If you’ve been pregnant or are currently, you will be familiar with the constant anxiety that comes with carrying a child. The worries are endless- are you eating right? Sleeping in the correct position? Remembering all your appointments for jabs and bloods and check ups as well as doing everything else at the right time in the calendar? It’s enough to give any mama-to-be a panic attack, so if you are feeling like you are slowly unwinding, here are some things you can do to feel more like yourself again.
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Take a break from the parenting books: Of course it’s important to know what you should expect from the current number of weeks you are pregnant and to look up any symptoms you are having to check if they are normal but you need a healthy balance. Read a romance, a trashy magazine or a non-fiction book about your favourite hobby, just make sure not all of your reading materials are about having a child. Being focused on your pregnancy 24/7 can get overwhelming and sometimes the information is contradictory which only makes matters worse.
Talk to your partner: If your lover is the supportive type, tell them how you are feeling and the worries you are having. They may not share them or understand them but sometimes it’s best to get them off your chest anyway. Who knows, they might be thinking exactly the same things you are and if that’s the case you can talk them out together and make a list of questions for the midwife.
Try not to get overwhelmed by other people’s advice: Other parents will always have advice to give and think nothing of sharing their experiences of raising a child with you. Take it with a pinch of salt- what worked for their child doesn’t mean it will work for yours. People mean well, but what they don’t realise is that this barrage of information can be confusing and upsetting. If they are overstepping the mark, politely change the topic of conversation and move on.
Avoid shows and movies with pregnancy storylines: It might be wise to leave things like The Handmaid’s Tale, A Quiet Place, Call the Midwife and One Born Every Minute alone until you’ve had your baby if you are of a nervous disposition. They will only make you think of the worst possible scenarios so it’s best to leave well alone.
Baths and massages: Run a warm bath before bed to help you settle down before you go to sleep and if your mind tends to wander while bathing, take in some light reading with you, listen to an audiobook or some calming music. Ask your partner to give you a foot and leg massage to ease your puffy ankles and discomfort in your calves. If you are lucky you could get both in one night!
Bend your own rules: If you ran a tight ship before getting pregnant and always shopped on the same day, did your washing at the same time or cleaned your home on designated days in the week- go easy on yourself. Remember these were self imposed rules when you weren’t growing another person. If you can’t do things at the same pace as before, that’s ok- do them less often or ask for help.
Don’t be offended if people distance themselves for a while: Some of the people in your life might fade into the background for a bit. This is not something to fret over, simply a natural reaction when you are in a place they are not. Accept that they might not be as present for a while, but they will come back to you in time. People understand things better when they have experienced them for themselves so don’t spend precious time examining their actions, just know that it’s nothing you’ve done.
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