Some people are meant to be mothers. I wasn't one of those people. In fact, I worried whether I would even love my baby. A planned pregnancy is supposed to be happy news, but what I was feeling was anything but happy. I never expected to be facing prenatal depression…. The baby blues are common, but they usually only last a couple weeks. If you're dealing with longer-term, severe worry and symptoms that are getting….
A new study finds that epidurals do not affect child development in their later years. A fetal arrhythmia is an irregular heart rate — too fast, too slow, or otherwise outside the norm. It's often benign. Postpartum diarrhea after a C-section is normal. Sharing our experiences of pregnancy and infant loss can help us heal. Health Conditions Discover Plan Connect. A study found that infants born to mothers who had high levels of anxiety during pregnancy had a weakened immune response to vaccines by six months of age, compared to babies with more relaxed moms, Live Science previously reported.
A study published in the journal Brain and Behavior reported that in 70 Iranian women, mindfulness practices , such as meditation or taking time to be in the moment, reduced maternal anxiety. The study authors recommended that health providers include mindfulness in prenatal programs to help reduce maternal anxiety.
The mental fogginess and occasional memory lapses that could cause a woman's keys to be misplaced and her cell phone to go missing has sometimes been described as "pregnancy brain" or "baby brain.
Related: Mother's Day science: From 'baby brain' to cognitive boost. Although a common complaint, studies of memory and other cognitive changes in pregnancy and early motherhood have shown mixed results. Some research has suggested that fuzzy thinking and forgetfulness before and after birth may be a result of hormonal fluctuations, especially higher levels of progesterone.
Sleep deprivation or the stress of adjusting to a major life transition may also be to blame. A study published in journal Nature found that pregnancy alters the structure of women's brains and that these changes lasted for at least two years after they had given birth —— to the point that the scientists could tell if a woman was pregnant or had recently given birth by an MRI of her brain.
The grey matter in their brain, vital for processing information, shrank, as did the hippocampus, the region associated with memory. However, the researchers could not explain exactly what their findings implied, although they might have implications in parental decision-making later in life. With all that's going on in a pregnant woman's body and all the thoughts running through her mind, it makes sense that a woman may not be remembering some things, Kimmel said.
But other reasons for forgetfulness could be that a woman is prioritizing things differently and doing more multitasking, Kimmel suggested.
Some pregnant women may find themselves unexpectedly crying at a sappy commercial or bursting into tears after throwing up due to morning sickness. Women may cry more easily and frequently when they're expecting and in the early stages of new motherhood because these experiences involve a complex mix of emotions, Kimmel said. Surrender to the whole array of pregnancy emotions coming your way.
Surrender to the fact that your life is about to be forever changed for the better. The educational health content on What To Expect is reviewed by our medical review board and team of experts to be up-to-date and in line with the latest evidence-based medical information and accepted health guidelines, including the medically reviewed What to Expect books by Heidi Murkoff.
This educational content is not medical or diagnostic advice. Use of this site is subject to our terms of use and privacy policy. Registry Builder New. Fact-Checked by Catherine Donaldson-Evans Fact-Checking Standards What to Expect follows strict reporting guidelines and relies on credible sources, such as peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, highly respected health organizations and experts in various fields. Continue Reading Below. More on Pregnancy Emotions.
Pregnancy Emotions and Mood Swings. Are Pregnancy Mood Swings Normal? Weirdest Pregnancy Symptoms. Your Health. Pregnancy Groups. Morning Sickness. Jump to Your Week of Pregnancy. Pregnancy Week. Signs of Labor. When you feel well and content, you are better able to cope with stress, maintain relationships and enjoy life.
Being active, feeling a sense of belonging and having a purpose in life are all good for emotional health and wellbeing.
You will feel happier and better able to deal with problems and stress. For more information and tips on how to be emotionally and mentally healthy, visit Act-Belong-Commit external site. When you are pregnant, your baby is exposed to everything you experience.
This includes the sounds in the environment, the air you breathe, the food you eat and the emotions you feel. When you feel happy and calm, it allows your baby to develop in a happy, calm environment. From birth, the interactions you have with your baby helps to shape the way he or she will think, feel and behave later in life.
These interactions also help to form important emotional bonds between you and your child. Good emotional health also helps to maintain positive relationships with your older children and other family. They can help support you and your partner through the challenges of adjusting to a new baby. For information about connecting and bonding with your newborn, visit the Raising Children Network external site.
Often one or both parents experience difficult emotions during pregnancy, or after the birth of a child. You are not alone. You might be feeling like hiding the fact you are struggling because you feel embarrassed or ashamed.
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