Irritability during early and late pregnancy

What causes irritability during pregnancy?

There is a psychological and physiological factor of irritability. This factor is associated with changes in hormonal levels. More specifically, the instigator of unstable mood is the hormone progesterone. The hormone increases sharply and affects emotional perception. It is good that the accumulation of estrogen comes to the rescue, which neutralizes mental and emotional instability. However, it is not possible to completely overcome nervousness.

Nervousness in the early stages

From the first weeks of expecting a baby, nervousness and anger appear. Scientists have not yet reached a consensus on the causes of female irritability in early pregnancy. But there are still several significant factors that contribute to nervousness in pregnant women:

if the mother had a tendency to change her mood, then nothing will change during pregnancy. But there is a positive aspect to this. The psyche in this case is stronger and not so dangerous for emotional health;
if a woman has previously experienced unsuccessful pregnancy, then the anxiety and fear of losing a child is carried over into a new pregnancy;
if conception occurs outside of plans, unexpectedly, the woman is overcome by a surge of emotions, either positive or negative;
If a woman was pursuing a career and solving important problems, then the onset of pregnancy may take her by surprise.

Negative, negative emotions are dangerous for the baby. Especially in the second trimester of pregnancy, when the fetal nervous system is formed.

Extremely hysterical mothers who take everything “to heart” risk the development of fetal hypoxia. If you are lucky and the pregnancy passes without complications, the born child will be subject to frequent mood swings and anxiety.

Irritability in later stages

In the middle of pregnancy, increased irritability haunts you. A woman is more vulnerable, capable of getting upset by a harmless phrase. Many sounds, smells, and furnishings in the apartment may become unpleasant.

At later stages, weight gain becomes noticeable, the stomach aches and pulls down. The hip bones gradually begin to separate, and swelling appears. Due to mood swings, fatigue occurs quickly. Despite her interesting situation and poor health, a woman must continue to work, care for loved ones, cook food, and put the apartment in order. This is the cause of fatigue, anger and resentment.

The expectant mother in the third trimester of pregnancy is already tired of worries and constant waiting. On the one hand, I want to give birth as soon as possible, take care of the baby, and enjoy the happiness of motherhood. But, I am overcome by anxiety about the upcoming birth. Women giving birth for the first time are frightened by the unknown. And those who have walked this path panic, knowing what awaits them. Although, undoubtedly, there are exceptions.

Such emotions are normal, the main thing is not to go too far.

What to do if a pregnant woman has a nervous breakdown

Having determined that a nervous breakdown has occurred, a woman should immediately seek help from a specialist. It is not necessary to go to a psychotherapist; a consultation with a gynecologist may be enough.

The doctor prescribes drugs such as Glycine, Person, Magne B6, infusion of valerian or motherwort.

There are also non-drug ways to deal with stress and breakdowns:

You need to throw out emotions: anger, anger, fear. For example, you can take a sheet of paper and tear it into small pieces, or turn on the water and hit the stream with your palm.
You need to learn to relax and enjoy pleasant moments.
Lack of sleep causes stress and fatigue, so you need to sleep as much as possible - at least 8 hours a night. It's even better to take a nap for a couple of hours during the day.
Don't keep problems to yourself, but speak them out loud.
You can’t distance yourself from loved ones or lash out at them. It’s better to try to explain to your husband that this is a difficult period in his life and that moral support is needed.
Laugh more, look for the positive in everything.
Do what you love, come up with a new interesting hobby.

How to deal with severe irritability during pregnancy?

It is really and necessary to eliminate irritability; our simple recommendations will help you with this:

try to treat what is happening around you with humor, do not take everything personally;
Before you “let off steam”, become rude or offended, mentally count to 10. This will help you soberly assess the situation or make an informed decision;
relax, take a comfortable position, close your eyes, concentrate on something pleasant;
do something you love, it could be drawing, handicrafts, baking, take a bath (but never a hot one), and so on;
take up meditation and yoga - this is a good way to maintain physical fitness and clear your thoughts of negativity;
try to involve your husband in your worries, let him show concern, help with household chores, and finally, just cheer him up with a compliment or a nice gift;
walk more in the fresh air, listen to your favorite music or watch a soothing movie;
do not keep your experiences to yourself, share them with your family, with mothers who have experience maintaining emotional balance before and after childbirth;
Protect yourself from negative information.

Pregnancy medications based on herbs will help combat severe irritability.

