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About "negative" emotions during pregnancy. Or the main myth of pregnancy. Emotional palette of pregnant women

The reproductive system of women is one of the most sensitive indicators of their health, since the first manifestations of any pathological process often reveal a violation of the specific functions of the female body. The complex effects of various external traumatic factors can significantly affect the reproductive function of a woman and, as a result, the health of offspring. Currently, more and more attention is paid to the influence of a woman's psycho-emotional state on reproductive function, pregnancy and perinatal outcomes. A lot of facts have been accumulated that indicate that the mother's inadequate behavior during pregnancy, her emotional reactions to the stresses that our life is full of, cause a huge number of different pathological conditions in the child, both behavioral, psychological, and somatic. . Also, it turned out that during pregnancy the influence of adverse factors on offspring is not limited to one generation. The question arose about the presence of transgenerational effects of antenatal stress, recorded not only in the first (F1), but also in subsequent generations (F2-F4).

The beginning of pregnancy is the most difficult period for a woman, both physiologically and emotionally. It is during this period that women are tormented by early toxicosis, hormonal restructuring of the whole organism begins, which also affects the emotional background. . Vasilyeva O. S. emphasizes the psychological role of the pregnancy period for the mother, child and society as a whole. Pregnancy is considered primarily as an existential situation that causes profound changes in self-consciousness, attitudes towards other people, the world.

  • During pregnancy, not only the fetus in the womb matures, but also the mother herself, that part of the woman's personality, which will later perform maternal functions.
  • It is during pregnancy that those attitudes, behavioral and socio-cultural stereotypes that will determine one or another type of motherhood are actualized.
  • The emotional state of the mother during pregnancy has a significant impact on the course of pregnancy and childbirth, the subsequent attitude towards the child and herself, as well as on the formation of his self-awareness, the formation of purely human qualities.
  • The fetus in the mother's womb is not only a biological object, but also the subject of purposeful formative and educational influences, i.e. the pregnant woman already performs maternal educational functions.
  • · The phenomenon of pregnancy as a special socio-cultural phenomenon, integral to human existence, is reflected in various works of culture, traditions, religious beliefs.

Almost all pregnant women are subject to sharp emotional changes, therefore, the mood of a pregnant woman changes almost every hour. The desirability of pregnancy (Table 1), the attitude towards a pregnant woman in the family, and the formation of personal qualities have a significant impact on the formation of the emotional state of a woman during pregnancy. , psychological readiness for motherhood, these variables form a certain style of attitude to pregnancy, to the upcoming birth and relationships with the unborn child.

Table 1. Unwanted pregnancy - problems of mother and child.

Psychological characteristics of women with unwanted pregnancy. Psychological problems of unwanted children.1. Emotional dissatisfaction with the current situation, infringing on pride. 2. Self-doubt, in the possibility of success, low self-esteem. 3. High sense of guilt, passivity bordering on masochism. 4. The need to overcome restrictions, the desire to get rid of fear, anxious anxiety, which is hidden behind the emphasized confidence and independence. 5. High level of self-control with a tendency to lie. 6. Problems of social adaptation. 7. Problems of interpersonal relations. 8. Features of emotional immaturity, pronounced emotional instability, high anxiety and restlessness. 9. Increased impulsivity, irritability, sensitivity to external influences. 10. Experience disappointment and resentment. 11. Distress, hypochondria. 12. Depressive reactions.1. Decreased cheerfulness, increased excitability and resentment. 2. Reduced self-esteem, self-doubt, in their strengths, abilities. 3. High dependence. 4. Failure in learning. 5. Deceit and lack of diligence. 6. Lack of sociability or excessive sociability. 7. An extraordinary need for recognition, often the use of criminal ways for its implementation, the presence of asocial tendencies. 8. Lack of understanding with desired children. 9. Envy, hostility towards the success and happiness of others. 10. Indifference, emotional deafness. 11. In parenthood - indifference to the care of their children. 12. Bitingness, causticity, irony. 13. Insufficient resistance to stress, masked depression; nervousness, neuroses. psychotic symptoms.

