Pregnancy is a real blessing for many women, and it’s also considered as a new and enjoyable chapter of life. Despite the joys of pregnancy, many expecting mothers are worried about many things. Some of these worries are genuine, while others are manageable but can bring unnecessary strain for the parent and the baby. Research has also proven that calm mothers also have anxiety episodes caused by little actions – such as a routine OB check.
Here are some of the most common pregnancy fears and how to handle them effectively:
Table of Contents
1. Birth & Genetic Defects
If you’re going to ask expectant mothers regarding their pregnancy fears, the first spot would go to the ‘birth defects’ section. Seeing your baby with an obvious debilitating defect is, indeed, a major fear. The defect can lower your baby’s quality of life, and it will be painful to see your baby struggle. Birth and genetic defects do happen, but the reality is that they happen at a very small chance. Based on collective research, 97 out of 100 babies are born without birth defects. This is a positive rate that you must remember.
How To Cope:
To reduce your anxiety, you need to be proactive about your lifestyle choices. Make sure that you follow your doctor’s recommendations. On top of that, you can try pregnancy meditation. This will help you calm your mind and reduce anxiety.
2. Uneventful Miscarriage
Following birth defects is the reality of miscarriage. It’s normal to worry if your baby will cling on to dear life, but you need to adjust your perspective. The instance of miscarriage is within the range of 12-34% – with the percentage getting higher only if you conceived at a later age. Stress factors are also included in the equation.
How To Cope:
Miscarriage is avoidable if you’re proactive in leading a healthy life. Try to maintain a pregnancy journal and write down about your worries. Along the pages, you can put empowering messages and other important reminders. Stay away from negative stimuli (i.e. bad news) and other potential sources of anger.
3. Painful Labor
While labor pain is considered a part of giving birth, some women fear it more than others. According to the global pain threshold, labor pain has a standard level of 8. The results, however, vary on the pain tolerance of a woman.
How To Cope:
Labor pain cannot be removed by up to 100%, but there are numerous ways to ease it. Medications will help, as well as water birth and gentle massage. Keep in mind that hospitals are now more capable of helping women in delivering their little angels with as little pain as possible. You don’t need to be anxious regarding labor pain – acceptance is the solution.
4. Food Paranoia
It’s undeniable that some foods are bad for pregnant women. These foods are mostly processed or high in bad cholesterol and sodium. Sometimes, lack of awareness about the right foods might induce ‘food paranoia.’ This can lead to great stress, and you won’t even get the proper nutrients that you need.
How To Cope:
To prevent food paranoia, you need to be keen on doing your research. Ask around regarding the best foods for your pregnancy. You should also listen to your OB’s food recommendations because they are probably accurate. As a bonus, try researching about excellent but healthy variations to your favorite foods.
Conclusion
Even though pregnancy fears are unavoidable, the way you manage them makes a big difference. Always bear in mind that stress can affect your pregnancy in negative ways. It’s important to gain an upper hand over your pregnancy anxiety, but you shouldn’t rush the process. Take one step at a time and you will eventually see positive results. For greater effects, you can also discuss your worries with your OB.
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