How to Deal with Mood Swings During Pregnancy?

Mood swings refer to a noticeable change in behavior or mood of a person. Everyone shows this sign but in some cases, it is highly pronounced. The most common sufferers of mood swings are pregnant women. This is because pregnancy can cause adverse physical, physiological, and emotional changes on a woman. The dejection that pregnant women feel is usually blamed on the hormonal imbalance that occurs during pregnancy. This condition is severe during the first trimester of pregnancy and the last trimester. 

One explanation why pregnant women tend to exhibit unstable moods during the first four months of their pregnancy is that they still have fears and anxieties about their condition. Women who are pregnant for the first time might feel inadequate to handle the situation while others are not yet ready to have a child. Thus, they are bothered, worried, and afraid of what might happen to them. This is common with early pregnancy cases, wherein the girl is still too young to know about motherhood and the responsibilities that come with it.

As the due date approaches, the woman might feel afraid about giving birth. Everyone knows that delivering a child carries some risks. When the child is born, there is again the issue of how to take care of the child. Some new mothers are lucky to have a mother or an older relative to assist and guide them during their postpartum days. However, those who do not receive any help find themselves at a loss and do not know what to do. As a result, they become irritable and grumpy most of the time. Mood swings can affect emotional and social relationships.

Husbands or partners who do not understand what their wives is going through can misinterpret the symptoms and react negatively to their partners, compounding the confused state that the pregnant woman is in. In order for the couple to deal with moodiness of the pregnant woman, they should be educated about mood swings.

What are Mood Swings?

If you are a keen observer, you will notice that your wife or partner has been showing some changes in the way she behaves. She might get mad at you for no reason at all. She would shout at you, ask you to leave the house, cry for no reason at all, show signs of anxiety and fear, or refuse to take care of your needs. Perhaps, at this point, you do not know yet that your wife is with child. But once you realize that she is, you need to be patient with her.

You must understand that the hormonal changes during pregnancy can result to those unpredictable moods that your wife manifests. As her partner, this is the time when you need most your support. Showing that you love her and care for her is one way that could ease the fears and anxieties that she feels. The same thing could happen after the woman has given birth. Postpartum depression can set in. Here, the new mother appears melancholic and would even cry without any reason at all.

Just like when she discovered she was pregnant, she has severe anxiety attacks. She is afraid that she would not be a good parent and a good provider for her child. Single mothers can be very depressed. It will be best to be watchful of the person because there were instances that depression can lead to suicide attempts.

What Causes Women to be Moody During Pregnancy?

Aside from the biological changes occurring inside her body, there are other issues that bother the mind of a pregnant woman and this makes her react in a strange manner. One question that a pregnant woman has to face is whether she and her partner are ready to have a child. Having a baby is not a joke. Aside from the financial needs, one of the parents has to stop working just to care for the child and usually, it is the mother who sacrifices her job and career. In short, the future of a mother career wise could somewhat be bleak. For a woman who is independent and career oriented, this could be a hard blow.

The changes in the body of a pregnant woman can also cause those conflicting emotions that she experiences. Seeing her body starting to bloat can make a woman feel ugly and insecure. The fact that she has to wait several months to get back her figure results to stress. And a stressed woman is easily irritated, angry, and depressed. As her pregnancy advances, the burden that she carries becomes too heavy so that she always feels very tired. Her movements are limited and she cannot do what she used to do. This kind of life can be boring especially when her partner is always away from home. The stress and fatigue can make her difficult to deal with most of the time. Because of the physical changes in her physique, a woman who had just given birth might consider herself undesirable to her partner. To stop her from thinking this way, her partner must make her feel attractive, appreciated and loved at all times.

How to Deal with Confusing Pregnancy Emotions

You know that having unpredictable reactions to certain things while pregnant can have negative effects on your social relationships and can put your marriage in jeopardy. Your partner might think that you are making use of your condition just to get your way or just to make do whatever you want and follow your orders. He might get tired of your unreasonableness at times and decide to leave you and your child. You have to exert efforts to keep your marriage intact and your life peaceful. Here are some things that you can do in order to overcome your having unpleasant disposition:

• Get enough rest and sleep. It is common knowledge that lack of sleep can cause stress and irritation. Sleep has connection to mood. A bad sleep usually translates into grumpiness and irritability. On the other hand, people who have good sleep tend to be easy and pleasant to deal with. In order to sleep well, take some exercise such as brisk walking in your yard or neighborhood. Eat a regular meal but don’t overeat especially during dinner time. Being too full at night can make your sleep interrupted. If you feel worried about your pregnancy, divert your thoughts from doing something. In the past, pregnant women spent their time making tiny clothes, booties, and caps for their unborn baby. This serves as their way of preventing stress and worries to set in.
• When you feel tired and sleepy, feel free to have a nap, especially in the afternoon. This will help make you feel rejuvenated and relaxed. If you are already in your advanced state of pregnancy, avoid sleeping on your back because this will prevent your veins to supply blood to your uterus.
• Eat healthy foods and drink fruit juice. Drinking coffee and alcoholic beverages can give you headache and make you feel stressed.
• Attend a yoga class but if you cannot you can use meditation. These activities are known to help you feel relaxed.
• Share time with your partner. Have a nice talk about your pregnancy and the difficulties that you encounter. Let him know that you are not angry with him and that your irritability is an outcome of your being pregnant.
• Shop for maternity clothes. Some women think this is not necessary but you should have two or three for going out and for visiting the doctor. Self-pity can turn into bad mood and anger.
• Be positive. Focusing on the negative side of life will add to the gravity of your mood swings.

Tips for Husbands or Partners:

• Give your pregnant partner a massage from time to time. Backache is very common among women with child. Giving her a massage will make her feel loved and secured. You will be amazed at how this can change her mood from irritation to delight.
• Share responsibilities with your wife. Volunteer to watch over the baby while you let her sleep. Knowing that you care enough will stop her being cranky.
• Take her out. You can find someone to babysit while you have dinner in your favorite restaurant or watch a movie or show. This will give her a chance to be herself and mingle with people her age. She would realize that motherhood is not that really difficult and that she is still a normal person despite her being a mother already.

New mothers need the full support of their partners not only after birth but before. This is the time when they need their partners most and being around can make big changes in the way a pregnant woman reacts to things. Treating her the way you did when you were courting her will wipe away her doubts about her still being desirable and lovable.