It has been just under a week since my husband and I found out that we are pregnant, and the news still hasn’t fully sunk-in. I keep having moments of face-slapping reality hit me at random times, when at the same time it still feels like we are still just having hypothetical conversations. It is all very confusing and exhilarating! I am not sure when it will all become fully real, but I am continuing to thank God each day and pray that development goes well.
As for my anxiety, yesterday it hit me full force. I was feeling incredibly dizzy and nauseous, and my husband and I had to go to a meeting to discuss paperwork with our relator. Our relator’s office was incredibly small, and I was sitting up against the wall when I started to feel a panic attack coming on. It has been two years since my last attack, and I didn’t want to regress so I told my husband what was happening, when the relator stepped out, and he helped redirect my thoughts. Luckily, the meeting wasn’t very long and I was able to talk myself down from going into a full blown attack.
Yesterday made me very anxious about the next few weeks in my pregnancy, where the morning sickness will be at its peak. So far, yesterday was the only day where I felt any of those symptoms, but unfortunately, one of my anxiety triggers is feeling sick in public, so it is beginning to feel like an endless obsessive circle.
To help combat these anxious thoughts, I have been open with my husband and my closest friends about how I have been feeling, because going through anxiety alone only exacerbates my symptoms. Also, I am going to work on keeping positive thoughts and not allowing myself to get sucked into negativing thinking.
What was anxiety like for you when you were pregnant?
The Persistent Platypus 
It is normal to feel dizzy and nauseous when you are pregnant. It is also normal to have a lot of anxiety, so with that said, here is my advice….
Take care of you and put you first during the next 9 months no matter what. It can be an emotional roller coaster and that is normal. 9months is nothing compared to the full life of the little human you will have. For me, the true realization of this didn’t hit until after each of my children were born. I think it is very easy to get caught up in the moment, but when you see your child for the first time the past 9 months seem like a moment even though at the time it felt like forever.
So do not feel bad for giving yourself grace during this time and doing whatever you need to for you. It’s more than just you now. Some women feel that they are ‘weak’ and that is the farthest from the truth. Pregnancy changes the chemistry of a woman’s body and brain. It’s normal. What matters is being in tune with yourself by knowing what you can handle and not doing anything that does not work for you. It’s only short term. Lots of rest and eating healthy and walks in nature. Having reminders of the big picture and that whatever you are feeling and whatever you experience are normal and that it is ok to feel them. It is part of the whole experience. When you start to worry, look up baby clothes, toys, books and items. And keep a journal. When you look back you’ll see how much this experience meant to you.
It sounds like you have an awesome support system in place with your husband and friends. That is so awesome!
Congratulations again!!!!
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Thank you so much. I need to remember that my brain is different and not be so hard on myself. ❤️
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Obviously, can’t relate to being pregnant! Congratulations!! When I work on anxiety in therapy we focus on living in the moment. If I am in an anxious place I may go for a short walk, remembering to breath and focus in the present. Reminding myself that I can control my anxiety.
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LOL! 🙂 I will focus on living in a moment and taking back control from anxiety
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Teresa Milligan’s comment, above, says pretty much everything I was going to say!
For me, doing something – anything – for the first time is a trigger for anxious feelings. Add to that the sense that your body is going to carry this process through, no matter what you think and no matter how you would like to direct it, so you are not in conscious control… That’s heady stuff for anyone, let alone someone with a tendency to anxiety. So cut yourself huge amounts of slack!
Take care of yourself, moment by moment, without judgement of yourself and what you’re feeling. You can’t do “perfect pregnancy” because there’s no such thing. Ditto childbirth and child-rearing.
There’s human and there’s kind, so stick with that – it’s much more comfortable! ❤
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I do need to learn to give myself some slack. Anxiety is going to happen. It is just life 🙂 life is messy and wonderful all at once
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It’s such a crazy time in the beginning of any pregnancy. I cried for three days when I found out! It’s an emotional experience whether you were trying or not. I wish I could say to go about your daily life and everything will be fine… However, I found myself constantly thinking about eating healthy and moving more slowly and was so much more conscious of growing baby. Yoga helped me in the first trimester though. It helped me breathe and feel my body and that was awesome. I would also say don’t Google anything!! Let nature take its course! Your body knows just what to do. The world wide we is a scary place for pregnant moms! I hope that helps.
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That is great advise!! I shouldn’t Google everything! Also, I need to get more into yoga again because when I did it before, I loved it!
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Oh yay!!! I’m do excited for you!! It seems like only a bit ago you posted that you were considering a baby and I told you I was thinking the same! Everything you are feeling is normal. I am 4 months along now myself and I have had good days and maybe a few bad. I did get dizzy a lot at first and it is hard to tell between pregnancy symptoms and anxiety! I close to stay on my meds after months of research and talking to doctors. I worry about that but I think it is the right choice.
I’d have to say these 4 months have been pretty uneventful pregnancy wise, and my husband and I are still in that sort of “is this really happening?” phase.
I know you are tough and I think you are going to get through this just fine!! Please reach out if you’d like, we can go through this together!
Sending so much love to your growing family!! ❤️❤️❤️
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It did seem like just a few weeks ago that we started considering having a baby! Wow!! I feel like my hubby and I are also in the “is this happening?!” Phase! I also have chosen to stay on medication. I switched medication though since Paxil has too high of risks.
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I was anxious all of the time. My mind would race and I would think of all of those “lifetime” movies I watched about someone stealing your child, or something else ridiculous! I would journal. It helped to keep me calm and I always prayers. Congratulations to you again!
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That’s a really good point about journaling. I started a journal to my baby and I have just been putting down things that happen each day and that has helped. Also blogging has been wonderful for me.
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I’m so glad to hear that you are making a point to let others know how you are doing. Your husband will be a source of strength for you through this. Taking the ‘mystery’ out of your anxiety by sharing with him is important for you both. Men are wired to fix things. If they don’t know what they can do to help when we are struggling, it can leave them feeling helpless. Continue to share with your loving hubby, and let him know what he can do to help you through the challenges.
May God continue to watch over you and your growing family! ❤
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Thank you for the encouragement ❤️
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I think the worst for me was around Week 6 when Barfageddon hit. Then I had lots of tangible stuff to worry about – can I eat that, NOPE WHY did I eat that, WHERE IS THE BATHROOM (hurl) LOL
Pregnancy really does go quickly….(and I do hope you don’t get too ill.) REST as much as you can!
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