I Feel So Stressed Out, Can that Affect my Pregnancy and Diet?

When you discover that you are pregnant, there is a wide range of emotions that any woman may feel, excitement, elation, happiness, fear, and yes stress. So how does stress affect your pregnancy and diet? The truth is that it can have long-standing affects on your baby even after they are born.

It will be impossible for you to be constantly happy during the entire term of your pregnancy, with hormones battling for your sanity and the impending responsibility of a little child looming in the near future. It’s ok to have a little case of the baby blues here and there, but constantly dwelling on negative aspects of your life: i.e.: finances or your difficult relationships, can only give you more cause for concern during pregnancy.

There is more to a Healthy Pregnancy Diet than Just Food

Keeping your nutrition in check, and the health of your growing baby first and foremost on your list of priorities will yield enormous benefits for your child- in the womb and out of the womb. Psychologically speaking, your baby has a lot to gain or lose from your emotions and thought patterns.

Research has shown that when a pregnant woman stresses incessantly, that can possibly translate into health problems for your child later on. Maternal stress can also affect your child’s immune system, and their birth weight.

Worry and low birth weight in newborns has been linked in certain studies, and it also has the power to alter your baby’s temperament and neurobehavioral development.

How Do I Keep Myself on the Sunny Side During My Baby’s Development?

You can’t trick yourself into feeling happy, but there are some things you can do that will lighten your mood and enable you to enjoy your pregnancy term even more.

- Exercise. This may seem like more of a burden and stress inducer than release at first. But getting yourself outside for a good walk on a beautiful day or working up a little sweat when you feel the impending pressure of pregnancy releases those endorphins and helps you feel better.

-Meditation. Pick up a few CDs the next time you are out that help you relax and zone out. Meditation is a great way to hit pause on your life, and to really revel in the beauty of becoming a mother. Enjoy the quiet moments when you can, the little one won’t give you much time to meditate once he arrives!