Here are some tips you can use to help keep your depression under control while pregnant.
Tip One: Avoid Stress
One of the biggest contributing factors to depression is STRESS. If you are pregnant you want to do everything you can to avoid unnecessary stress, but to be honest this is helpful even if you aren’t pregnant. As stress cannot always be avoided, the best thing you can do is identify what is causing the stress. Once you have figured out the cause you can use whatever technique works best for you in terms of dealing with it. For example, if you are stressed because of your other kids have somebody take them for an evening to give you a break. Something that many of us do not think about when it comes to avoiding stress is avoiding people that live for stress or even stress causing activities.
Tip Two: Remain Social
Some women find that when they are pregnant they feel different; sometimes they even feel like they are alone. The worst thing you can do is isolate yourself from your family and friends, as this can make the depression hit harder than ever. Remaining social doesn’t mean you have to go to every party you are invited to, but you will want to stay in regular contact with everybody. You should also get out of the house at least once a week, get involved in some kind of activity that you enjoy.
Tip Three: Exercise
Hormones play a big role in pregnancy and some women have a hard time adjusting to the rapid increase in certain hormones. And most of us know that hormones help contribute to the mood that we are in or the lack of certain hormones. Studies have shown that regular exercise is a great way to help beat the blues. The best part is you don’t have to spend hours sweating at the gym to help improve your mood. Prenatal yoga or walking for thirty minutes outside on the track or even around the block is a great way to help relieve stress and boost your mood.
Tip Four: Healthy Diet
One issue that some pregnant women face is eating a diet filled with junk food, mainly because they don’t care what they eat as they use excuse that they are eating for two. Others will even tell themselves that its o.k. to gain weight because they are pregnant. However, studies have shown that diets high in junk food have horrible consequences for pregnant women, including increasing the risk of depression. Unhealthy diets lead to problems with blood sugar levels, as well as hormone levels. The rise and fall of these levels directly affects our moods. Eating a healthy diet helps keep these levels in check, which in turn regulates our moods a bit better.
Tip Five: Seek Help
Sometimes no matter what you do you just can’t shake your depression. In cases like that it is important to seek outside help, as leaving the depression untreated can do more harm than good to both you and your baby. Seeking help does not always mean taking medication; counseling has been shown to really help pregnant women who are battling unnecessary stress and depression.
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