How to calm your nerves and cry less

Everything is good in moderation. And if the expectant mother gets upset at the slightest reason, her tears turn into hysterics, then this cannot be called useful. Depressing thoughts, rapid pulse and heart rate can negatively affect the child's health.

Therefore, we must pull ourselves together and not forget about the responsibility for the new life under our hearts. To maintain normal functioning of the nervous system, you should follow these recommendations:

Follow a diet and sleep schedule. You need to go to bed at the same time, eat 4-5 times a day, eat foods rich in magnesium (fish, nuts, bananas).
Rest properly. You need to find 10-15 minutes a day to lie on the couch, completely relax, turning on pleasant and calm music. A calm mode of exhalation and inhalation will help calm the nerves and enrich the tissues with oxygen.
Hobby. Embroidery, drawing, yoga, decoupage, quilling - today there are a lot of interesting and useful activities that will distract you from negative thoughts and create a good mood.
Aromatherapy. Essential oils of mint, lavender, and lemon balm are used for sessions. You can turn on the aroma lamp in the room an hour before bedtime. It is also recommended to place a couple of drops of these oils on your pillow or behind your ears.
Walks in the open air. It is better to walk in the park, away from crowds of people. The body will be saturated with oxygen, blood will circulate more actively throughout the body, contemplation of pleasant things will give a good mood.
You can drink tea with lemon balm or mint or motherwort infusion at night. The nervous system rests during sleep. And the herbs will help her become stronger.

Medicines during pregnancy

During the first trimester of pregnancy, doctors strongly recommend avoiding any medications. Even the most harmless of them can harm the unborn child, since in the first three months all internal organs are formed.

Tablets and drops, the basis of which is of plant origin, can be used throughout almost the entire period of pregnancy.

Taking herbs is an excellent antidepressant. To prevent stress, it is useful to brew lemon balm, hawthorn, chamomile, mint, and linden.

Before using medications, be sure to consult a specialist.

Feelings during the first stage of pregnancy

If conception has occurred, then a number of individual signs can confirm this fact. Many women immediately resort to tests, but the existing symptoms help determine the likelihood of pregnancy, since a large number of factors can only be symptoms of a “false pregnancy.” This condition can often be observed in women who very much dream of becoming a mother and are in nervous tension when it comes to menstruation. And this dream of giving birth to a baby clouds the mind so much that the woman herself “increases” these pregnancy symptoms for herself. Only a gynecologist can confirm with 100% confidence the fact that a woman is expecting a child, but when the pregnancy is about 4-5 weeks.

If we look at the statistics, in early pregnancy (during the first month after fertilization of the egg), the condition of the mammary glands changes in 90% of women. There is some pain on palpation, and the breast itself becomes extremely sensitive. There is a feeling of some bloating, an increase in volume. Often a network of veins protrudes on the chest, and this is the “work” of the hormonal system. In addition, the nipple and areola become dark brown. Sometimes when a woman squeezes her nipple, colostrum appears.

There are women who experience toxicosis even before their period is due. According to statistics, more than 60% of women experience nausea during the early stages of pregnancy. Vomiting, complete disgust and failure to eat often occur, and more often this happens in the first half of the day. The sense of smell also changes, and sometimes a woman cannot tolerate some smells at all. And it happens that strange and seemingly unpleasant odors become pleasant and attractive for a pregnant woman. Many of you have heard a story when a pregnant woman wanted with every fiber of her soul to eat a piece of... chalk. Or she would demand lemons or pickles in the middle of the night. One girl, no matter how funny it may sound, demanded that her husband take her to the train station... to smell the rails! And this is not the entire list of oddities that a pregnant woman may experience.

When the “pregnant uterus” begins to actively grow, the woman may feel pain in the sacrum or lower back. When the pregnancy has already reached one month, the growing fetus, increasing in size, can put pressure on the uterus, which contributes to a frequent urge to urinate.

Often salt is retained in the body, so a woman’s legs and arms may swell. It happens that the swelling is small, but many women experience noticeable swelling, which causes inconvenience.

There may be a slight spotting that resembles a light period - this is because the fertilized egg has passed through the fallopian tubes and attached to the wall of the uterus.

Useful tips

Realizing that attacks of resentment, panic, and hysterics are the other side of a happy pregnancy, remember about the unborn baby. Do not abuse your “interesting” position, do not look for reasons for quarrels. Protect yourself from all kinds of stress. Hang out with positive people who bring you joy.

Don't feel guilty about your behavior; hormones are to blame. By realizing what causes irritability, it becomes easier to cope with it. Enlighten yourself with useful literature.

