Pregnancy is said to be one of the most beautiful times in a woman’s life, but it can also be one of the most stressful. Not only are there a multitude of changes going on in your body, but you might find yourself worrying quite a bit too. Things like your baby’s health, being a good parent, actually giving birth and the financial aspects of having a baby can weigh on your mind.

As your unborn baby is exposed to everything that you experience, it is vital to try and stay positive despite these worries. Staying positive doesn’t mean burying your head in the sand though. Pregnancy will bring challenges like morning sickness and mood swings, but how you decide to deal with them will affect how calm and content you feel. The mother’s emotional state affects the baby’s development and the happier the mother is, the lower the chances are that the baby will develop any health problems.

Continue reading for some more pregnancy advice from Nutricia Careline on how you can stay positive during your pregnancy.

Sound Mind, Sound Body

Due to fluctuations and changes in hormone levels, mood swings are a common occurrence during pregnancy. Eating well can have a positive impact on your mood. Including more omega-3 essential fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals in your diet and drinking plenty of water can lift your mood. You can also practice mindfulness and do some meditation.

It is not uncommon to experience insomnia during pregnancy and while there are many ways to combat this, exercise is one of the most effective methods. Staying active during pregnancy will make you feel healthier both physically and mentally, and will help you to sleep better if you do experience insomnia. Lighter impact exercises like swimming, yoga, walking and pilates are great ways to stay active during pregnancy.

Ask For And Accept Help

Don’t be afraid to reach out and ask for help. Talk to your partner, friends, family and lean on your social network for support. This is an opportunity to deepen the relationships you already have with people who have been through pregnancy like your mother, sisters and female friends. You have the chance to build new relationships by joining a prenatal class. Reaching out to people who have experience or are going through the same things as you are can help increase your feeling of connectedness which in turn reduces stress.

Plan Ahead

From apps to books, from blogs to magazines, there’s more information than ever out there to help you navigate the road to parenthood. If this is your first pregnancy, use this time to get a head start on learning how to take care of an infant. Prepare yourself and learn about what you should be doing when the baby comes, what to be aware of in the first weeks, months and years of their development. You can also get a head start on organising your home and even decorate a room for the baby. If you have children already, this is a great time to spend some alone time with them and prepare them for the arrival of their new sibling.

Having a baby will lead to an increase in family expenses which can lead to stress about finances. By planning ahead, and buying pricier baby items slowly over time or maybe even borrowing some of the necessities from friends or family who no longer need them, you can help make things more affordable.

Focus On Your Baby, Focus on You

Use this time to learn about how your baby is growing and developing inside you. Create daily activities to strengthen the bond between you, like talking and singing to the baby. It has even been proven that your unborn child can hear you, so don’t be shy!

There will be a lot of things to cope with during pregnancy as well as a lot of advice on how you can or should cope with them. However well-meaning the advice is, it’s important that you try to find your own way of coping and not impose any undue stress on yourself by trying to accommodate someone else’s standards and expectations. Be yourself and do what comes naturally to you.

Turn That Frown Upside Down

As your baby feels, hears, and goes through all the experiences that you do, constant worry and elevated stress hormones can negatively affect your baby. Life will always throw challenges your way and, in pregnancy, they are mixed in with morning sickness and mood swings. By making a conscious effort to stay positive, you’ll reduce stress on yourself which in turn reduces stress on your baby. Remember to be yourself and to find your own way of handling the challenges that pregnancy brings. Enjoy this beautiful journey of creation and give your little one the best start in life.

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