Depression is already bad by itself, but it’s especially awful to expectant mothers. Fight it off without hurting the baby.
Unfortunately, there are pregnant women out there, about 10% or more, who suffer under depression.
It’s risky not to treat it
There are a lot of symptoms for depression that might affect the child. It’s best if we can avoid that. Sadly, most women wouldn’t say anything about it, ashamed of the way they’re feeling. It’s extremely important that they get treated. She needs to see a physician. The physician might suggest antidepressants if the pregnant woman has had experience in it before, but most of the time they try to avoid this.
If the depression isn’t as bad, psychotherapy would be a better option. Maybe a group session would help her too, surround her with other pregnant women who are going through the same.
As much as possible, it must be treated right away, since the child is very sensitive to the mood of their mother. There is a possibly that the baby would get affected because of that, which would be dangerous for its health. Any complications is a big no for the pregnant women, seeing as carrying another human is already a tough thing to be and do.
With both antidepressants and psychotherapy, the expectant mother can easily overcome it and enjoy her child’s birth. Consulting the doctor is key here. Especially if there is a need to take some antidepressants. If there is no treatment done and the depression is major, the mother’s ability to care for herself could be impaired. That and so many other things could happen to her, which is exactly why it must be treated, since this is 2 lives we are talking about here. There could also be an interference with her bonding feelings with her unborn kid, which would only worsen her situation.
Aim for a healthy pregnancy
Make sure that you are very healthy so your child will remain so. Take a leaf out of these steps:
- Go see your midwife or doctor as soon as possible
- Eat well
- Take a supplement
- Be careful about food hygiene
- Exercise regularly
- Do some pelvic floor exercises
- No alcohol
- No caffeine
- Absolutely NO smoking
- Get a lot of rest
A little tip before going to bed, or so you could go back to sleep if you happen to wake up in the middle of the night:
- Do some yoga
- Stretching helps
- Deep breathing does the trick
- Visualisation
- Massage
Always remember that you’re caring for two lives this time. Yours and of course, your unborn child.