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Five tips on how to deal with anxiety during pregnancy

Pregnancy
 Anxiety during pregnancy may be linked to the hormonal changes in the body (Image: Shutterstock)

Are you feeling on edge at all times? Having trouble sleeping? Your thoughts keep racing and you can’t seem to calm down?

There is a high chance you could be struggling with antenatal anxiety.

Contrary to common belief that pregnant women should always be happy, frankly speaking there is a lot to worry about especially when you are not having an easy pregnancy.

Antenatal anxiety may be directly linked to hormonal changes in the body during pregnancy. Your body is obviously going through tremendous changes and for some mums to be this can be overwhelming if not scary.

If not treated on time, there are high risks of premature birth, low birth weight or the mother could develop an impaired attachment to the baby.

To treat antenatal anxiety, your doctor may suggest anti-depressants or anti-anxiety medication or give you the option of non-medicinal approaches.

Here are tips on how you can cope with anxiety during this monumental period of your life:

Open up

When you feel like the world is crushing on your shoulders, talk to someone. It could be your spouse, a friend or close relative. Sharing your fears will halve the problem and you may feel much better.

You can also seek professional support from your doctor or a therapist who specializes on issues related to antenatal anxiety.

Get some rest

Sleep may probably be the last thing on your mind but it does not necessarily mean that your body doesn’t need to rest. So, whenever you feel the urge to nap during the day, don’t fight it.

Chances are you were up all night and didn’t get much rest. So, do it when your body prods you to do so and it may help with your anxiety.

 A healthy meal will lift your spirit while keeping the baby healthy (Image: Shutterstock)
Take some time off

Shift your mind from your worries and do something nice for yourself. Whether it is a warm bubble bath, taking the dog for a walk or going to the salon, do something that will make you happy and feel good about yourself.

Soon you will realize the dark cloud is slowly passing away. Find joy in the things you love and set aside some time to do them before the baby arrives and things get harder.

Eat well

A healthy diet will have you feeling good and give your baby the essential nutrients they need. Increase your water intake and have a balanced diet packed with fruits and vegetables.

When your blood sugar levels drop, it may lead to certain feelings of agitation. This will be made worse by the unavoidable nausea and strange cravings.

Avoid hunger and mood swings by eating high protein meals throughout the day.

Pray

A simple prayer may be all you need to feel much better. Cast your worries and fears to God then leave it at that. At the end of the day, there is so much that is beyond your control and you can accept that without dwelling on it.

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