Pregnancy is a specific state of the body that affects a woman’s psyche. Even a long-awaited pregnancy is a strong stress, the reason for a sharp change in the usual way of life.
The psychology of a pregnant woman undergoes significant changes that affect perception, worldview, and relationships with others. Knowing the characteristics of the psyche will help you develop the right strategy of behavior, avoid common mistakes, and fully enjoy the wonderful state of waiting for a new life.
Changes in the psyche of a pregnant woman
From the moment of pregnancy, a woman’s body is rebuilt, preparing to bear and give birth to a child. Changes in hormonal levels affect character, habits, tastes, self-perception, and worldview. The approach of childbirth increases nervousness, fears, and fuels the fears of the expectant mother. Her emotional state becomes unstable. She pays attention to things that were previously insignificant. The expectant mother becomes very vulnerable, sensitive, and often gets irritated over trifles. Many experience a sharp change in mood from intense joy to an attack of aggression.
The woman feels distant from others, misunderstood, rejected. She unconsciously builds a protective wall, trying to hide from possible problems and complications. Pregnancy encourages the expectant mother to distance herself from any negative phenomena and focus on the feeling of herself and the child. The stronger the excitement, the lower the woman’s readiness for childbirth. Therefore, the priority task of the relatives is to surround the pregnant woman with care and provide all possible support.
Features of the psychology of the first trimester
The first three months of pregnancy cause severe aggravation of all senses. Tastes and smells are felt more strongly, many pregnant women suffer from toxicosis. Deep fears hidden before the onset of the perinatal period become stronger. The expectant mother worries about every dangerous action that could harm the fetus. Many people experience problems with sleep, systematic fainting, and pressure surges. To reduce the manifestation of unpleasant symptoms, a pregnant woman should rest more, distancing herself from negative emotions.
Down with the unrest
If you haven't taken a test yet and aren't sure if you're pregnant, go out and buy one. Otherwise, I know many mothers who, not knowing about their situation, continued to dance until the morning at parties, drink alcohol, in a word, enjoy life. But it turned out that now we need to rejoice a little more quietly, and for a different reason. Be careful with tablets, especially antibiotics. After all, if you are pregnant, most of the usual medications (even regular aspirin) are now prohibited.
So, you have already done several tests, even visited a gynecologist. The verdict is in – we are definitely and irrevocably pregnant. Now, my girls, let's get in a positive mood. Don't worry and don't worry. It's clear that you're stressed right now, but it's not good for you right now. Your body is already very vulnerable, and experiences, as you know, greatly “hit” the immune system.
Features of the psychology of the third trimester
Shortly before giving birth, a woman is immersed in emotional contact with her child. It’s as if she exists with him in a separate world, exchanging experiences, emotions, sensations. The world around us is perceived indirectly: the woman becomes withdrawn, detached, and absent-minded. The ability to think logically is often impaired.
The only priority before childbirth is the well-being of the baby. The woman communicates with him, constantly touches his stomach, and can determine his emotional state by the movements of the fetus. Often a strong connection allows you to feel changes in development and the danger of premature birth.
Shouldn't I write a novel?
So, the list has been announced. Please stick to it. Now you are not on your own, a new little person is growing inside you, so be kind enough to smile more, walk, enjoy life, because your child rejoices and breathes fresh air with you.
Get creative. It is pregnancy that gives many women the impetus to discover their talents in writing, art, music, and handicrafts. This is when you begin to live life to the fullest. Enjoy, mommies, but remember the limits. Share your emotions and experiences in the comments, ask questions that interest you. I will answer with joy, and maybe I will dedicate my new publications to them. Goodbye, my co-authors, see you again!
A woman's acceptance of a new life
The main syndrome of normal pregnancy is the woman’s acceptance of the fact of the development of a new life inside her. She not only accepts the pregnancy, but begins to imagine the child, fantasize about his appearance, worry about his fate, and plan for future motherhood.
