How much stress is ok ?

[Mrs Doddy]

It's something that happens to us all the time but in pregnancy how much stress is ok before we put our babies in danger/distress????

I worry about EVERYTHING. Since my mmc last year and this subsequent pregnancy my aniexty has got worse. This is probably mixed with emotions from the pregnancy too. I worried myself so bad before the 12 week scan to the point that I lay in bed of that morning crying and told my h that I couldnt do it, that I wasn't going to the scan as I was so worried that I had had another mmc. Well I hadn't and have felt ok for the last few weeks, now I'm panicing again as I haven't put on any weight and i'm not showing at all.

My bp was normal at the last check, I don't know how to relax and just let things happen as they need too. Work is getting me down at the mo and have a small family problem that I don't know what to do about.

I'm rambling now and seem to have lost my point to the post .

So how much stress is ok ??

 

[girl friday]

I can't answer the stress question, just send :higs:

In terms of weight gain and showing, I didn't really start showing or needing to wear maternity clothes till 5 or 6 months. It was a while before I put on any noticable amount of weight too. LO is still small at 13 weeks so it's not a concern.

x

 

[sazza]

Mrs Doddy - sorry you're having such a stressful time just now. The only advice I can really give is to try hard to put time aside each day/night, and do something to try and relax (nice bubble bath/lying on your bed, with some soothing music in the background?) Talking to someone about your worries may also help too. x x

 

[Windmills]

You can take a lot of stress, believe me. The earlier part of my pregnancy, up to around 19 weeks, was without doubt the most stressful time of my life. I won't go into detail but I spent the majority of the time crying and completely freaking out. AND starting a new job.
Also, ladies were pregnant when their husbands/relatives were killed in 9/11. Their babies were fine.
Finally- you won't show at 13+3. You might be a little bit bloated but that's it. Loads of people don't gain weight in first tri due to sickness, nausea, loss of appetite, or just not feeling they need to eat more!
IMO, stress is more harmful to you than your baby. The chance of anything going wrong now is SO small. We all know horrible things happen, but you can't spend your entire pregnancy worrying about things going wrong. You'll regret it so much if you do xxx

 

[babythinkpink]

I spent my first pregnancy in tears and exhausted from argument with oh, i piled weight on which stressed me out even more, i had a mmc previously so stressed about that happening again, i stressed about baby being born with some strange deformity or something, then i stressed i was not going to be able to look after him, and one stress just makes the next one harder to deal with!!

I know it is easier said than done but try to chill, my next pregnancy i was in a whole lot better place, i went to yoga to prepare for birth and learn some techniques to relax, and they worked briliantly, not only for a better calmer me but for a great birth, worlds apart from my first.
Seriously the relaxation works so well, breathing and lavender candles and stuff to relax, your stresses just melt away, and i would really encourage you to look into something, the yoga did all this for me and i stopped it after my second but the techniques to relax have stayed with me when i needed them and work so well.

I was worried and stressed because i was in a bad situation, work was horrible and everything just mounted up, but i could have taken much better control of it all, and had a much calmer pregnancy, and i am glad i learnt how to do that and by now, 5th pregnancy i am so laid back i am led down!!! (I am still a worry wart but can honestly say i take charge of the stress!)

Good luck to you

 

[maybebaby3]

i have been extremely stressed this pregnancy 4 a number of reasons. i have worried about the effects of stress on the baby so i have tried 2 relax as much as possible and try 2 block out the stress. have a nice warm (not hot) bath with your favourite magazine. u r nearly out of the 1st tri so hopefully your stress levels will decrease. oh and this is my 3rd baby (5th pregnancy - 2 m/c) and i didnt show til past the halfway mark but am now massive! i only put on less than a kg b4 20wks.

 

[Kitten]

I was such a worrier and a big ball of stress during pregnancy. I was convinced I'd damage him. I cried over everything and got so upset I'd get breathless and dizzy from making my bp shoot up. Towards the end I got a lot better and I allowed myself one alcoholic drink a week to chill me out. Like, on a Saturday night we'd have a nice meal together, with a glass of wine and veg in front of the TV just to de-stress. Not that I'm recommending you drink, but definitely have one evening or whatever a week where you have some nice quality relaxation time where you eat what you want/do what you want etc and just chill out!

That said, it did my baby no harm, well, I say that, but I had a massive incident occur at work and it was just awful and I had to be signed off at 35 weeks because I thought I was in labour. Once I was signed off my bp went right down to what it was pre-pregnancy and I felt great.

But yes, try not to worry that your worrying is harming your baby, if that were the case then stockbrokers etc. would never have kids!