Are you experiencing Expectant parents’ anxiety?

FInd yourself worrying constantly during pregnancy? Are you frequently getting anxious about something happening to your child? Are you calling your doctor frequently to voice your concerns?

Feeling anxious while pregnant is completely normal. It’s natural to worry about whether your baby is healthy and fears about being a good parent. These hormonal changes can also affect your mood and emotions, making you more prone to worry and stress. However, there is a difference between normal worries and a more serious anxiety disorder during pregnancy, also called antenatal anxiety.

Emotional & Behavioral Symptoms of Antenatal Anxiety:

• Feeling nervous, anxious or on edge frequently
• An uncontrollable sense of anxiousness
• Worrying excessively about things, especially your health or your baby
• Finding it difficult or impossible to relax
• Feeling restless and hard to stay still
• Feeling irritable and agitated
• Feeling afraid, or thinking that bad things will happen
• Inability to concentrate
• Difficulty sleeping

Physical symptoms of Antenatal Anxiety:

• Racing heartbeat and rapid breathing
• Dizziness
• Lightheadedness or feeling faint
• Shortness of breath
• Excessive sweating
• Tension, pain or trembling in your muscles
• A numb or tingling feeling in your limbs, fingers, toes or lips

When these symptoms come on quickly and intensely, you may be experiencing a panic attack. People with anxiety experience the same symptoms and panic attacks regardless of whether they are pregnant or not. If you have antenatal anxiety, you may feel very anxious about your baby's welfare, and seek frequent reassurance that they are healthy and developing normally.