Rebecca is a former classmate and licensed counselor in Lexington, KY. Her focus is children, fertility issues, and grief and loss. She worked as a grief counselor for over a year before moving into private practice. She is currently pregnant for the third time, after suffering very different and difficult losses and going through infertility treatments. She is cautiously optimistic and excited to meet her baby girl, Ella, in the late summer.

She has suffered with anxiety and panic attacks, and is here to share a brief overview of anxiety during pregnancy.

So, pregnancy comes with its own set of bizarre side-effects, zoom in on me 8 weeks pregnant making deviled eggs at 7am. Most of them are common and even harmless though it may not feel like it at the time. So inevitably at some point during your online journey to find out if your boobs are indeed supposed to get that big, you will find out about anxiety, and how normal it is during pregnancy.

First let me state, there is nothing about anxiety that feels normal. As a long time sufferer from anxiety and worry (rumination) it can often times feel like you are going to die, and that is without all the crazy pregnancy hormones, the fact you haven’t eaten a real meal in a month, and well... that was the last time you pooped as well! Anxiety in pregnancy is normal, but it is not one of those side-effects that you can easily say, ‘Well, at least the baby is growing’. And it may even have you running to your doctor, midwife, or ER. Also, if you are like me and have suffered several unsuccessful pregnancies, then the normal anxiety gets put into a category of its own. I call it ‘super crazy pregnant lady: just give me a damn ultrasound now!’ No matter what category you may find yourself in, the old adage that knowledge is power, is true in this case. However, you may find that a lot of the knowledge that you find while doing late night searches while your partner sleeps may provoke anxiety instead of calm it. I’m not saying don’t do it, but just be aware if you feel yourself starting to go down that path, turn-the-computer-off! All of those answers that you are hoping to find will be there the next day.



Back to useful knowledge.

There are several types of anxiety disorder, however, diagnosing oneself is not recommended so I have put together a little list of various symptoms of anxiety and panic attacks.

Symptoms of Anxiety & Panic Attacks
pounding heart, accelerated heart rate, sweating, trembling, shaking, feeling of choking, shortness of breath, smothering, nausea, dizziness, lightheadedness, faint, feeling detached from oneself or reality, fear of losing control or going crazy, fear of dying, numbness, chills, hot flash. OK before I go on like ½ of these are just what happens when pregnant and not feeling anxious, and if you do experience any of these symptoms see your doctor to rule out at physical medical conditions. Continuing on: feeling like you are unable to escape, avoiding situations, inability to leave the home without marked distress, recurrent unexpected panic attacks, excessive or unreasonable fear.

OK, now that you have undoubtedly diagnosed yourself, gone on symptom checker or WebMD - what to do about it all? Here are some tips to get you through right now, and there will be more to come. And keep in mind these do not work all the time, and I took a long time to write this because well, it is easier said than done. Again see your specialist to rule out medical conditions!

Anxiety Coping Skills
*Lay/sit in a quiet still place (if far along in pregnancy lay on your left)

*Focus on your breathing, just breathe normal and focus on your rising and falling belly

*Have your partner rub your back, hair, arms - or do it yourself

*Count from 1-10 and back down

*Practice yoga stretches that decrease stress and encourage mindfulness

*Read a non-baby related book or magazine

These are some simple anxiety management techniques you can start with. A licensed counselor can help teach you other coping skills, and work with you through your pregnancy to help ensure peace of mind. Most of all know that you have the ability to cope with your anxiety and still enjoy your pregnancy.

If you have any questions about anxiety, please leave them in the comments and I'll see what I can do!