Key Elements to Emotional Health During Pregnancy: Embrace Yourself, Exhale

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Key Elements to Emotional Health: Embrace Yourself, Exhale
Laughing, crying, nervousness, laughing again...it's all a normal part of pregnancy...though the sudden changes or new intensity of emotions may be off-putting at first. If you're a little more emotional than usual, try to embrace the temporary new you with open arms. The less stress you put on yourself about your unpredictable emotions, the better off you'll be.

There are things you can do to minimize the overwhelming feelings. You probably won't eliminate them entirely, but you can feel more like yourself emotionally.

Seven Key Elements to Emotional Health

• Embrace yourself
• Exhale
• Exercise
• Eat right
• Express yourself
• Educate yourself
• Emotional Support

1. Embrace yourself.

Sleep, time with friends, date nights with Daddy-to-be aren't luxuries. They're necessities. They help you be your best. Having fun and feeling fulfilled personally, socially and emotionally make the physical and emotional issues of pregnancy easier to handle.

So, spend time being you...doing the things you enjoy. One night a week should be dedicated to your romantic relationship. It doesn't have to be expensive or fancy. Just a walk on the beach or a leisurely couple of hours visiting tag sales together qualifies as quality time. An afternoon out with your best girl friend, or even a long telephone call, can relieve a lot of stress. So can lunch with your sister or neighbor. Something as simple as a sandwich on a park bench, with good conversation and no distractions, can be just the thing you need to feel like yourself again.

Next, be sure to spend time being your own friend, doing things for yourself. Make a determined effort to pamper yourself often.

Little indulgences like soaking in the tub are pick-me-ups. Hop into the tub (can you still hop?), tune in to some good music and tune out the world. Fifteen minutes of bubbly relaxation isn't as hard to come by as you think. Schedule it into your day, rather than waiting for the opportunity to arise.

It's easy to get caught up in the planning, preparing and prenatal care, but it's essential to remember that mothering isn't about giving up your old life or your old interests. Keep your mental health high up there on your growing list of things to do.

2. Exhale, inhale, relax, reduce stress.

Sometimes, relaxing is as simple as taking a deep breath. Feeling like you're overwhelmed? Practice the 10-second time out. Take a deep breath through your nose, and slowly exhale through your mouth taking 10 complete seconds to release the air. If that centers you emotionally, wonderful. If it doesn't, excuse yourself for a moment. Step away from the person or situation that's causing the stress and take a minute for yourself. A minute of this deep breathing exercise can work wonders - and all it takes is a minute. Who's going to argue with a pregnant woman who says, "Excuse me. I need a minute to myself..."?

After your mini-timeout (10 seconds that won't even be noticed) or your minute-long, self-imposed exile, you'll be ready to jump right back into your morning meeting, the planning session for the event you're helping to organize, the check-out line at the crowded store or whatever it was that elevated your blood pressure.

Meditation/Prayer/Reflection
Whether you believe in the power of prayer, the value of a little quiet time, or the inner peace of meditation, spend some quiet time with your thoughts each day.

You need time to reflect. Allow yourself to unwind without distraction before you fall asleep at night. Forget the television. Work will still be there in the morning. 15 minutes with a spiritual book, 10 minutes contemplating the mysteries of life, a little time in a rocking chair. Their effects will last much longer than the short time dedicated to them.

Some women find that the only way to spend five or 10 minutes alone quietly is to reserve time first thing in the morning. Whether that means laying quietly in bed with eyes closed or sitting a few minutes on the porch listening to the birds, it doesn't matter. What matters is taking the time, just a little bit, to listen to the workings of your heart and your mind.

Stretch Away Tension.
You can physically release tension by stretching your body. Even if you aren't aware of physical stress, chances are that a good stretch will release tension you didn't even realize you were feeling.

Stretch those arms. Stretch that neck. Lift and lower those shoulders. You don't even have to stand up if you don't want to. Straighten your legs and flex and point your toes under your desk during that conference call.

Stretching is a simple and quick fix. Try it the next time you're feeling a little tense.