Feeling Depressed During Pregnancy
Feeling depressed during pregnancy being pregnant is a defining moment in every woman’s life. It is nine months of mixed feelings and emotions – excitement comes with a shade of nervousness, joy comes with a tint of anxiety. Although friends and acquaintances express their congratulations and cast their wide smiles, being pregnant may not be a comfortable journey at all.
Feeling Depressed During Pregnancy
For some, being pregnant gives a multitude of reasons to see life’s purpose in a better perspective. But for others, it is a hard task to look great and even harder to feel better while on the way to mommyhood. One reason that makes a mom-to-be struggle is experiencing depression in feeling depressed during pregnancy also called antepartum depression. For more informative blogs visit go publishing
During pregnancy, a woman’s body, including her brain, undergoes many changes. These physical changes which take place to meet both the needs of the growing fetus and the coping mother, are accompanied by profound variations in the hormone levels. There are several hormones that are at work from the time of conception and as feeling depressed during pregnancy progresses.
The 4 feeling depressed during pregnancy hormones include hCG, HPL, estrogen, and progesterone. Human chorionic gonadotropin (or human chorionic gonadotrophin) begins its work right after the egg cell and the sperm cell unite. It is also thought to be responsible for the production of progesterone until the pregnancy reaches the tenth week when the placenta is well formed.
On the negative side, hCG hormones also affect the central nervous system causing pregnant women to suffer from morning sickness and nausea. They also cause the slowing down of the person’s digestive system making bowel movement a great struggle.
To make things worse, symptoms could also include fatigue and sleepiness. Two other hormones are thought to affect an expectant woman’s emotions. Progesterone, as its name implies, supports gestation or feeling depressed during pregnancy .
With insufficiencies in progesterone level, the implantation of the fertilized egg in the uterus will fail. It is primarily produced by the placenta, that disk-size temporary organ joining the mother and the fetus that functions as the oxygen carrier and permits the release of carbon dioxide and wastes produced by the fetus while inside the mother’s uterus.
Depression in Pregnancy
Progesterone inhibits the smooth muscle in the uterus from contracting which is necessary for its expansion while the baby is gaining weight and size. However, as the level of progesterone produced increases, other smooth muscles present in the body are affected. For example, the lower esophageal sphincter, or LES which allows the passage of food through the esophagus when swallowing, weakens and if not checked could lead to heartburn and acid reflux.
It is also thought that hip and pubic bone pains are caused by the softening of cartilage due to an increase in progesterone levels. When the cartilage becomes soft, joints and ligaments become loose making pregnant women “waddle” and sometimes clumsy.
The swelling and bleeding of the gums that could lead to feeling depressed during pregnancy gingivitis is also a result of progesterone level increase. This hormone also causes pregnant women to feel their breasts become more tender, swollen, and sensitive to touch. And the list does not end there!
Adding to all these discomforts is the hormone, estrogen. How could a woman feel beautiful if varicose veins are present on the surface of her hands or legs and even her chest? Studies also show that estrogen increases blood flow to mucous membranes thus making women go through certain things such as sinus congestion, headaches, and postnasal drip.
Each feeling depressed during pregnancy is unique. And though not all women undergo depression during pregnancy, studies show that 10 to 20 percent of them experience bouts of sadness, hopelessness, and anxiety.
Sometimes tears just swell up without understanding the reason why. If science blames it on the pretty intense work being done by the hormones, other factors are also to be considered. Sometimes, the physical environment is not encouraging at all for a happy and worry-free pregnancy.
It is during feeling depressed during pregnancy that a woman needs all the love and support she can get from the people surrounding her. It is important to magnify the love for her during these moments when feelings of depression knock on the door.
On the other hand, it also helps pregnant women to understand why they are having such emotional struggles. Looking at the problem in the eye will help one to understand that what she is going through is something not to be ashamed of, instead it could be faced with a bold heart.
There are plenty of ways to treat depression in feeling depressed during pregnancy . First, know the symptoms. Being pregnant and being through a lot of new emotions is like being in a new place you are not familiar with.
feeling depressed during pregnancy chances are it is not just fear that will creep in, but panic and sometimes indecision. Observing oneself and looking at the symptoms will boost the courage to deal with the pangs of depression. Second, stretch some muscles.
It does not mean going for some heavy workout. Engaging in some activities could boost one’s soul and spirit. Read a book. Take a walk in the park. Meet a friend. Or take a shower. It always helps to keep the body busy and the spirit refreshed. And most of all put one’s heart in the situation.
Embrace the beauty and wonder of being pregnant. That after nine long months of being in struggle, one soul is waiting to cast her beautiful smile. Isn’t it a good prize to look forward to? Depression in feeling depressed during pregnancy is not something to be afraid of, it only needs to be understood.
