It is normal to feel emotional and/or have feelings of anticipation at times in pregnancy. Some degree of stress is normal too as you begin to adjust to the current and impending changes. After all, you are coming closer to a new beginning to your life with the arrival of your baby. It is also quite understandable to have some concerns about the baby, giving birth and how you will adapt to life with the new addition.
If you find that negative or apprehensive thoughts and feelings are starting to take over, dominate your thinking and feeling, and are beginning to impact on your ability to function from day to day, this could be a sign that you are experiencing a mental health condition.
Similarly, if you are feeling sad, have lost interest or enjoyment in things that you once enjoyed, or find yourself worrying to the point of distress, these could be mental health symptoms and signs of antenatal depression or anxiety.
Because pregnancy is expected to bring many hormonal changes, early symptoms of these conditions are often mistakenly attributed to normal pregnancy experiences and hence, the conditions go unrecognised and untreated.
I just thought it was a normal part of pregnancy and coping with hormonal and lifestyle changes that naturally occur.
It is important to be informed and aware of mental health conditions in pregnancy and seek appropriate help early.
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health problem, affecting 1 in 4 people in their lifetime. Antenatal anxiety is even more common.
Antenatal depression is the second most common mental health condition that affects up to ten percent of women during pregnancy.
It is important to seek help sooner rather than later for depression, anxiety or other mental health problems in pregnancy.
For women, particularly, it is perfectly understandable if your sleep is affected while you are pregnant. This is particularly the case later on in pregnancy when the size of your belly can negatively impact on your quality of sleep. However, sleep disturbance, which includes both not being able to sleep and wanting to sleep constantly, can be a sign of a mental health condition in pregnancy, like antenatal depression and/or anxiety.
Ongoing lack of sleep can also negatively impact your emotional wellbeing and increase your risk of developing a mental health condition or worsen any conditions that you may already be experiencing.
Another common symptom of a mental health condition in pregnancy that often feels like a physical symptom is eating less, being disinterested in food. Alternatively, using food as a source of comfort and, therefore, eating significantly more than before pregnancy may also be a common symptom of a mental health condition.
Good nutrition is especially important for you and your developing baby. Your appetite, however, should not change too dramatically just because you are pregnant. Later in pregnancy you may need to eat smaller amounts more often, but the calories and volume of food that you consume should only be slightly more than before you were pregnant – not double or triple that amount.
So, if you are finding that your appetite has changed drastically, it can actually be a symptom that something may not be quite right with your mental health.
It is not uncommon to unwind with a drink or a cigarette at times when you might feel stressed or trying to feel more relaxed. However, this can become a trap as, while there may be short-term benefits, this does not help in the longer term and can make things worse.
Drinking, smoking and taking drugs have negative impacts for both women and men during pregnancy. It is common for people to smoke, use alcohol or other drugs to help manage symptoms, like depression and anxiety. However, this will only make the problem worse and have negative direct or indirect impacts upon your developing baby. It is important to seek help early for yourself or your partner.
It is quite normal to be aware of your baby and be concerned for their health. But if you are constantly feeling nervous, having anxious thoughts or worrying that something is wrong or will go wrong, it may be an indication of antenatal anxiety. These symptoms are often ignored or attributed to hormones or general stress about having a baby, but that is not always the case.
If these types of thoughts and feelings continue for over two weeks, increase in frequency or are hard to manage, you should not ignore them as they may be a sign of antenatal anxiety, which is a condition that can be effectively managed and treated.
If you are finding yourself having ongoing mood swings that last for two months or more, this is not something to just dismiss as relating to a change in your hormones. Rather, it could be a symptom of antenatal depression and you should speak to your health professional about it.
If you are experiencing any of the above symptoms in a way that is ongoing and impacting on your ability to carry out everyday activities, it could very well be a sign that something is not quite right.
It can be tempting to ignore these symptoms, to attribute them to other aspects of pregnancy, or simply try to ride them out. However, doing so will prevent you from identifying if something is not quite right and from managing these symptoms with help from a health professional.
Failure to get help early can lead to your symptoms worsening both in pregnancy and once your baby arrives.
All self-checks are free and anonymous. Upon completion of the self-check you will receive a score that indicates what you may be experiencing at this time, plus relevant COPE resources and information that you may find helpful.
Try to pay attention to how you are are feeling, the symptoms you are experiencing and how long you have been feeling this way. Bring this information to your health professional. They can best assess whether you are possibly experiencing the symptoms of a mental health condition.
Find out more about mental health under Medicare and helplines that are available.
If you require support for mental health conditions, this may be subsidised under Medicare.
There are a range of free parent helpline services, plus information, support and other resources to assist you during your perinatal journey.
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