The attitude of the mother to the fetus during pregnancy leaves permanent traces on the development of his psyche. Emotional stress has been correlated with preterm birth, major childhood psychopathology, more frequent occurrences of schizophrenia, often with school failure, high levels of delinquency, drug addiction, and suicide attempts.

Physical changes entail changes in her psychological state. This is due to a change in appearance and a new response to the attitude of others. During pregnancy, a woman's sensations, feelings and moods change.

The psyche of a pregnant woman has specific features in each trimester of pregnancy:

  • 1. The first trimester is characterized by an unstable mood: on the one hand, a conscious desire to have a child, on the other hand, uncertainty about their maternal capabilities, fear of childbirth. Physiological changes that are characteristic of many pregnant women during this period are important: nausea, reactions to smells, sounds, colors, changes in taste sensations. Unusual sensitivity and tearfulness, increased resentment and capriciousness appear, accompanied by a great need for kindness and attention.
  • 2. The second trimester is a period of relative calm. The expectant mother gradually adapts to an unusual image, begins to feel the movement of the child, accepts a new life in herself.

The third trimester is distinguished by such a main feature as "immersion" in anticipation of the unborn child, which becomes the focus of interests and activities. A woman can significantly increase her creative potential, and therefore, there is a need for vigorous activity or hypersensitivity in relation to the unborn baby: dreams, forebodings, extraordinary experiences, a feeling of mental contact with the child.

At the psychophysiological level, Hurst highlights changes in the following sensory areas:

§Acoustic: Pregnant women often dislike loud, harsh music, preferring classical or meditative music.

§Visual: Many women report changes in visual perception, particularly emotional responses to visual stimuli; at the same time, pregnant women begin to feel beauty and harmony more deeply.

§Kinesthetic: Most pregnant women become more sensitive to touch and other tactile cues.

§Smell: Many pregnant women have a more differentiated sense of smell. Since strong odors can be harmful to the unborn child, and some odors have a healing and soothing effect on the mother.

§Taste: Many pregnant women dislike certain foods and drinks, as well as substances that are harmful to the normal development of the fetus, such as nicotine, alcohol, caffeine, etc. However, pregnant women often begin unconsciously to eat those foods that have the necessary nutrients.

Psychological changes during pregnancy are manifested in the so-called pregnancy syndrome. The pregnancy syndrome is experienced by a woman at an unconscious level, has certain time limits and is characterized by the following symptoms:

  • At the first stage, the affect of awareness of being pregnant is most often experienced. Within the framework of this symptom, as a rule, the following difference appears: the higher the social and intellectual level of a pregnant woman, the more independent and professionally successful she is, the more questions about the meaning of childbearing she will put before herself, the more difficult it will be for her to decide to become a mother.
  • The next stage in the development of the pregnancy syndrome is the reflexive acceptance of a new self-image: "I am in a position." This stage is characterized by the recognition of physiological changes in one's body. The actual biological and neuroendocrine changes that accompany pregnancy can have a profound psychological impact on expectant mothers.
  • The symptom of emotional lability deserves special attention, which, to one degree or another, is inherent in the entire period of pregnancy. This symptom refers to emotional maladjustment, which manifests itself in mood fluctuations. In some women, passivity increases and a feeling of supreme satisfaction and pleasure appears. Others experience mild depression and increased physical activity during this time, perhaps because the pregnant woman is trying to deny the new sense of her own passivity. Mood swings can be expressed in varying degrees of internal tension: in a feeling of boredom, in slowness, in growing dissatisfaction with oneself, in a verbalized feeling of oppression.
  • From the moment of awareness and internal acceptance of herself as a pregnant woman, a symptom of a conflicting attitude towards pregnancy is detected. The researchers note that at this time there are characteristic rapid mood swings and the resurrection of previous anxieties, an affect that simultaneously contains joy, optimism, hope and alert expectation, fear, sadness. Here are the fears and fears associated with the upcoming birth, reaching the point of panic; and uncertainty in their abilities to give birth and become a full-fledged mother; and fear for the health of the unborn child, concern about the deterioration of the financial situation of their family, about the possible infringement of personal freedom; and finally, the experience of his bodily metamorphosis and the associated sexual unattractiveness.
  • · Then there is a mental restructuring of the self-consciousness of a woman, characteristic of pregnancy, with the gradual inclusion of the image of a child in it. At this moment, the future mother experiences a symptom of a new life in herself. This stage most often occurs when a woman begins to feel the first movements of the fetus. As the fetus grows, the sensual component of these sensations becomes brighter, acquires a shade of objectivity. A woman during this period usually begins to interpret the behavior of the unborn baby: "woke up", "has fun", "worries", etc. Pregnancy endowed with meaning inspires the future mother, creates an appropriate affective background with which she inspires her unborn baby, his presence evokes a feeling of tenderness, is painted in warm emotional tones. Some women are so immersed in these experiences that their behavior also begins to show signs of childishness. They become more sensitive and suggestible, helpless and softened. According to the researchers, during this period of pregnancy, an internal dialogue between the mother and the child usually occurs. A special emotional state contributes to the formation of the image of a child, which is included in the self-consciousness of a woman. The symptom of accepting a new life in oneself is the pinnacle of the pregnancy syndrome, being a kind of indicator of the woman's perception, processing and evaluation of the experience of this psychophysiological state. It is characterized by impending responsibility for the fate of the child, dreams, dreams and fantasies about him.
  • During this period of pregnancy, a change in the construct "I am the world around" is clearly traced. Women, in accordance with the changed perception of reality, tend to endow their usual social environment with new qualitative characteristics against the background of increased demands. This tendency can be defined as a symptom of overstated claims to others.
  • · Starting from the period of 20-25 weeks, there is another problem that deserves special attention. The physiological changes that occur to a pregnant woman often make it impossible for her to have a full sexual life, which creates or increases the distance in communication with a man. These factors can contribute to the occurrence of a symptom of sexual inferiority during pregnancy.
  • · The next, and one of the most striking moments, is a symptom of fear of childbirth. Probably, every woman, to some extent, experiences an internal conflict, which, on the one hand, is expressed in the desire to "finally give birth", and on the other hand, to avoid childbirth. On the one hand, she expects a successful completion of the pregnancy, on the other hand, childbirth causes fear and anxiety. The degree of mental insecurity of women before childbirth is indicated by the ease with which most of them agree to the use of any painkillers, without thinking about the possible consequences for the child.
  • One of the last symptoms experienced by a woman during pregnancy is the symptom of impatience. This stage of pregnancy is characterized by bodily discomfort and fatigue as labor approaches.

Today, it has been proven that during stress, mother's adrenal hormones release catecholamines (stress hormones) into the blood, and during positive emotions, the hypothalamic structures produce endorphins (hormones of joy), which, penetrating through the placental barrier, directly affect the fetus. Consequently, mother and child are a single neurohumoral organism, and each of them equally suffers from the adverse influence of the outside world, which is recorded in long-term memory, affecting the entire subsequent life of the child. Positive maternal emotions cause increased fetal growth, calmness and an increase in the level of sensory perception of the fetus. Her stress leads to low fetal weight, increased mortality, respiratory infections, asthma, and impaired cognitive development.

In the 1960s renowned pediatrician Jeronimo de Mogaras conducted the study. He studied three groups of mothers. The first group consisted of those who during pregnancy experienced fear about its outcome, since past pregnancies ended unsuccessfully. The second group included women who had a negative attitude towards the unborn baby, mainly because the pregnancy occurred against their will. Women of the third group - those who wanted a child, the period of pregnancy passed without deviations, and their children grew up healthy. The babies of the other two groups of mothers turned out to be very restless, sleeping and eating poorly. Of course, it would be wrong to explain this only as a consequence of one or another attitude of the mother towards the unborn child; there could be a combination of reasons. However, the factor of parental attitude cannot be discounted (Brusilovsky, 1994).

