Reducing stress and anxiety is key during pregnancy to ensure your health, the health of your child and to lower your risk of a maternal mood disorder during the postpartum period. 

When you’re anticipating the birth of your child, it’s common to feel nervous and recognize some fear. This is especially true if you’re a first time mom when everything’s new. 

Unfortunately, about 20% of moms experience anxiety during pregnancy with the highest prevalence showing up during 3rd trimester.   

Risks

Mental stress and anxiety adversely effect sleep and have been linked to gestational diabetes, labor complications and preeclampsia. Moreover, it could effect fetal neurodevelopment and could mean preterm birth as well as low birth rate. Some studies indicate it could compromise the socio-emotional competencies in childhood as well. 

While anxiety is a natural response to stress, it’s important to be aware how to identify and reduce anxiety during pregnancy.  When you can recognize the signs, understand the causes, you can take steps to manage or reduce it.

Body-Mind-Spirit 

Practices for pregnancy will also serve you during motherhood. Learning the ways your nervous system responds to stress and anxiety will help you figure out which practices work best to bring yourself to calm and presence. 

Your body gives clues. Notice if your heart starts beating faster; do you experience palpitations? Are you tense or experiencing headaches?

Your emotional state gives signals too. Notice if your mind is racing.  Are you constantly worrying or fear the future, with a sense of dread? Are you irritable? 

Your behaviors are also indicators. Notice if you’re compulsively checking on things repeatedly. Or, are you procrastinating or feeling overwhelmed by tasks? 

Empower Yourself

When you notice the messages your body, mind and spirit are sending, you can take action to bring your nervous system to a more neutral state. For a mother undergoing radical changes during pregnancy and postpartum, cultivating awareness is the first step towards empowering yourself. 

Top Evidence-based Practices 

While the factors contributing to anxiety can vary, from genetics to trauma to lifestyle, deceptively simple practices can reduce anxiety significantly.

What is Mindfulness? 

Simply put, mindfulness is moment-to-moment awareness of the present, without judgment. Studies from as early as the mid-1970’s indicate again and again the benefit of mindfulness. 

Case Study: This has been the most transformative practice for me personally. By noticing the different layers of my being, in the present moment, I’m able to choose to shift, if needed. For example, I can observe how I’m holding my body (posture) and if I’m holding tension. If so, I can consciously choose to relax. I notice my breath is shallow, I can choose to deepen it, and direct it to certain areas. I can notice the thoughts and emotions arising and allow them to pass. 

The body scan, progressive muscle relaxation, is a technique I’ve shared with hundreds of students and clients, ranging in age and health. Guess what? Everyone benefits from it! 

What’s powerful about mindfulness is that it can be practiced at any time, anywhere. And, it works to relieve stress and anxiety. 

What is Meditation? 

There are different traditions of meditation. Meditation, at its essence, is an observation of your thoughts and your breath. In other words, sitting with what is. Meditation, for about 10-15 minutes has been shown to calm the nervous system, quiet the mind and reduce anxiety significantly. 

Since your breath is always available to you, it can be a powerful tool in helping you reduce stress and anxiety. The practices I frequently share with pregnant and new moms is belly breathing and extending the exhalation. These practices help regulate your nervous system by overriding the flight, flight, freeze response and activating the relaxation response instead. 

Ultimately…

These practices are just that - Practices. As soon as you find out you’re pregnant is the best time to begin spending a few minutes each day exploring mindfulness and meditation.

Identifying warning signals, as early as possible, from your body, mind, emotions and behavior, is your best defense against future challenges. Putting practices into place can ultimately help reduce your risk of experiencing a perinatal mood disorder. Early detection is key. 

If stress and anxiety persist, seek the help of a trained professional, like a therapist specializing in perinatal mood disorders.  

Source: National Library of Medicine “Maternal Stress, Anxiety, Well-Being, and Sleep Quality in Pregnant Women throughout Gestation” 11/26/23