What Stress?
Stress is in each of our daily lives. We can minimize it, we can ignore it, but we cannot seem to hide from it.
During pregnancy stress can take a devastating toll on not only our health but our growing baby as well. Keeping mentally healthy can be a challenge on a daily basis when you're not pregnant but add a growing babe in the mix and it can seem like an uphill battle even more. Our mental well being is vital to our physical well being. Stress can bring about disease and sickness to the body and to your growing fetus.
What is your body doing during times of high chronic stress? Do you really understand what the chemical reactions are that are going on and what they can lead to? When we feel stressed our bodies go into a "fight or flight" mode. The chemicals the body produces during this time include cortisol and other stress hormones that give a burst of energy to your body's muscles and set the heart into a faster pace.
If we can calm ourselves down the body responds normally and the hormones reduce and we can go back to a "normal" state of being. If the body remains in this state the stress management areas of our body become over reactive and can lead to inflammatory responses in the body. Studies show that stress that is not handled properly can lead to lower birth weight in babies, as well as preterm deliveries. Later down the road your baby could show developmental delays from the chronic stress. Studies are currently being conducted to find out the connection of continued stress in mother and the effects it has on the fetus brain.
Learning good self care practices not only will be beneficial during pregnancy but much needed after too. Self care is not just pampering yourself or treating yourself to "you time" it's knowing how to handle and process the stress that your body may be feeling. Seeking prenatal yoga classes in your area can be an invaluable asset not only for stress management but I always tell my clients my best "breathers" are my yogi moms.
Self care practices can be meditation, talking with a trusted friend or family member or seeking outside help from a therapist. Meditation can teach you breathing exercises to help calm the body and bring peace and grounding back to your mind. It can teach you to focus on the present and not surround yourself with the anxiety of "what if". Find a friend to listen, they don't have to fix the situation or even give advice. Often we just need a sounding board for the things in our life that stay on our mind.
Seeking outside help from a therapist can be so rewarding to your mental well being. Stress management does not always mean that you need a prescription drug however there are times that we agree that it is the best route and speaking with your OB or psychologist in those times are necessary.
In our local area we are privileged to have such an amazing group of clinicians at Santa Rosa Counseling Center. Their very own Melissa D. Garner, LMHC has given so much insight on what true self care looks like. She offers a monthly wellness workshop that teaches self care, assertiveness, coping skills, self soothing methods, and much more. She is a jewel to work with in any stage of your life. The skills you will learn and take with you can benefit you and your rapidly developing womb-mate! You can find more of the services Melissa Garner, LMHC offers at Self Haven.
