Every to-be mom is familiar with the bouts of sudden mood swings. Mood changes are very ordinary during pregnancy. However, some expectant women may feel them at a higher intensity. In this article, Dr. Astha Dayal, the best obstetrician in Gurgaon, discusses effective ways for coping with mood changes in pregnancy.
Dr Astha Dayal can be reached at the CK Birla Hospital, the best maternity hospital in Gurgaon.
Why do mood changes happen during pregnancy?
Pregnancy is not limited to physical alterations in your body. As you host your baby’s growth, your body undergoes a complete transition that includes emotional variations as well. Pregnancy is, in fact, highly challenging in terms of emotions.
Several reasons contribute to these ranging emotions:
Hormones: Your body starts to make various adjustments as soon as you try to conceive. There is a rapid change in your hormonal levels during pregnancy. The hormones – estrogen and progesterone, quickly rise and affect your mood. Estrogen is associated with the happy hormone (serotonin). Estrogen keeps you energetic and active while progesterone helps your muscles relax. The continuous up and down of these hormones cause a variety of emotional upheavals.
Adjusting to the new lifestyle: Pregnancy is a life-changing event. Starting or expanding your family can make you nervous and impact your mood. Several expecting mothers undergo a range of emotions on the mere thought of childbirth and pregnancy.
Change in sleep pattern: Any person, irrespective of their general health, can feel grumpy if he/she experiences an altered sleeping pattern. During pregnancy, your body undergoes multiple moderations. There is a lot of work going on internally that can make you tired easily. This shift in body strength and sleep pattern affects the mood of many pregnant women.
Morning sickness: In the first trimester of pregnancy, women experience symptoms such as nausea, vomiting and a loss of appetite. This set of symptoms is very normal and is regarded as morning sickness. Persistent sickness can affect your mood largely by impacting your psychological health.
The environment of your house, your professional life, monetary conditions, and other factors may also cause intense mood changes during pregnancy.
You can consult Dr. Astha Dayal, the best obstetrician in Gurgaon, to talk about your mood swings. Besides clinical care, she also extends psychological support and counseling to patients.
What kind of mood changes happen during pregnancy?
There is no fixed group of emotions that women experience during pregnancy. You can feel a range of moods such as happiness, weepiness, excitement, anger, anxiety, fear, tiredness, irritation, grumpiness, increased libido, forgetfulness, mixed emotions among others.
How to control mood changes during pregnancy?
The highs and lows of the gestation periods are common. If these emotions are taking a toll on you and adding to the challenges, you can take some steps to control them.
There are some simple measures that you can take to improve your mood during pregnancy.
Discuss with your partner: You should ask your partner to extend his support during hard times. You can discuss your emotions and how they are affecting you with them. Sometimes just venting out instantly helps you feel better.
Snack between meals: You may be experiencing food cravings during pregnancy. Aside from the hormonal changes, your body requires additional nutrients at this time. You should make sure to snack on healthy bits. Snacking can help with mood swings as well.
Talk to a therapist: If the tough times are affecting you largely, you can consult a therapist and benefit from counseling.
Get enough sleep: Growing a baby inside you is not an easy task. You should ensure to rest properly and get enough sleep to avoid feeling irritable.
These measures do not work out in the same way for everyone. You can make a separate plan for yourself that works in your favor. Other steps you can take to control mood swings during pregnancy include:
- Writing a diary
- Yoga or meditation
- Reading
- Exercise regularly
- Self-care
Dr. Astha Dayal, the best obstetrician in Gurgaon, can help you in designing a customized wellbeing plan to help you deal with mood swings.
For more information, you can visit the CK Birla Hospital, the best maternity hospital in Gurgaon.
