Much like alcohol, certain cheeses, and heavy lifting, high levels of stress can be extremely harmful to a pregnancy. If you’re searching for answers about how much stress is too much, the dangers of stress during pregnancy, or how to cope with difficult life circumstances while pregnant, you’re not alone.

What Are the Side Effects of Stress During Pregnancy?

Exposure to high levels of stress during pregnancy can have several negative side effects for the baby, including a higher risk for:

• Low birth weight
• Preterm delivery
• Increased likelihood of asthma and allergies during childhood
• Higher rates of hospitalization for infectious diseases
• Behavioral problems in childhood
• Reduced cognitive abilities

For the mother, stress can also have negative side effects during pregnancy, including a higher likelihood of experiencing postnatal depression and ongoing family problems.

How Much Stress Is Too Much?

It’s normal to experience some amount of stress during pregnancy, as stress is just a part of life in general. Pregnancy can also sometimes be a stressful experience, as parents prepare for a new baby and adjust to major life changes, such as employment status, changes in income, and a new stage in the parents’ relationship.

How to Manage Stress During Pregnancy

If you are stressed out and pregnant, there are several ways you can actively work to reduce your stress levels to protect yourself and your baby. Some of the best ways to reduce stress during pregnancy include:

• Yoga
• Meditation
• Healthy diet/exercise routine
• Scheduling time for rest
• Discussing work demands with your employer
• Seeing a counselor
• Preparing for the birth of your baby

Rely On Your Pregnancy Community For Stress Relief

Another excellent way to relieve pregnancy stress is by engaging with a supportive pregnancy community. Talking about stress with other moms and moms-to-be can reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness and help you work through stressful events or emotions that are weighing you down. Check out this website to learn more about a pregnancy community app.

If you’re struggling to find a pregnancy community, you can your choice of pregnancy app on your phone. Many of these apps include helpful information and tips about each stage of pregnancy, your personal life, and baby, and they also include forums and threads where other moms can share milestones and discuss challenges.

You may also choose to search Facebook or Google for a pregnancy community that is tailored to your life circumstances and experiences, such as for mothers of deployed soldiers, the LGBTQ community, or mothers of rainbow babies.

Dealing with stress during pregnancy requires time and effort, but it’s worth the effort to ensure that you, your baby, and your family are healthy.

Read a similar article about pregnancy symptoms here at this page.