Experts' opinion

Psychologists who consider this issue extremely important look at it from all sides. The main thing that has always worried specialists is to find opportunities that will help protect the baby from the mother’s mood swings. The fact is that no one is immune from incorrect behavior and every mother, trying to be exemplary, still breaks the rules.

Before pregnancy and during it, the psyche is completely different. Now that there is a child, unjustified mood swings begin. Fears, anxieties, scandals with her beloved man - even the woman herself cannot explain and justify all this. It’s difficult to control yourself and you shouldn’t do it. Pregnancy is what it is, but you can learn to avoid feelings of guilt or bad mood. The main secret will be this.

A lot can be said about emotions, but a man, a future father, must at this moment create a prosperous and calm environment, remembering that his wife does not want to start a scandal at all, but simply does not know how to cope with irritability. Care, understanding, guardianship, kind attitude - this is what a woman requires. You also need to take pity on time, like a little child. The more attention a man shows and wisely manages to navigate women’s emotional outbursts, the better it will be for everyone. With common efforts, you can improve the situation and understand that nothing terrible happened.

If the woman herself starts the dialogue, it means the bad mood and guilt go away. It is important to remember that a child’s psyche is formed under the influence of feelings. The expectant mother should remember this and not scold herself. Try to work on this too, explain to your baby that such irritability happens during pregnancy, and calm him down.

Are frequent tears during pregnancy normal or a cause for concern?

Tears during pregnancy are not uncommon. If this happens rarely, then there is no need to worry. This emotional imbalance is associated with hormonal changes. If the psycho-emotional mood gets out of control, then stress seriously affects the fetus. The impact goes to the cerebral cortex, as a result - hyperactivity and a weakened nervous system of the child after birth.

Women are not always ready for the upcoming difficulties; they worry and are nervous. It is also worth considering that not everyone has the support and understanding of loved ones. In order for pregnancy to proceed normally, it is worth minimizing all negative emotions. Do not overreact to everything that happens. Thanks to this, your child will be calm and healthy.

pain in late pregnancy

In late pregnancy, a woman’s body prepares for childbirth by conducting “pain drills.” Some women experience very intense pain, while others barely feel it or don't feel it at all. You will recognize pain caused by the approach of labor as follows: the abdominal wall suddenly, against your will, tenses and becomes noticeably harder to the touch than usual. This phenomenon appears especially often when you exert physical effort, experience an orgasm, or are sad and angry, but sometimes for no apparent reason. If your stomach later becomes soft again, then you have no reason to worry.

Pain in late pregnancy indicates a critical condition when the cervix shortens and the uterine os begins to open.

Abdominal pain in late pregnancy does not always indicate a threat of miscarriage or some other problem.

1. Quite often, abdominal pain in late pregnancy occurs due to poor nutrition. This leads to spasms of the digestive system and responds with aching pain in the lower abdomen. Pain in the lower abdomen during pregnancy can develop against the background of pre-existing colitis and intestinal dysbacteriosis. A heavy dinner, insufficiently cooked or not entirely fresh food puts additional stress on the intestines, which can lead to increased gas formation and a feeling of heaviness in the lower abdomen. Such pain ends as the digestion process is completed, but can recur under similar conditions. The most important weapon in the fight against such pain is proper nutrition.

The growing uterus puts pressure on the intestines, which, given the background of hormonal changes, feel uneasy: motility decreases, peristalsis is disrupted, constipation

Source

Why does nervousness increase during pregnancy?

During pregnancy, as mentioned above, the hormonal background of the expectant mother changes greatly. Hormonal changes occur in any organism in which a new life is born, so any woman in one way or another becomes vulnerable psychologically. During the period of bearing a baby, people around you, and especially relatives and friends, need to be very sensitive towards the woman.

Already at the moment of fertilization, the value of the hormone gonadotropin jumps sharply. Its indicator reaches its maximum at 7-10 weeks. Increased concentration greatly affects a woman’s physical condition and changes her psychological background, making her mood changeable. Many people feel nauseous and their taste preferences change.

Reference! The hormone progesterone has a great influence on the mood of the expectant mother. Its level fluctuates from low to high at high speed, which dramatically affects mood. An important role is played by estriol, a natural antioxidant produced throughout the entire period of gestation.

How to deal with the problem

If you see that you have become very touchy, irritable, upset and cry for any reason, do not neglect it. Take action as early as possible. Any distractions and activities will come to the rescue here. If you feel like another wave is coming over you, this will help you avoid tears:

The favorite music;
good positive film;
favorite hobby;
interesting book;
cooking a new dish;
going to the park or any other interesting place.

