Managing Emotions During Pregnancy

Managing your emotions means being aware of your feelings and finding healthy ways to cope with them.

It’s about recognizing when you feel overwhelmed, anxious, or stressed, and taking steps to address the emotions that come up.

Managing your emotions:

• Can reduce stress and improve your mood.
• Helps you sleep better.
• Helps you respond to challenges with greater resilience.
• Makes it easier to connect with friends, family, and partners.
• Gives you the emotional skills you need to feel more confident about parenting.

Use these steps to better understand and deal with the emotions that come up during pregnancy.

1) Identify your feelings.

• Take a moment to notice what emotions you’re experiencing and what might be triggering them.

2) Name your emotions.

• Acknowledge what you're feeling. For example, “I’m feeling anxious about giving birth,” or “I’m frustrated with the changes in my body.”

3) Express and address.

• Find a healthy way to express your emotions (talk with a supportive friend, write in a journal, etc.).
• This can help you process your feelings and find constructive ways to cope.

Pregnancy can be exciting but also overwhelming. It's common to experience frequent mood changes due to emotions and hormonal shifts in your body.

Along with managing your emotions and working to change your thoughts (read more here), try these techniques to lower stress and support your well-being:

1) Prioritize rest and self-care.

• Listen to your body. Get plenty of sleep and take time to relax whenever you need it.

2) Practice stress-reducing techniques.

• Try deep breathing, meditation, or journaling.

3) Stay active.

• Try gentle exercises (walking, prenatal yoga, etc.) to boost your mood and energy levels.
• Read about exercise in pregnancy here.

4) Get informed.

• Learning about pregnancy and childbirth can ease your worries and give you confidence.

5) Eat a healthy diet.

• Read more here.