An important contribution to understanding the intrauterine life of the fetus was made by the Swedish doctor A. Nilsson, who, using a microscopic camera, recorded the life of an infant in the womb, starting from the first weeks of development. According to these observations, the brain begins to form at the 3rd week of embryonic existence, and its activity is recorded on the encephalogram by the 6th week after conception. At 5 weeks after conception, the embryo begins to show responses to stimuli, such as touch, and at the age of 7.5 weeks, in response to stroking the top of the head with a thin hair, a turn of the head in the opposite direction was observed. By the 12th week, the vestibular system is formed, for spatial orientation and maintaining a sense of balance.

Being in the dark space of the uterus, the fetus is able to perceive and remember visual images associated with the emotional experiences of the mother. This ability is acquired approximately from the 7th week of intrauterine life, when the retina of the eye is able to perceive external signals, transmit visual images to the brain, and reproduce images that arise in the brain. The nervous system at the end of the third trimester is well developed, the fetus makes sucking movements, shows a grasping reaction to touch, the eyeballs move.

By the 16th week, fetal movements become coordinated and can already be felt by the mother. In a healthy fetus, physical activity usually increases in the evening, especially between nine o'clock in the evening and one in the morning. He retains this rhythm of sleep and wakefulness for some time after birth. From 14 to 18 weeks, the fetus distinguishes the first sounds: heartbeat, breathing and the voice of the mother, the noise of the intestines, stomach. At 6-7 months of intrauterine life, the fetus not only hears, but also differentiates internal sounds well. If the mother is worried and her heart beats alarmingly, knocking down the rhythm of breathing, then the fetus freezes, as if in anticipation of danger. After a while, the danger becomes quite real, as hormones corresponding to the negative emotions of the mother reach the fetus. These hormones cause a deterioration in the well-being of the fetus. The connection between the nature of the sound and the corresponding emotional state and physiological state is fixed and remains in memory. From the 20th week, it becomes possible to fix the reaction of the fetus to external sound action: in response to sharp sounds, the fetus shrinks fearfully or begins to behave restlessly.

Histological studies revealed the presence of taste buds in the tongue by week 8, which by week 14 are surrounded by taste pores and sensory hair cells, and they begin to function by week 15. From the 14th - 15th week, olfactory receptors function. The only smell felt by the fetus is the smell of amniotic fluid, colored by the individual smell of the mother and identical to the smell of breast milk.

Thus, unborn children have all kinds of sensitivity, which are detected at different stages of pregnancy and develop simultaneously with the development of other systems and organs. The stressful conditions that women experience during pregnancy have a special effect on the fetus.

During pregnancy, a woman may experience many fears, such as anxiety for the unborn baby and for her own health, fear of childbirth, contractions and inevitable pain. Modern women have to worry about careers, financial problems, and many additional costs associated with the appearance and upbringing of a new family member. . And here the question arises of whether to continue working during pregnancy or not? It is not always possible to answer unequivocally, since the question is very difficult. Work should be stopped if it is accompanied by occupational hazards that threaten the health of the fetus. Not only theoretical hazards are also important, but also the actual level of safety at each particular workplace. Ideally, it is better for a pregnant woman not to work in production, and it makes sense to continue the service if it is not accompanied by critical stress and physical exertion, and also brings moral satisfaction. But where can you find such a job? In addition, the financial aspect plays a significant role. Therefore, most often a pregnant woman has to seek a compromise. The question of continuing or stopping work during pregnancy is taken by the family after a careful weighing of the pros and cons, and a doctor should be consulted.

All these fears can lead to many negative emotions such as anxiety, depression, irritation, anxiety, stress, anger, feelings of loneliness, confusion. Most often, changes in the psycho-emotional background during pregnancy lead to the development of depressive and anxiety disorders. It has been established that psycho-emotional instability contributes to vegetative disorders and exacerbates the risk of abortion. Kholmov K.D. notes that, stress and anxiety during pregnancy increase the risk of having a baby prematurely, and weight can often be below normal. Also, foreign authors have found that anxiety during pregnancy can affect the weight of the newborn and the duration of pregnancy. Pregnant women with severe or chronic anxiety are especially at risk.

