during the day, will help alleviate fatigue. Developing a pre-sleep relaxation routine is highly beneficial.
3. Maintain balanced nutrition
Stable blood sugar levels also help maintain a stable mood and energy level. Small but frequent meals containing a high amount of proteins, grains, fruits, and healthy fats should be consumed to avoid irritability and weakness that might trigger a surge of stress hormones.
4. Stay physically active
Exercising with doctor-approved physical activities like walking, prenatal yoga, and stretching helps to stimulate blood flow and ease pregnancy anxiety by releasing endorphins, making exercise one of the safest ways to relieve pregnancy stress naturally available today.
5. Build a support system
Being open and communicating with a partner, family, or medical practitioner helps in removing emotional stress. You should feel free to talk about any fear you have, especially about delivery, body changes, and raising a child.
6. Seek help when needed:
If a woman is depressed, panicking, losing sleep, or excessively worried, these are not issues to take lightly. Anxiety or depression screening is good for the mother and the baby.
Keeping in mind that a calm mother indicates a healthy pregnancy, it is very important for pregnant women to take time to rest and relax.
(Dr. Tripti Raheja, Director - Obstetrics & Gynaecology at the CK Birla Hospital, Delhi)
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this article are the personal opinions of the author. NDTV is not responsible for the accuracy, completeness, suitability, or validity of any information on this article. All information is provided on an as-is basis. The information, facts or opinions appearing in the article do not reflect the views of NDTV and NDTV does not assume any responsibility or liability for the same.
