Stress raises its ugly head in the most unexpected way, sometimes, during the most jubilant times of your life. Stress and joy does not necessarily go hand in hand. But consider this -discovering that you are pregnant can be one of the happiest moments of your life but your excitement can diminish at supersonic speed if you allow the stress bug to bite you. Here, the stress bug we are referring to are not some creepy crawly creatures but two legged people like relatives, friends and sometimes even co-workers.
We agree upon the fact that everybody has a mind of their own and are entitled to voice their opinion and dole out ‘valuable’ advice. But, it so happens that a pregnant woman often receives a surplus of suggestions and tips about what to do and what not to do thereby making her a nervous wreck. Let’s look at some of the generic factors that may arise stress in pregnant women:-
Tips and suggestions galore from Relatives and friends
On hearing the good news, be geared up to face a barrage of questions followed by tips and suggestions from relatives and friends. Monosyllabic replies maybe sufficient enough to clear their queries but the tips and suggestions will keep pouring in till due date and probably after that too! Pregnant women do get confused and stressed if people around constantly give tips on what to eat, drink and wear. When an aunt or a cousin says, ‘you should be drinking milk mixed with saffron to get a fair baby’, Just laugh it out by saying ‘that means there would be no dark skinned babies in the world if this really worked’. Some of the suggestions can range from ridiculous and weird to useful (at times). Instead of getting stressed, hear them out and forget about it. If you think a tip given by a friend or an aunt is helpful, consult your doctor before following it.
Sweet-talking Co-workers – If you are working and pregnant then be prepared to get free advice from your colleagues too. Sometimes their talk can frighten you especially if it goes like this, “pregnancy is a time to take rest, you may be putting your health and your baby’s health to risk by coming to office and getting involved in the demanding life here”. Your retort should be, “My doctor says that pregnant women should keep their minds and body active. By doing so, I ensure good health for me and my baby”. Do not let negativity scare you. Pregnancy is not an illness. If possible, steer clear from people and situations that can have a negative impact on your mental health.
Symptoms during pregnancy – Nausea, vomiting, a little bit of fatigue are common symptoms during pregnancy. Consider yourself lucky if you are not experiencing any of these symptoms. However, It’s prudent to discuss with your doctor about the symptoms you experience or the lack of it. An expert opinion/tips can help you in staying relatively anxious free.
Browsing through the net – “I can rattle off at least fifteen names of websites that has pregnancy related information”. I agree that we live in the digital age and browsing through the net has become a habit and sometimes an obsession. Pregnant women especially go into a zealous overdrive trying to browse multiple sites in a quest to update their knowledge. By doing so, they end up getting confused and anxious. Instead, use the power of the internet to interact with your doctor on a real-time basis. With hospitals introducing mobile apps(Chaitra, please include the hyperlink of the hospital’s mobile app here), patients can reach out to their doctors in a much faster and effective way.
For a healthy pregnancy, it’s important to keep your doctor updated on what’s going on with you both mentally as well as physically. Try to eliminate stress and apprehension from your life. Instead, focus on eating a well-balanced diet, exercise regularly and follow your doctor’s advice.
