Less stress is best - and with a little
guidance, you can get a handle on your anxiety.
We live in stressful times
Most Americans are anxious about the
economy, jobless rates and downsizing, just to name a few. And when you’re
pregnant, there can be brand-new stressors you didn’t see coming: You worry
about whether you can still do your job now and when you return from maternity
leave. The pressure of expanding to a family of three (or four or more) can take
a toll on even the most stable marriage. And suddenly your health concerns are
not just about you, but—first and foremost—for your baby.
How
stress can affect your health, and some ways to control it
There are ways to take the edge off,
though,and plenty
of evidence that you should: Chronic stress can have lifelong effects on your
baby. Not sure your relationship can hold up? You have to have those tough
conversations, maybe even go in for marriage counseling. Fear your job could be
in jeopardy? Make sure you outline your maternity leave plan and know your
rights as a working mom-to-be. The keys to managing both day-to-day anxiety and long-term
stress are awareness, patience and communication.
Also crucial to turning down your stress
level: movement and meditation. I’m a big believer—especially now that the
weather is warmer— in taking advantage of the water. There is something so
soothing about the rhythm, pulse and weightlessness of swimming, floating,
rowing or paddling in the ocean, lake or pool. That feeling stays with you,
calming you all day long, and easing you into sleep.
Most
men say they need to feel more appreciated by their partners.
One group of moms-to-be can definitely use
some extra stress relief: They’re what Leslie Goldman calls “formerly
infertiles” or “FIs” . Goldman writes
firsthand about the complex emotions (guilt, fear and oh-so-high anxiety) women
experience as they are carrying to term after struggling to conceive.
