Search Results for: blog anxiety in pregnancy

The Importance of Pregnancy Support Groups

If you’re pregnant and feeling uncertain, or even if you feel great about pregnancy/childbirth, I still have an important recommendation: try to find a support group.  Not necessarily one called “pregnancy support group,” but try to find a group of other veteran, new, or expecting moms to spend time with. The support that’s offered just from spending time with others in the same boat, or who have been through it recently, is invaluable.  A lot of the weird things about pregnancy can be less alarming if you have others to talk about them with, who can say: “oh yes, that … Continue reading →

Pregnancy And Dreams

When you are pregnant, sleep does not always come easily. When you do get some rest, you may awaken to find that you had some very, very strange dreams while you were asleep. Strange dreams are par for the course during pregnancy, and it should come as no surprise that there is a connection between these dreams and all of those hormones that have flooded your system. In addition to an increase in the amount of dreams that women have during pregnancy, women are more likely to remember the dreams that they have while they are pregnant than they are … Continue reading →

OCD and Pregnancy

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It’s normal for a new mom to check on the baby several times while he is sleeping, painstakingly wash her hands before picking him up, or triple check the brake on the stroller. But for some women, these habits turn into extreme habituals and are a sign of OCD, or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. The hormones of pregnancy seem to trigger OCD in certain individuals, according to a recent study conducted at the Yale University School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. It may worsen the symptoms for some who already have it. Many people joke about having OCD, but the … Continue reading →

It’s High Anxiety Season Again!

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Here in the States, the Fourth of July (and the weeks surrounding) is a high anxiety time for pets — thanks to the fireworks. They’ve been setting off fireworks in my neighborhood for at least a week now, with the big day itself still to come. My dogs have been relatively mellow about the firecrackers so far — despite a bad experience in the past where they were thrown at us while we were walking. Perked ears, a little bit of barking and running to the windows… definitely not as bad as it has been. But for some pets, fireworks … Continue reading →

Surviving Your Last Weeks of Pregnancy: The Emotional Train Wreck

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In addition to the physical discomforts, the last few weeks of pregnancy can induce episodes of anxiety, distress, sadness, and frustration. You may be anxious about waiting for labor to begin, delivery itself, or becoming a parent for the first time. Aches and pains affect your ability to deal with the emotional ups and downs. The body goes through another wave of hormone changes in preparation for labor and delivery, which can make mood swings worse. Going through false labor can have you ready to pull your hair out! Sometimes normal fears are inflated by outside influences, such as when … Continue reading →

Stress and Anxiety Dreams

The brain is a wonderful, funny organ. It does so much for our bodies without any conscious effort! But sometimes, I wish it would find a different way to handle stress. When I’m really stressed, my dreams can get really weird. I have a few recurring dreams that pop up when the pressure’s on. The school dream. Usually, it’s the end of my senior year of high school and I realize that I’ve been skipping out on one class for the whole year. Maybe I’m scrambling to finish an extra credit project; maybe I’m so worried about other classes that … Continue reading →

Pregnancy Blog Review Oct 29 – November 14

Welcome to the Pregnancy Blog review. Here you will find a brief description of recent posts in the blog. If you want to read more, click on the link to see the entire blog. Anxiety disorders may occur before or during pregnancy. Women have widely different experiences. Some find their symptoms are reduced, while others discover no change or an increase in symptoms. For others, they first experience anxiety disorder after they become pregnant. Learn more about the symptoms and treatment options in Anxiety in Pregnancy. Birthing positions can either help or hinder progress in natural child birth. Some positions … Continue reading →

Anxiety in Pregnancy

Anxiety disorders are common in women, both before and during pregnancy. Some women have anxiety disorders prior to becoming pregnant and others may experience symptoms for the first time during pregnancy. Changes in hormone levels combined with increased stress can contribute to developing anxiety disorders during pregnancy. Symptoms of an anxiety disorder include a general feeling of nervousness and panic attacks. During a panic attack, you may experience a racing heartbeat, lightheadedness, and have trouble breathing. The frequency and severity of panic attacks varies from woman to woman. In addition, some women experience unfounded fear or worry. The need for … Continue reading →

When Your Partner Experiences Pregnancy Symptoms

Is your partner feeling sick in the mornings or gaining weight with you? If so, he may be experiencing Couvades Syndrome. Couvade means “to hatch” in French. There is some controversy over the existence of the syndrome. Some believe it is not real and the sickness and weight gain are the result of anxiety. Those who have experienced Couvades Syndrome are not convinced. To these couples, whether the cause is physical or emotional, the symptoms are very real. Further study is being done in this area. In the meantime, the debate about the authenticity of Couvades syndrome continues. Some men … Continue reading →

Study Finds Mental Health of Expectant Dad Affects Child

There is a new study that looks at mental health in a different way. Researchers found that expectant fathers who had mental health problems affected the behavior and emotional lives of their child. The kids didn’t exhibit the problems until years later. They aren’t sure exactly why this is happening, but it certainly appears to be the case. A study was done that included 32,000 children in Norway. The results were recently published in Pediatrics. It suggests something that most people would not have guessed was possible. The risk for future mental health problems in young children may be identified … Continue reading →