Specialists single out intrauterine hypoxia, placental circulation disorders, anomalies in labor forces and the course of childbirth, as a consequence of emotional stress during pregnancy. (A.O. Syrina, G. Dick-Read and others). You can also add to the list: the threat of miscarriage, prolonged (prolonged) or premature birth, the absence of a cry at birth in a child. From the above, we once again summarize that a negative emotional state has an adverse effect on the course of pregnancy and, as a result, on the course of childbirth. By the way, there is an opinion that this adverse effect is differentiated depending on the sex of the child, i.e. there will be different effects of emotional stress in boys and girls.

And the most comprehensive proof of the connection between the emotional state and the course of pregnancy, childbirth and the subsequent development of the child is a physiological approach to this problem. In 1925, the American psychologist and biologist W. Cannon proved that with all acute and chronic experiences, "anxiety hormones" - catecholamines - are released into the mother's blood (or maintained at a constant level), reaching the fetus without any obstacles through the bloodstream common with the mother. system. Since the fetus has practically no system for neutralizing "anxiety hormones" and the recurrent venous network is not developed, they accumulate in critical doses not only in the fetus itself, but also in the amniotic fluid, which the fetus constantly swallows and secretes from itself. Accordingly, the increase in the amount of amniotic fluid in the second half of pregnancy also increases the amount of catecholamines or their biological successors in it. With continued stress, the amniotic fluid is saturated with the appropriate hormones by the end of pregnancy. At the same time, the child is experiencing an increasing lack of oxygen, due to the narrowing under the influence of "anxiety hormones" of blood vessels, the blood of which delivers oxygen to the tissues of the fetus, including the nerve cells of the brain. A prolonged lack of oxygen (hypoxia) is not indifferent to the nervous system of the fetus, causing an increased sensitivity to stuffiness, smells, noise, bright light and the sun, which is characteristic after birth, and the ease of dizziness and fainting. Catecholamines themselves lead to excessive mobility, instability of nervous processes, anxiety, mood disorders, emotional excitability, sleep and wakefulness rhythm disturbances.

Women who have experienced severe emotional stress during pregnancy are much more likely to have boys with homo- and bisexual behavior in adulthood. There are cases of reversal of sexual orientation in women whose mothers took hormonal drugs during pregnancy for medical reasons. Many researchers emphasize the adverse effects of maternal emotional stress on pregnancy and childbirth. pathological consequences of antenatal stress are presented in Table 2.

Table 2. Pathological consequences of antenatal stress.

The course of pregnancy Sexual birth Female Male Male Increased irritability; sleep disturbance; susceptibility to fear; emotional dissatisfaction and discontent; increased fatigue; threatened miscarriage. Rapid delivery; premature birth; lack of a cry at birth (in the absence of asphyxia); delayed childbirth (postterm pregnancy); protracted childbirth. Premature discharge of amniotic fluid; premature birth; entanglement of the umbilical cord around the neck.

Thus, the emotional stress of the mother has a negative impact, first of all, on the course of pregnancy, and then on childbirth, and differentially depending on the sex of the child.

Recognizing that there is a relationship between the emotional state of a pregnant woman and the child (fetus), we irreversibly approach the fact that the chronic negative emotional state of the mother, bright strong stressful situations adversely affect the fetus (child).

Even if it was not at all easy for you to bear a child, with his birth, life will be painted with new colors. Believe me, you are not alone - neither in joy nor in sadness! Condition during pregnancy sometimes it changes with great speed and there is nothing terrible and shameful in this.
There is an idea that every woman, having barely learned about her pregnancy, is overwhelmed with a feeling of radiant joy and remains in this state until childbirth. It's called "being a good mother" and behaving quite "correctly". Books and articles have been written about how a future mother should behave, what to think and feel, this is taught in courses and TV shows for expectant parents. However, in life, everything is not so rosy, and many expectant mothers ask each other: “Do you like being pregnant?”, Hoping to hear that she is not alone and that not everything brings others into indescribable delight.

Stories from the life of pregnant women

“I am expecting a child for the second time, and each time I am confused by the sensations that pregnancy gives me. In my opinion, only baby movements can be called pleasant, but for some they soon turn into a “football game”.

