Pregnancy: Your Mind & Body

The Joy and Overwhelming Reality of Pregnancy

Awaiting the arrival of a new-born is an occasion full of intense emotions for the whole family, and especially so for the expectant mother. For couples who have been trying for a baby for a long time or are just now planning a family, reading positive is generally a cause for celebration.

In some instances, however, pregnancy is a trigger of many negative emotions. Here are some reasons:

• The woman carrying the baby, or her partner aren’t ready for that kind of responsibility
• The expectant mother might not have the financial means to take care of a child
• Pregnancy may pose a great health risk to the mother
• The baby may be diagnosed with a serious health issue
• The woman may be coping with a mental illness

No matter whether your feelings towards pregnancy belong to the first or the second group they are equally valid and reasonable.

Signs of Early Pregnancy

Pregnancy tests are the best way to check if you are pregnant, and if used correctly, are accurate around 99 percent of the time. A missed monthly cycle can also be a sign of possible pregnancy, but is not as accurate as it can happen due to other reasons. In the early stage of pregnancy it can be hard to tell if you’re pregnant or if your body is preparing for your period.

Look out for these signs if you’re suspecting you might be pregnant:

• Feelings of fatigue that can’t be explained by illness, lack of sleep or other reasons
• Backache, headache and stomach cramps
• Nausea or morning sickness
• Changes in breasts such as soreness, swelling and tenderness to touch
• Aversion to certain smells and foods and development of food cravings

Becoming a Mum for the First Time

Becoming a parent always carries a certain weight, and this is especially true when you’re entering parenthood for the first time. There is the awareness that your life will drastically change in many ways – the sleepless nights, learning about meeting the baby’s needs and soothing methods that work among other things.

While waiting for the baby’s arrival, you might find:

• you feel restless and irritable
• you often feel like crying or have mood swings
• you might feel anxious or depressed
• if you have any mental disorders, their symptoms might get worse
• you find yourself worrying if you’ll be a good mum
• you feel uncertain if you have a good support circle to lean on
• you feel unhappy with your physical appearance (gaining weight, retaining fluid etc.)

How Can Pregnancy Affect My Mental Health?

In the later stages of pregnancy it is easy to notice the body changes caused by pregnancy. While less visible, changes to emotional and psychological wellbeing are just as important to keep track of. If you can, try to find some alone time every day and check up on yourself.

Each body and mind is different so you might not react the same way as someone you know. What’s important is to take care of yourself and try not to harm yourself or the baby. Keep in mind that:

• if you’re using pharmacotherapy, you might need to consult your doctor to see if it’s safe to continue in pregnancy
• smoking and some substances can seriously impact the health of you and your child
• if you’re deeply unhappy during pregnancy or scared of giving birth, it’s a good idea to consult a health professional and talk about your options

Treatment We Offer

At Dr Jo Gee Psychotherapy, your wellbeing is our number one priority. We are highly experienced in dealing with issues related to women’s health and prepared to support you in making the decisions that are right for you. Our team of experts will guide you through every step of the process and provide you with the support you need in this important moment of your life.

Our recommendation for you is cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT). CBT is a type of talk therapy which is effective in treating various mental health disorders and alleviating symptoms of distress. Some of its benefits are as follows:

• It has long-lasting benefits and doesn’t take a lot of your time
• It gives you space to share your thoughts and feelings, come to terms with them and let go of the ones that aren’t serving you
• It teaches you to cope with future distressing situations in a healthy, adequate manner
• It is effective by itself, but can be combined with other forms of therapy

Get in Touch

Still not sure if you could benefit from our services? We offer a free 15-minute phone consultation at a time convenient for you. After that you can book a 50-75 minute assessment where you will have time to ask questions, share your therapy goals, discuss the possible outcomes, and build a personalized treatment plan with a member of our expert team. Your therapist will support you every step of the way, whether you opt for a short or a long-term plan.

If you would like to book an initial consultation, please message or call us, and we will get back to you as soon as possible.