Pregnancy could be a time of joy, a time of celebration, and a time of anticipation and excitement.

Unfortunately, pregnancy could also be a time of emotional roller-coasters and random mood swings.

Some pregnant mothers, for example, find that their moods stay relatively stable throughout their pregnancy.

Others find themselves weeping for seemingly no reason at all.

The good news is that there’s no need to worry about what you feel regardless of what your emotional state is during your pregnancy.

Chances are that it’s normal.

 

Mood Swings in Pregnancy

 

Experts believe that mood swings during pregnancy are quite common amongst pregnant mothers and it’s nothing to be alarmed about, although it could be a bit unsettling.

Mood swings could be defined as a sudden change in feeling or emotion that occurs for seemingly no reason at all.

Although most people associate a mood swing with the sudden onset of sad or irritable feelings, a mood swing could also occur in the opposite direction (sad to happy).

Since they are so unpredictable, mood swings are one of the biggest complaints that pregnant mothers have.

However, expecting mothers who experience mood swings should know that they are not alone.

Mood swings are common during pregnancy and this is especially true of the first and last trimesters.

 

What causes mood swings?

 

One of the reasons that mood swings are so common during pregnancy is because pregnancy is an extremely stressful period of time. Pregnancy brings about situations that aren’t normal to everyday life. The added physical stress such as rapid weight gain, altered body functioning, fatigue, a change in metabolism and sleep disturbances, could cause mood swings.

 

Hormones are the main determining factor in mood swings and further states that oestrogen and progesterone are responsible for the sudden wave of emotions that most pregnant mums feel.Both oestrogen and progesterone affect the level of neurotransmitters in the brain, which in turn affects the level of pleasurable or depressive emotions that a person feels.

 

When the neurotransmitter levels are under constant fluctuation as they are during pregnancy, an expecting mother could feel happy one moment and sad the next with little explanation whatsoever. Many women also forget that pregnancy is more than just the development period of a child. It’s a major life transition, one that’s bound to be accompanied by some major emotional upheavals. Even if you are completely overjoyed to be having a child, there are still going to be moments when you feel anxious or depressed.

 

Also, the added financial pressure, a loss of personal freedom and the increased strain upon personal relationships that a new child could cause, somehow contribute to anxiety and unsettling mood of most expectant mothers. Some pregnant mums find it difficult to sleep while being pregnant, and others have trouble accepting their changing bodies. All of these factors are causes for mood swings, and it’s important to remember that these feelings are common during pregnancy.

 

When should you be concerned?

 

If mood swings last more than two weeks, or if they seem unusually frequent, it’s probably time to seek the help of a professional. Many of the symptoms that occur with mood swings are similar to the symptoms found in depression. According to a study, depression affects up to 10 percent of women during pregnancy. Anyone that’s experiencing a lot of mood swings during their pregnancy and feel it’s serious or of concern should speak with their doctor, as it never hurts to get a professional opinion on the situation.

 

Some of the signs of depression include the following:

• Recurrent anxiety and increased irritability
• Sleep disturbances
• Change in eating habits
• Inability to concentrate
• Short-term memory loss
• Feelings of worthlessness
• Loss of interest in normal activities

 

Handling Mood Swings

Unfortunately, there’s really not much an expecting mother could do to stop the effects that hormones have upon her body during pregnancy. However, here are some tips that might help you make mood swings more manageable.

 

• Listening to music. Try listening to some music, preferably one with slower, more soothing rhythm. You may purchase some relaxation CDs that offer a combination of instrumental music with the sound of nature such as water of a stream flowing, which you could listen to whenever you feel moody or during bedtime when you feel restless. It would help relax your mind and keep you calm.

 

• Take regular breaks during the day to relax. If you are a working mum-to-be, you may take several short breaks during your working hours to freshen up. Simple gestures such as standing up and stretching your hands or walking to the pantry to pour yourself a drink or looking a way from your computer screen for a few minutes, would help reducing your stress and fatigue a little, which in turns make mood swings more manageable.

 

• Exercise. Swimming or other light exercises could also help you relax, and it’s a good way to release tension, while your body benefits from the workouts too.

 

• Eat balanced, healthy meals. As stress makes a person more vulnerable to sickness, you ought to eat well, so your body would be healthier, thus reducing your risks to illnesses.

 

 

• Spend time outdoors. A touch of nature could help you ease your mind and unwind. Thus, an evening stroll to the nearby park would promote a tranquil ambience.

 

• Participate in a meditation or yoga class. Try joining a yoga or meditation class to ease your mind. Besides, a yoga centre would usually have a very comforting atmosphere and breathing techniques do help reducing pain when you are due for labour.

 

• Jot it down. It could also be helpful to keep a ‘mood swing journal’ to keep track of your mood swings. Writing down when they occur, what triggers them and how frequently they happen could help you to understand any patterns that your body has in response to the shift in hormones. Besides, writing is a good way to express your inner feelings.

 

• Do something enjoyable. Whether it’s shopping with your girlfriends, going to a movie, reading your favourite book at a cosy café, just do something enjoyable at least once or twice weekly, to promote a sense of satisfaction because you have to make some personal time for yourself, as concentrating too much solely on household matters and work would really stress you out. You need to balance the pole.