“I didn’t have too sweet during pregnancy - nausea, odors that can’t be avoided. The food that is "recommended" to eat, not the one you want. Lack of opportunity to dance, drink with friends. About friends, by the way, in general, a separate conversation. Once I got pregnant, most of them just blew away."

Many will shake their heads, “This is wrong! Pregnancy is a joy, what does she say?! She probably doesn’t want a child and will be a bad mother!” And women, in whose head such thoughts creep in, immediately begin to feel guilty, inferior, wrong. But know that you are not alone! This is what mothers who experienced their pregnancy without much enthusiasm remember: “Of course, I immediately remember 4-month toxicosis, weight loss of 9 kg, later pinched nerves and sleepless nights when my daughter drove her legs in her tummy until 5 in the morning ... But what is it happiness - to feel that a little man lives in you. It covers any troubles. I really want to experience it again!”

“For myself, I concluded that pregnancy cannot be called something pleasant, but it is preparation for the best - the result of all the torment - for a child! I had to endure it in order to get what I wanted, why, perhaps, I was born. Pregnancy was hard for me, but the first moments after childbirth are the happiest moments of life. Such euphoria that you understand: for the sake of these few minutes of happiness, it was worth going through a journey of 9 months with toxicosis up to 16 weeks, heartburn, shortness of breath, palpitations, headaches, swelling and more!

Am I a bad mom?

So, unpleasant feelings can also be associated with pregnancy, and this is absolutely normal! Agree, few of us like nausea or lethargy. But these are frequent companions of the onset of pregnancy. It's hard to get excited about 3 months of nausea and start experiencing bliss. But only a small percentage of women will experience nausea and drowsiness for more than 12 weeks. Even if this period is a little longer for you, remember that it will soon become easier.

Tune in that already in the second trimester you will feel much better and, if you wish, you can even go somewhere to relax with your husband, since rest for pregnant women is important for.

Causes a certain irritation and a constant desire to fall asleep standing, sitting and in all possible positions. The fact that you do not like this state of affairs is quite acceptable and, of course, says absolutely nothing about your moral qualities, or about your readiness and desire to become a mother soon. You just don't feel well. It's normal condition during pregnancy the psychology of the personality of a pregnant woman is as follows.
But soon it will pass!

Condition of a pregnant woman in the second trimester

And now the toxicosis recedes, I don’t want to sleep all the time anymore. Begins, by all accounts, the quietest trimester of pregnancy.

It is in the second trimester that many women will finally feel comfortable, and pregnancy will begin to bring them pleasure. But there are moments here that are not to everyone's liking. These are the complaints that are common in this period.

  • “I am very worried and worried about whether everything is in order and whether I will be able to give birth on my own.”
  • “I’m worried, of course, my nerves are terrible: “What is there? And how does the baby feel? Why can't I feel movement? After all, it’s probably time for him to push!”
  • “Now I am constantly on edge - at least from the fact that few people understand me. They constantly ask me why I'm angry, and just this question starts to make me sick."
  • “Oh, these pathology tests - who only invented them! Until you wait for the result, you can go crazy with excitement!
  • “I cry over everything! It seems to show me a finger - I’ll burst into tears!”

If you can say the same about yourself, then know that you are not alone. It is in the second trimester that many women complain of unmotivated tearfulness and irritability. With bated breath they wait and worry why they are not there. Worried that there are too many of them or less than usual. Anxiety and irritability do not add comfort.

But this condition during pregnancy does not at all mean that you somehow “wrongly” feel your own state or are not happy about the expectation of a child. On the contrary, excitement is rather a sign that you are very worried about the unborn baby. And you will be a very good mother! To be more calm about the condition of the child, it is important to choose a good doctor that you trust. He will advise and comfort. And your "pregnant" days will become brighter!

If you feel that you have become too sensitive, talk to your doctor. He will prescribe mild and approved sedatives. By doing this, you will save yourself, loved ones and the baby from unnecessary experiences.

Talk to your relatives, explain that now you have a special condition and often you get angry or cry not at all because your relatives did not please you with something, but simply because these emotions are stronger than you and it is difficult for you to restrain them. Which, however, does not mean at all that you can harass your loved ones with your bouts of bad mood. Control yourself!