Under the influence of a changed attitude towards one’s condition, one’s attitude towards the world around us changes. In the second half of the perinatal period, a woman is prone to:
- Behave infantilely, partially adopting the features of a child’s perception of the world.
- Be offended, angry, and blame family members for lack of attention for no reason.
- Show increased interest in home improvement and strive to improve it.
Full fusion with the child is manifested in the awareness of his needs as one’s main interest. The woman becomes one with the developing fetus, assessing all phenomena of the world as suitable or unsuitable for the child’s life.
Symptoms of high expectations for pregnancy and childbirth
The expectant mother creates an ideal fantasy - the image of a child, his father, a model of living together, raising and parenting. Gestation encourages a woman to compensate for physical inconveniences with dreams of the future. The further reality is from ideal ideas, the more difficult pregnancy is.
The need for support encourages one to manipulate others and demand special treatment. The masculine role of the husband in the wife's mind changes to the new dominant role of the father. If the husband does not correspond to the ideal image, the expectant mother's attitude towards him changes. She becomes aggressive, irritable, and overly emotional.
Bad habits
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytpolicyandsafetyru
The next thing you shouldn’t do in the early stages of pregnancy is stick to your bad habits. If you smoked and drank alcohol before conception, then it's time to give it all up.
In the early stages of pregnancy, all the vital organs of the unborn baby are formed. If at this time there is a negative impact of toxic substances on a small organism, the consequences can be disastrous. Be responsible and stop smoking tobacco, drinking alcohol and all harmful substances.
Prenatal phobias
One of the psychological features of the first pregnancy is fear caused by the unknown. A woman who knows about the perinatal period only in theory does not know what to expect, how to behave correctly, or prepare for childbirth. For women with children, fears are more specific: problems that accompanied the first pregnancy cause concern during subsequent ones.
Common fears:
- painful, long labor;
- birth injuries;
- congenital pathologies;
- death of a child during childbirth;
- postpartum complications.
Problems of prenatal phobias are solved by eliminating the causes of fear. To dispel doubts, it is useful for a woman to communicate with young mothers who have had a positive pregnancy experience. Communication with your own mother and older relatives who have already gone through all the stages of motherhood can help. In order not to aggravate the situation, the expectant mother should be surrounded with a positive emotional background, protected, supported, and prevented from nervous shock.
Intimate moments
By the way, you can also consult a gynecologist about your intimate life. Changes await her too. True, sex is not at all contraindicated in the first trimester. Another thing is that you yourself will not want to do it as often as before. Firstly, the thought of the little man inside and worries about him will not give you a good relaxation. Secondly, toxicosis also does not contribute to a wonderful and vibrant sex life.
If you have the desire, then remember three main “buts”: anal sex is now prohibited and can lead to miscarriage, intense and “hard” sex is also dangerous, be sure to protect yourself so as not to get an infection. That's all the rules. Now your intimacy with your spouse should become calmer, more gentle; save experiments with tempo and new poses for later.
A pregnant woman's impatience—the desire to hasten the birth
The desire to quickly bring the moment of birth closer, impatient anticipation, increasing excitement are symptoms of the last stage of the perinatal period. A woman strives to quickly transition to the status of a young mother, to change her passive role to an active one. During this period, there are frequent mood swings, increased phobias, even panic attacks.
The symbiosis of mother and child persists after successful resolution of pregnancy. But the child, who was previously a fantasy image, becomes reality. Waiting for the baby to move from the waiting stage to the stage of real interaction is the main reason for impatience in the last trimester.
The impact of pregnancy on the relationship with your husband
During pregnancy, family life fades into the background: the woman is absorbed in internal experiences, significantly cools off towards her husband, and her priority interest is the child. If a woman is consumed by fears, pregnancy is complicated by diseases and various restrictions. This depresses the woman even more and makes her withdraw into herself. It may seem to a husband that his wife has stopped loving him, but these changes are features of a woman’s psychology during pregnancy. To ease the psychological state of his beloved, the husband should accept these characteristics, surround him with care, try not to put pressure, and not show dissatisfaction.
