Many women cope with mood swings during pregnancy. Here are some of the common causes of mood swing and tips for coping with mood swings during pregnancy.During pregnancy, you will face insecurities, fear, impatience, anger, ambivalence, and mood swings often at unpredictable times. You may feel very happy at the thought of having a baby at one moment, and then at the next moment you can be stressed and wonder what you have engaged yourself into.
What Leads to Mood Swings?
These days, the expectations for parents are set so high, that the pressure starts long before the baby is born. Constant worries that are very common in pregnancy will contribute to your mood swings:
- Will you be a good parent?
- How will you manage financially?
- Will your baby be healthy?
- Are you preparing yourself the right way for your baby?
- Whether your relationship with your child will affect that with your partner?
- Are you fattening up too much and getting and is your partner finding you unattractive?
Other Common Concerns
Apart from these worries, pregnancy is a time of tremendous changes when your hormone levels also change as estrogen and progesterone levels increase. This can affect your level of neurotransmitters that regulate mood, making you tearful or easily irritated.
Finally, the physical stress like heartburn, morning sickness, fatigue, and feeling like going to the loo repetitively, etc. may take your emotions on a roller-coaster ride where you will feel that you have no control on your body, thus contributing to mood swings again.
When Do Mood Swings Occur?
Mood changes during pregnancy mostly occur during the first trimester between 6 and 10 weeks as your body starts changing, then it eases during the second trimester, but again rises in third trimester as you prepare yourself for childbirth.
How to Control Mood Swings?
There are ways to control your mood swings even most of your moodiness will be hormonally driven.
Take It Easy
Keep yourself in the top of the to-do list and stop over-timing in reorganising all the closets, decorating the nursery walls, or shopping for your baby needs. Do not take any such stress single-handed and resist the urge to finish all the chores before your maternity leave.
Pamper Yourself
Pampering yourself is more important that any of these. Do something that makes you feel happy be it with your partner or alone. Do something that you want. Make time for fun with your partner, friends, and family.
Bond with Your Partner
Make sure you are spending enough of time with your partner. Make him feel and reassure that you still love him. Go on a vacation with him. Nurture your relationship with him so that you guys can be there for each other even after the newborn has arrived. If you are single, strengthen your bond with your parents and friends.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Take naps whenever you can. Get plenty of rest, go for a holiday, and take your maternity leave earlier so that you can prepare well for your baby.
Exercise It Out
Exercise is always a mood-lifter. Do some prenatal exercises. Engage yourself in yoga and meditation. Go for a swim or walk in the fresh air.
Talk It Out
Share your worries with understanding friends or other parents and learn how to cope stress. You can also talk to your general practitioner or doctor to dissipate your worries.
Dream
Fantasies let you glimpse the euphoria that you will feel when you first lay eyes on your newborn, so dream on.
If your mood swings last more than two weeks and get crucial, you speak with your healthcare provider about options for dealing with it or for a referral to a counselor.
Remember, pregnancy is a life-changing event. You are bound to feel overwhelmed, irritable, anxious, angry, and depressed at times, even if you have been waiting for the baby for a long. So give yourself a break and enjoy the time!
Do all pregnant women deal with mood swings? What are the common causes of mood swings during pregnancy? How to deal with mood swings during pregnancy? Discuss here. 
