Mental Health and Pregnancy (Week 26)

I've been feeling great during these past few weeks of my pregnancy. My belly is ever expanding, and I've gained a total of 20lbs so far. Even though my thighs slightly rub together now when I walk (gack!), the doctor says I'm right where I need to be in terms of weight gain.

My baby is healthy and active (he kicked my Obstetrician's Doppler microphone 3 times during my last visit), which I guess isn't a surprise given how active mommy tries to be. I've been keeping active with a combination of swimming twice a week, walking twice a week, and doing various 20-minute exercise videos to work on muscle maintenance.

My mood has also been pretty good. Although I alternate days between feeling tired and energetic, overall my spirits are pretty high. I'm very glad for that. Not everyone is so lucky. It is just as easy to feel depressed and anxious as it is to feel happy and joyous when you're pregnant. I am ever aware of the possibility that I may get depressive symptoms during and/or after my pregnancy.

The Link Between Mental and Physical Health
Mental health has always been a prevalent issue in my life for two reasons: a) depression and anxiety runs in my family, and b) I have a BA in Psychology, which increases my awareness and sensitivity to the topic. One of the reasons I maintain such an active lifestyle is because I'm convinced it is one of the reasons I am in such a good mood to begin with. When I don't exercise for a while, I get lethargic and generally feel "blah".

There is a large body of research on the link between mental health and exercise. Put simply, when depressed and anxious people exercise over a set period of time, many feel better. Furthermore, if they maintain an active lifestyle, they are less likely to relapse.

Other research has shown that women who exercise during pregnancy are less likely to develop Postpartum Depression. This is great news, particularly for those mothers who want to avoid taking anti-depressants during and after pregnancy.

My quick and dirty advice to those of you who are not pregnant but one day plan to be: start exercising before you become pregnant, and maintain an active lifestyle throughout your pregnancy. If you are pregnant now, it's never too late to start exercising and begin reaping the rewards.

How to Recognize Symptoms of Depression
Depression can spring up on any one of us at any point in our lives. It can be particularly distressing when you have a baby, and you feel that you should be feeling happy and motivated to take care of this new life, but you feel the opposite instead. An estimated 14 to 23 percent of moms-to-be experience clinical depression, and about 40 percent have some symptoms. That's a lot of sad pregnant women.

Symptoms of depression include: feeling sad for several weeks; loss of interest in activities you normally enjoy; feelings of guilt or hopelessness; and/or difficulty concentrating. If you recognize any of these symptoms in yourself, talk to your doctor or midwife.

How to Recognize Symptoms of Anxiety
Pregnancy is listed as a significant stressful life event. t is normal to be somewhat preoccupied with "doing all the right things" to ensure your unborn child has the best chance for a normal development. However, for some women this preoccupation can get blown out of proportion to the point that it affects how they live their lives.

Earlier this year, one of my clients was on her fourth pregnancy, and was well-aware that her anxiety levels increased during pregnancy. During our exercise sessions, she would get nervous about how high her heart rate felt to her when she did anything aerobic. Even though her doctor told her she was fine, and we used a heart rate monitor to make sure her heart rate wasn't elevated to a dangerous level, it was hard for her to not feel a sense of panic over it. The biggest thing that helped her control her anxiety was simply her awareness of what it was caused by, and that her feelings were not rational.

If you are suffering from anxiety that is persistent, intrusive or out-of-proportion; irritability; inability to sleep because of your fears; waking up with a racing heart; or have difficulty concentrating, talk to your doctor or midwife.