Stress While Pregnant
The Effects of Stress While Pregnant
Experiencing stress while pregnant is simply a fact that every expectant mother has to come to terms with. Life’s everyday stresses, such as deadlines at work, seeing to household responsibilities, and balancing finances, unfortunately do not disappear once a gal finds herself in a “delicate” state. These “minor” stresses are unavoidable, and in most cases they generally do not have a grand effect on one’s overall pregnancy. There are other stressful situations, however, that can have a profound effect on both the expecting mom and her unborn baby. We are going to discuss how experiencing stress while pregnant can possibly affect a fetus. We will also look at a few ways that expectant moms can reduce their stress level.
How does the fetus pick up on the stress?
When a pregnant woman experiences stress or anxiety, the body produces chemicals in the form of hormones. These hormones can have a direct effect on the baby who is literally awash in all of these chemicals. The general rule for pregnancy used to be that DNA makes the basic blueprint of a child, and as long as the mother is providing the fetus with all necessary nutrients, the end result at birth will be what the DNA instructed it to be. Now, however, many doctors are considering theories that test how exposure to stress hormones and depression in the womb can form a baby’s personality before it is even born—such as having a predisposition to irritability and depression.
What effects can stress have on an unborn baby?
In truth, doctors have had quite a bit of trouble proving the exact effects of stress while pregnant. Many women often find this hard to believe, but the reality is that stress has been suspected as a cause for many conditions—even cancer—however proving this through research and studies is extremely difficult. You see, everyone has their own threshold for stress. Two women could be exposed to the same stressful circumstance, yet have completely different physical and emotional reactions to virtually identical amounts of stress.
Most doctors advise that while stress should be avoided, minor stresses (like the everyday situations mentioned earlier) are generally not harmful during pregnancy. One has to take into consideration that hormones play a huge part in how stressful a situation is perceived. Something that might normally not bother a gal pre-pregnancy may suddenly elicit a ten-minute crying session during pregnancy.
Experiencing too much stress, however, is definitely suspected of having harmful effects on the fetus. It is believed that experiencing too much stress in the early weeks of pregnancy can lead to a miscarriage. Also, recurring high levels of stress throughout the pregnancy can cause the baby to be born pre-term, or before 37 weeks. Pre-term labor could result in further complications in the baby’s life, such as learning disorders, slowness in development, and lung disease. Stress is also suspected as being one of the causes of low birth weight in babies.
How must stress is “too much”?
Again, this really depends on the individual person. Large amounts of stress are often linked to things like the death of a family member or close friend or severe financial troubles, such as foreclosure. However, even everyday stress can slide under the “too much” category if a balance is not maintained. Putting in a long day at work and then coming home to fix dinner, clean the house, and attempting to carry out a daily workout routine may be fine on a normal scale, however for a pregnant woman this can be way too much to take on every day. Each woman has her own way of coping with stress, and the fine line that dictates what is “too much” will differ depending on the individual.
What can an expecting mom do to reduce stress?
Slow. Down. Expecting moms often feel the urge to keep up with their normal pace and do all of the things they were doing pre-pregnancy. This is a dangerous attitude to have. Granted chores, work, and errands will not do themselves, it is still important to pace oneself and to take a break when needed. If work becomes too strenuous, one might want to consider working fewer hours. If this isn’t possible, then a chat with the boss about a few extra breaks may be in order. A fifteen minute cat nap every day can work wonders for both one’s energy and spirit and can be nabbed virtually anywhere.
One might also consider looking into relaxation techniques such as maternity yoga, meditation, massages (preferably through one who specializes in maternity massages), and even bubble baths. If severe stress is suspected, one should consult their doctor about the possibility of therapy or other treatment methods to help reduce high levels of stress.