maialancholy

10 Ways to Cope with Stress During Pregnancy

Written by maialancholy | | No Comment
July 26th, 2007

Stress is a normal occurrence nowadays, with society moving fast, people running around, everything needed in a jiffy. Sometimes people go on nervous breakdowns unable to cope up with it. Having been exposed to a high stress level environment, how then do I cope up with stress and stay pregnant?

Aside from taking some quiet time for myself, the natural worrier in me needed to take a rest. I am a melancholic, I wanted to have everything in order, every detail listed down, and it follows that I accumulate unwanted stress as well. I have learned to just let go and let God. This is difficult most of the times, because reason tells me to worry. But faith tells me to relax. And besides, stress and too much worrying can cause a high probability of premature labour. Of course, I wouldn’t want my Johann to go out when he is not yet ready, right?

Some practical steps I have taken to reduce my stress level (while fighting all the hormones raging inside me):

1. Spend around 15 minutes of quiet me time, just feeling my body and the baby inside my womb, counting the interval of his kicks and talking to him in my mind, sometimes out loud, lolz.
2. Pray a lot, as in a lot, so that every worry in my mind is lifted up to Him.
3. Smile even if I don’t feel like smiling. It helps exercise the muscles in my face and give me a feeling of lightness even though I feel crappy.
4. Shrug off negativity. Negative people are ugly. Period.
5. Exercising deep breathing. Helps calm down my nerves.
6. Focus on me, the beautiful me. Being pregnant is a miracle itself and we should see how we glow beauty while we are growing bigger everyday!
7. Snuggle with hubby even though baby is getting in the way (middle). Nothing like feeling strong loving arms that makes you feel safe no matter what.
8. Listen to relaxing music. My baby has his way of telling me he likes what’s on the I-pod. It also helps me sleep more soundly at night.
9. Read testimonials from other N@Wies that detail their experiences during pregnancy and birth. Makes me feel I am not alone. And…
10. Look forward to my due date! Plan, plan, plan. Johann will then be here to be cuddled and be loved, and even now, I can just imagine how soft and cute and handsome he is (will be)…

There. It’s not scientific mind you, these are practical and experiential. You can do a lot more than these (I do) but these are the top 10 things I have been doing to calm my stressed self while I am pregnant. D’oh, I think I should be doing this even when I’m not pregnant!