How to tackle stress during pregnancy

Stress is the biggest culprit in anyone’s life; be it a pregnant woman or anyone else. Since I am writing posts related with pregnancy related issues, I would stick to issues related with pregnant women. The other factors of stress will be discussed later. I hope no one would mind it!

There are various causes of stress in a pregnant woman’s life. While some are external, most of them are essentially internal; at unconscious level. The external factors are family, friends, social circle, job, and medical condition during pregnancy. The internal factors are basically the thinking cycle of the women, her awareness and her ability to react or respond to a particular situation or event, and her ability to cope up with the outside factors.

While the physical stress like doing household chores, going to office, commuting etc. cannot be helped much, the pregnant woman can surely control her mental and emotional stress.

I come across many women who take unnecessary stress of their in-laws, family members, neighbors, boss and colleagues. Please understand one thing clearly that you cannot change others. If you wish to see a change, make necessary changes in your own self. People are, by large, made by their own past experiences. We really do not know why a particular person behaves in a particular manner. And again, we always try to understand the other person with our own awareness, our past experiences. Sometimes, a person says something else, but we understand something else. Many times, we are simply judgmental. We have our own opinion about a certain person; and we are not open to new ideas, new thoughts, and suggestions. We always think that why this person would think good for me; he or she will always think something bad for me. This may be true in some cases, but I am sure, it is not always the same. It is our own negative thought cycle that produces such thoughts in our mind giving unnecessary stress to us.

We think more on the lines of others conspiring against us, looking for an opportunity to trouble us etc. I suggest that the pregnant woman should always keep to herself. She is nurturing a new life. The child inside her womb is so helpless that it has to listen to all the thoughts and words of its mother. Every single thought and action, be it a happy thought or a sad one, be it a happy action or a bad reaction; it produces chemicals in the mother’s body. The child receives everything its mother provides, that to helplessly. The fetus has no control over what to take and what not to. It is exposed to so many chemicals that may actually harm it in all possible ways. But the baby inside cannot help it. It is the utmost duty of the pregnant woman to take care of her baby. If she cannot care for the baby while it is still inside her womb how is she going to take care of the child when it comes out?

Taking unnecessary stress is like bringing the filth from outside, and storing inside your house. The filth will obviously produce stink. Tell me, what else you expect filth to produce for you. Even if you spray some nice perfume on it; after sometime it will give out stink only, because that is its basic character, inherent nature.

Just leave everybody else aside. You should be concerned with yourself and your baby.

You may like to ask me, but how to tackle such stress. Good question indeed! In such a case, please follow the guidelines written below:

·         Do your spiritual routines religiously. This will give you endurance to face such situations with utmost grace and awareness.

·         Depend on self for most of the daily chores do may do.

·         Expectations from others will surely bring stress to you, better to avoid.

·         What others think and say about you is their business, and not yours.

·         Enhance your self-esteem, and love yourself, and love your child.

·         Do not let others rule your mind and life.

·         Set attainable goals during pregnancy. As the time progresses, your ability to do certain tasks will be reduced considerably. In such cases, ask for help.

·         Control anger pangs.

·         Refrain from watching movies that may produce any kind of stress.

·         Avoid negative thinkers. And this hold true even for the ladies of your social circle.

·         Avoid listening to the stories of abortions, miscarriages, or any other negative talks.

·         If you feel something different going inside, or you are not feeling comfortable; call your doctor immediately. Do not think of negative happenings all by yourself.

·         Every symptom counts in pregnancy; even seemingly small symptoms have everlasting effects on you and your child’s well being.

·         Do not delay asking for medical help.

·         Do not eat anything that you don’t feel like eating. And this does not hold true for your medication. Whether you like it or don’t, you have to take it religiously.

·         No self medication please. No granny medicines and great granny medication for you during three terms of pregnancy.

·         Feel fresh by going for nature walks, listening to soothing music, going to places of worship, going to spiritual discourses if you like them, writing poetry, painting, or by pursuing your hobbies or doing anything that interests you the most; but all without exerting you too much.

I am sure all my pregnant friends will take a serious note of this, and will be happy during and after their pregnancy. I wish my best!