Usually when pregnancy occurs the women is supposed to be happy and excited right? Well unfortunately it’s not always the case. You may have mixed, or even negative, feelings about being pregnant- this is completely normal. Due to the hormonal change you may even find that you have difficulty managing the massive changes with your body & most insecurities may start to show. Many women including myself may even have doubts of being a good mum and may find themselves anxious about how they will cope. When pregnant it is NORMAL to worry about the following:
- The changes in your role (becoming a mum)
- Changes in relationships including the father of your child and surroundings
- Whether you’re cut out to be a mum/parent
- Fear of your baby being unhealthy
- Fear of childbirth
- Even fear something bad will happen
- & lastly lack of support around you
Many many women suffer mental health BEFORE pregnancy but can occur during or even after and sometimes can even get worse. Anxiety and depression is the main signs something is wrong! These affect about 10 to 15 out of every 100 pregnant women. Severity can vary and like anything in life it can happen to anyone at any point in life. If you already have mental health it is a high chance you will become unwell during or even after birth (known as postnatal depression).
However, with the right help this can often be prevented. You can also develop mental health problems for the first time in pregnancy or after birth. Symptoms of mental illness in pregnancy are similar to symptoms you have at other times, but some may focus on the pregnancy. Example as following: you may be anxious or have negative thoughts in your head about your baby or even the pregnancy. The “baby belly” as some people like to say.
Some people may need more support than others and that may just be you and you know what? Don’t be ashamed don’t be scared don’t feel embarrassed or feel like you ain’t a good mum just because you need help because asking for help and showing others you can acknowledge you need help makes you a fantastic mum and it’s honestly so normal you probably don’t even realise it. . Your main support may be your partner, family or friends. It is helpful if the people closest to you know about your mental health problems. If you are at risk of becoming unwell, they should know what symptoms to look out for. They also need to know who to contact for help if they are worried about you. Your partner, family and friends can also help in practical ways – with cooking and cleaning, for instance.
If you need the help and you’re pregnant or going through that postnatal stage please seek help! Reach out to anyone. I have a page of helpful numbers please call somebody get that help you need today. Don’t be afraid ask for help 💕
Mental health & me 