The impossibility of full physical intimacy significantly complicates the relationship with her husband: physiological changes affect a woman’s libido and reduce sexual activity. During this period, many men think about cheating as a way of compensation and stress relief. Such selfishness on the part of the future father will become another stress factor for the woman. Therefore, a man needs to wait out a difficult period, thinking about the comfort of his wife. Carrying a child requires physical and emotional costs, the task of a loving husband is to support his wife and help her cope with the most exciting, difficult and important stage of life.
The psychologist will dwell in more detail on the questions: what happens to a pregnant woman and how to behave with her?
Neither yes nor no
- Visiting the solarium is not recommended. But many do not agree with this. If you cover your tummy with a towel and follow the basic rules, there is nothing to fear.
- If you are a soy lover, you should not deny yourself the consumption of this product. But if you haven’t tried these beans before, it’s better not to risk it. Yes, and you need to choose natural soybeans. Although there is no evidence that genetically modified foods have a negative impact on our health.
- It is better not to buy antiperspirant deodorants that contain aluminum salts. But you can use perfumed alcohol deodorant.
- It is better to refrain from any trips. Vibrating transport is a trigger for hyperexcitability of the uterus and can provoke miscarriage or premature birth. But if a woman feels great, then she can go on vacation. But it’s better not during the period when the risk of miscarriage increases: 11-12, 26-27 and 31-32 weeks.
- You can sit at the computer, but only for a short time. Abuse is dangerous from the very early stages - it increases the risk of a non-developing (frozen) pregnancy.
- Exercise is good, but this means walking and special exercises for pregnant women. Lifting weights, climbing mountains, running marathons and scuba diving should not be done.
- Doctors do not recommend overusing food allergens (chocolate, citrus fruits). And in general you need to be careful with such products, that is, exclude them if possible. But opponents of the bans argue that you can eat whatever you want. After all, the body itself feels that it is allowed. In addition, while breastfeeding you will have to give up a lot, and you really want to eat for the future!
- It is advisable not to take any medications. But if there is such a need, consult your doctor and study this issue further.
- If you do not take pills, preferring to be treated with herbs, you need to carefully read the composition of the medicinal preparations. Harmful for pregnant women: aloe, barberry, oregano, ergot, tansy, garlic - these herbs can cause increased uterine tone. Wild strawberries and string - can cause a predisposition to allergies in a child. Sea kale, spinach, sorrel - if consumed in excess, can cause fetal development disorders. St. John's wort - increases blood pressure in a pregnant woman. Calamus, blue cornflower, elecampane, juniper, celery - can disrupt kidney function. In addition, poisonous plants include: belladonna (belladonna), yellow egg capsule, glossy spurge, male fern, evasive peony, common lilac, horsetail, and bird cherry. These plants are sometimes used for treatment in small doses, but this should not be done during pregnancy.
- The same goes for aromatherapy. If you do not have allergies, you can safely use oils. Among the safe ones are petitgrain, rose, sandalwood and tea tree, neroli, eucalyptus, ylang-ylang, lavender, lemon, orange, calendula, wheat germ, jojoba. On the advice of a specialist, you can use bergamot, chamomile, peppermint, and incense oil. During pregnancy, oils of laurel, basil, nutmeg, hyssop, juniper, marjoram, myrrh, thyme, sage, cloves, oregano, patchouli (in the last weeks), cedar, cypress, Schisandra chinensis, rosemary, yarrow, fennel are strictly prohibited. They can have a toxic effect on the child and even provoke a miscarriage of oils of tansy, burdock, wormwood, oregano, and pennyroyal.
- They say that ultrasound can be done no more than 3 times during pregnancy. Doctors themselves disagree on the answer to this question. Some say that modern ultrasound machines are almost completely safe for the baby, and you can be examined as many times as you like. Others say that no matter how it is, irradiation is irradiation. Don't refuse an ultrasound if it really needs to be done. But it’s probably not worth going specifically to find out the sex of the child.
Especially for beremennost.net – Elena Kichak
