A woman during pregnancy changes externally and emotionally. Such a state is not always favorable. Sometimes the psyche becomes so unstable that it causes many unpleasant problems. It is extremely difficult to cope with sudden mood swings, apathy, and emotional upsurge that occur during the day.
The emotional background is no less important than the physical condition of a woman. Mental health also needs to be monitored. Pregnant women are especially vulnerable in this situation.
When Do Mood swings Start in Pregnancy?
The pregnant woman will be ready for the fact that her emotional state will change if this is not the first pregnancy. This helps to balance the position a bit. When mood swings begin will depend on the hormonal background of a particular pregnant woman.
According to experts, women who are in the first and third trimesters of pregnancy suffer from emotional instability.
EXACT WEEKS IT MAY HAPPENÂ
Mood swings are observed in the first week of pregnancy. A woman may not even know about her situation yet. More obvious signs are noticeable at 4 weeks. Further jumps in the emotional state may appear from 6 to 11 weeks.
Psycho-emotional background stabilizes in the second trimester. Further mood swings may appear early in the 3rd trimester around 27–30 weeks.
When will it end?
The main mood swings disappear at 11-12 weeks. Jumps will not appear permanently. There are breaks during which the condition of the pregnant woman is stable. The longest time without drops is the second trimester. In the future, similar symptoms may appear at the beginning of the third trimester and they will pass after 27–30 weeks.
Mood swings take place during a period of hormonal balance. No jumps in hormone levels – no mood swings.
How Do Mood Swings Feel?
How a woman will endure mood swings depends on her psychological health. It is important to take into account the peculiarities of temperament and individual sensitivity to stimuli. Emotional stability is largely influenced by the environment in which the pregnant woman is located.
The range of emotions experienced during the gestation period is very wide. It can be irritability, irascibility, aggression, depression, apathy, energy boost, tearfulness, and so on.
Acute
Mood swings during pregnancy will be very pronounced if a woman initially had problems with emotions and hormones. These can be mood swings from constant crying for minor reasons to a sharp emotional upsurge.
Mild
During pregnancy, mood swings will be almost imperceptible if the psyche was stable before pregnancy and there were no problems with hormones. There may be slight apathy, a feeling of fatigue, diluted with calmness and indifference to everything.
Eliminate any irritants during pregnancy. This will reduce the emotional burden and stabilize the psyche.
Prevention methods
Some symptoms that occur during pregnancy can be prevented in advance. Preventive measures are used for this. You need to know the root of your problems to adequately apply them. It is worth considering whether your body is ready for such serious changes even before pregnancy. Then analyze all the gaps and get rid of problems as much as possible.
Change your living conditions
It is quite possible to eliminate most problems if you plan pregnancy. A woman is often a lot nervous before pregnancy. This may be due to stressful work or family environments. Try to remove yourself from an environment that is full of negativity and stress. Change jobs, rent a separate apartment from negative relatives, and improve your social and material status.
Keep a sleep schedule
Constant fatigue and lack of sleep lead to irreversible processes. Restoring serotonin levels is not easy. Try to take care of the hormonal balance in advance. Don’t skip a night’s sleep, go to bed as early as possible and get at least 8 hours of sleep a night.
Proper nutrition
It is necessary to support your body before pregnancy. The lack of vital trace elements and vitamins can adversely affect the psycho-emotional state of a woman. It is extremely important to eat a lot of foods rich in iodine, magnesium, and potassium. These are the elements without which there will be no good sleep and mood. It is very important to consume enough omega acids and foods containing B vitamins.
Why Mood Swings happen in Pregnancy?
The main reason for pregnancy mood swings lies in hormones. The level of estrogen and progesterone rises sharply during the gestation period, especially in the first trimester. This is a serious failure of the balance habitual for a woman’s body. Coping with a surge of these hormones is very difficult. This is primarily due to the lack of control over the process of changing the hormonal background.
There are also mental changes in addition to internal changes in the woman’s body. The pregnant woman will have a period of accepting her position, realizing that life will no longer be the same, resignation to physical changes. Then comes the difficult moment of imposing responsibility for the life of the unborn baby.
These global restructurings within the habitual way of life directly affect the psyche of the pregnant woman. It is recommended to plan pregnancy so that it is conscious. Then problems with the emotional sphere can be avoided.
Remedies
An unprepared future mother finds it difficult to cope with the problems and symptoms of pregnancy that have already arisen. Immediate help is needed if mood swings during pregnancy greatly complicate life and reduce its quality.
There are several effective means of protecting and dealing with emotional instability. Let’s consider the main ones:
Prenatal vitamins
They are best taken in advance about 2 months before conception. But the appointment of vitamins is not superfluous when you are already pregnant. Especially if you have mood issues.
Prenatal complexes are specially designed taking into account the special position of a woman. Doses in such vitamins are much higher than usual. They are aimed at eliminating the deficiency of the main trace elements and vitamins: magnesium, potassium, iodine, and B vitamins.
Meditation
Meditative help techniques are quite often practiced by modern mothers during pregnancy. This method is completely harmless and works. Meditation calms, relaxes, harmonizes the emotional background, and tempers the psyche, making it more resistant to stimuli. The woman becomes calm and balanced.
Psychotherapy
The help of a specialist in the field of psychotherapy is required for more serious problems. The doctor will help to detect the problem, understand its causes and gradually establish psycho-emotional stability.
The help of a psychotherapist will be required if a woman is constantly under stress, in a state of apathy, depressive mood. Timely detection of the problem will prevent the development of postpartum depression.
WHEN TO CONTACT A DOCTOR?
It is necessary to consult a doctor if your psycho-emotional state becomes unbearable. When a pregnant woman loses her meaning in life, she considers everything uninteresting, boring, and monotonous. If she sleeps for a long time, stops any contact with the outside world, closes in on herself.
Vivid signs of a depressive state of a pregnant woman should first alert loved ones. It is necessary to distinguish simple boredom and fatigue from signs of depression.
What Not to Do
Mistakes should not be made when mood swings symptoms are observed. This can greatly aggravate the situation. Pregnant women are extremely vulnerable both physically and psychologically. Any external interference and rash decisions can be badly reflected in the aftermath. Consider the main options for what you definitely should not do with mood swings:
Take hormonal and other drugs
Any drug can adversely affect pregnancy. Hormonal drugs, sedatives, or homeopathic medicines are prescribed only by a doctor.
Be silent about your condition
Ask for help if you feel very bad. Be sure to share your feelings and emotions with loved ones. Don’t keep the problem a secret.
Work hard
It is better to take sick leave or a day off during mood swings. Rest is a great remedy for disruptions in the emotional state. Fatigue is the worst enemy of pregnant women.
