Stress in pregnancy

[Lozs1]

Hey, I’m 15 + 3 today - so just a tid bit worried as last week (all week) I was so stressed at work, anger and crying etc, part of it is to do with work and part to do with losing my baby around this time last pregnancy. Today I have had a proper good cry and a really stress hour. Reading online about stress/anger/upset during pregnancy has now terrified me! Has anyone been through a serious stressful time in their pregnancy and gone on to have a healthy baba? I just keep reading things about stress affecting baby where they will struggle to be calm when they are born :(

I think allowing an outlet for your stress and grief is absolutely the best thing you can do. You can't just not allow yourself to feel it. I think probably every pregnant woman has had various levels of stress to deal with. It's a stressful time in itself. Be kind to yourself. If you can do anything to feel less stressed, do it. I did pregnancy yoga which was great for me but really anything that helps. Also if there's anything work wise that can be done differently so it's not so stressful, do it.

You can rant, grieve and be stressed. You are a human being as well as a pregnant woman. No wonder that this is stressful time for you. So I guess minimise stress where you can but don't add stress about being stressed! Could you speak to a manager and / or book some time off?

So there are some studies that show there is a small negative effect on the foetus due to stress. It is only in the third trimester that this has been shown and the situations where it has been seen are women involved in the twin towers terror attacks and women pregnant in warzones. So yes stress can have an impact but it is really imminent risk to life levels of stress that cause this issues. Sorry i don't have time to search for the references but I think it was horizon documentary probably 10 years ago that I saw this. If I have time later I will try to dig it out

As for stress. I had a car accident at 15 weeks at 70mph and it was bad enough to close the motorway so we could be safely recovered we then went into lockdown 3 weeks later and I gave birth during the pandemic. My daughter was a high needs baby due to reflux and allergies but this is highly unlikely to be due to anything in pregnancy. I have a strong family history of reflux and allergies.

Here is an article about the twin towers /9-11 study. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/science/neurophilosophy/2011/sep/09/pregnant-911-survivors-transmitted-trauma

The increase risk was only seen with women who developed PTSD on the back of their experiences and only in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters

If women can go through all of that an their wee ones be ok. I think you'll be ok

Do you have anyone to talk to about your stresses?