Pregnant women can often get stressed, anxious or depressed during the entire pregnancy journey as pregnancy can be overwhelming for many women but various studies suggest that stress not only impacts pregnant women but even their babies. The babies of women who were extremely stressed, were often angry, crying or fussing when left in a crib and showed distress when they were tired too.
Stress can also affect the overall growth and development of the baby. Not only this, children of depressed mothers are known to have higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol as preschoolers, which can lead to anxiety and social withdrawal and the child may end up feeling lonely and avoid interacting with others.
How stress can affect the baby:
Talking about how stress and depression can be worrisome for your little one, Dr Pratima Thamke, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist at Motherhood Hospital in Kharghar, shared in an interview with HT Lifestyle, “Those pregnant women who are stressed, their children will have poor self-control, poor peer relationships, school problems, depression, agitation and aggression, along with attachment disorders, behavior problems, depression and other mood disorders. The babies can become fussy, and cringy, display violent behavior, be stubborn and would keep crying constantly.”
Tips to de-stress during pregnancy:
Ahead of World Mental Health Day 2022, Dr Pratima Thamke suggested tips on how pregnant women should try to stay stress-free and recommended –
· It is the need of the hour for pregnant women to do deep breathing exercises from time to time. Did you know? Abdominal breathing can be helpful for such women. You can do it after consulting the expert. Doing so can help to lower the heart rate and calm you down. Apart from that, exercising in the form of walking, aerobics or yoga can also be helpful. You can exercise for 5 days a week without fail. Try to speak to your gynaecologist before following any fitness routine.
· Women need to stay composed during pregnancy. Avoid stressing about small things. Try to do what you like. Spend some “me” time. You can do activities such as painting, gardening, cooking or listening to music.
· Bonding with babies after they are born can also help them to stay calm. So, mothers should practice Kangaroo care.