Try to share your experiences with your husband, mother or friend. The words of a loved one or just a good person can change the situation radically.

Always be distracted by some other activity. If all else fails, talk to a psychiatrist. The specialist will find ways to solve this problem.

Taking sedatives is prohibited. Medicines can cause miscarriage, premature delivery, or development of defects in the baby.

You can try drinking chamomile tea. It has a sedative property and also an anti-inflammatory effect.

Early pregnancy symptoms

Symptoms of pregnancy in the early stages are often mild, and sometimes may be completely absent. But many women are impatient to find out whether conception has occurred or not, so they pay attention to even the slightest changes in the condition of their body.

Let's figure out what can be classified as symptoms of early pregnancy.

Main symptoms of pregnancy

This list is not entirely complete, since each female body is individual and is capable of reacting to the onset of pregnancy in completely different ways.

Irritability

Increased nervousness and noticeable irritability are among the earliest symptoms of early pregnancy. In this case, the pregnant woman has poor control over her behavior, even knowing that she is behaving inappropriately. Outbursts of aggression can be several times stronger than normal PMS.

If you suddenly become too irritable, think about it: maybe you are pregnant? At the same time, it may seem to you that you are behaving absolutely correctly, and all the people around you are complete idiots. This condition is caused by hormonal changes that come with pregnancy.

Nausea

This is the most common sign that a small person is growing inside a woman’s body. Nausea or early toxicosis can manifest itself either very clearly - in the form of vomiting after each meal, or mildly, when you only feel a little nauseous and dizzy at a certain time of the day, most likely in the morning.

Cravings for salty foods

Very often, expectant mothers begin to crave canned cucumbers or other salty foods. A craving for pickles, or more precisely, a change in taste preferences, is also a symptom of pregnancy. Habitual food may seem bland and under-salted to you, while pickled cucumbers will go just fine.

Breast change

A few days after conception, swelling of the mammary glands occurs. More often, this symptom appears at the end of pregnancy, but it happens that this happens in the first weeks after the birth of a new life. The breasts become engorged, may hurt, and there is a feeling that they are “pulling.”

Delayed menstruation

Lack of menstruation at the scheduled time is the most obvious and reliable sign of pregnancy. It is the delay that women most often focus on when expecting pregnancy.

Everyone knows that the absence of menstruation is reliable confirmation that a child has been conceived. If pregnancy is confirmed, you can say goodbye to menstruation for quite a long time: nine months of bearing the baby and about another six months to a year after childbirth. Many women rejoice at this fact.

Specific symptoms of early pregnancy

The symptoms listed above are often observed in every woman during pregnancy. However, all organisms are individual, so you may notice some less standard signs of pregnancy.

These symptoms include:

increase in microflora activity. Most often, this leads to the appearance of thrush - the enemy of all pregnant women. The vagina begins to discharge copious, flaky white discharge;
changes in the perception of smells and aversion to certain foods;
metallic taste in the mouth;
increased fatigue and drowsiness, sometimes sleep disturbance;
the appearance of blush on the cheeks;
increased hair growth on the body and face;
itching of palms.

Even the manifestation of these pregnancy symptoms in the early stages cannot tell you with certainty that you are definitely pregnant. The female body is a complicated thing; the hormonal system can create more serious surprises. Be prepared that pregnancy may not be confirmed.

Signs of pathological pregnancy

Dangerous symptoms of an ectopic pregnancy include severe pain in the abdomen, fallopian tubes and uterus. Body temperature may also increase. These sensations may not be too painful, but in combination with the absence of menstruation, they are a serious sign of an ectopic pregnancy, which can threaten a woman’s life.

If you suspect a pathological pregnancy, you should urgently consult a doctor. After the examination, urgent surgery may be necessary, but only if the diagnosis is confirmed.

Each woman's body can react to pregnancy in completely different ways. In the second and third trimesters, other signs of pregnancy are added: swelling of the legs and arms, itching of the skin of the abdomen, etc.

If you find yourself with several of the above symptoms of a healthy pregnancy, in order not to worry, just confirm it with your doctor. For an accurate determination, you can use the most modern diagnostic tools: test strips, which are sold in every pharmacy. Did you see a positive result? Then contact your gynecologist as soon as possible, who will tell you how to proceed. An ultrasound machine is also used to confirm pregnancy.

Tell your friends about this article on your favorite social network Interesting to know