Condition of the pregnant woman in the third trimester.

In the third trimester of pregnancy, many women may experience such unpleasant pregnancy companions as edema, in particular swelling of the hands during pregnancy, heartburn, shortness of breath, stretch marks. They just drive expectant mothers crazy, and few people are delighted with them. Women are afraid of their own condition during pregnancy, negative thoughts about such a happy event as bearing a child.

Pregnancy and nervous breakdowns are becoming more frequent, but everywhere they say that you need to think and feel differently!

And to the anxiety about your well-being and unfavorable changes in appearance, there is also a huge sense of guilt towards others and the baby for the fact that mommy is waiting for him “with the wrong thoughts”. You feel heartburn, have a grueling battle with swelling, it’s hard for you to fasten your shoes, and walking becomes difficult. The child pushes all night, and can not fall asleep. You feel sorry for yourself, and often the thought comes to mind: “When will this end?” Well, the thought is very characteristic of the third trimester and is essentially correct.

You experience negativity about YOURSELF, while worrying and worrying about the child! Do not worry, you are the best mom and everything in your family will work out in the best way!

Others find it harder.

Just think of those women whose pregnancy is (or was) difficult, with complications. Some are forced to spend half the term, or even all 9 months in the hospital, or the doctor prescribes bed rest during pregnancy at home. Of course, few of them will say that pregnancy was a wonderful and blissful time for them.

Women who have had a very difficult pregnancy often just remember it with a shudder. They associate it with a sense of anxiety, endless examinations and procedures. Of the pleasant impressions - the movement of the baby and childbirth (and even then not for everyone). And, nevertheless, they are the most tender and caring mothers. And many of them, despite the fear and the possible repetition of negativity, want more children! Regardless of whether you are delighted with pregnancy or whether this state brings you nothing but excitement, you are ready to experience such a state again for the sake of what is most precious in the world - your wonderful baby!
If you want, love and wait for him - you will be a good, caring and most loving mother!

Anxiety, depressive mood and obsessive thoughts - all this happens to every pregnant woman from time to time.

No matter how the pregnancy proceeds, almost every woman has “heavy” thoughts, doubts, fears from time to time, and depression can occur. Here you need to understand that this is due to hormonal changes, the vulnerability of the psyche of a pregnant woman and the fact that natural fear, anxiety, to a certain extent, prepare a woman for the role of a mother.

Pregnancy is a wonderful and at the same time very exciting period in the life of every woman. And that's okay. After all, this is a natural state of the female body, during which there are a lot of changes: physiological, hormonal, psychological.
The whole body is rebuilt to fulfill the super-mission: to endure and give birth to a child. During this period, a woman requires a special attitude towards herself, she needs the support and attention of loved ones.

A woman is physiologically and psychologically involved in the creation of a new personality. A lot of information and interesting studies have already been collected about the prenatal period. We know that the child feels the emotions of the mother. And it is mom and dad who create a space of love for the development and growth of the child.

Harmonious for a woman and a family is the state when the pregnancy is carried by two. Only a woman carries a child, and a man carries a woman. Such a waiting period brings the family closer and minimizes the anxiety of the woman. But we are not talking about hyper-custody over a woman, when she is literally strangled with attention and pitied from all sides, interfering with the natural rhythm of her life.

Every person needs a sense of fear in order to assess and avoid dangers. And the fear of a pregnant woman prepares her for the responsible process of giving birth and raising a child in the future. This is how the instinct to protect yourself and your child from possible threats is formed.


If you feel that you cannot cope with your fears and feelings on your own, and they do not give you rest day or night; perhaps that is why relations with relatives begin to deteriorate or depression covers you - seek professional help from a psychologist. Your psychological state affects the course of pregnancy and childbirth.

Have an easy pregnancy and positive mood during this period. In Russian there is a very poetic expression about a pregnant woman - "a woman in position." Hope for the best and it will surely come.

Starting from the first weeks of an interesting situation, a woman's body undergoes many changes. The physiological and psychological state during pregnancy largely depends on the period of fetal development. In this article, we will look at what physiological changes occur during pregnancy.

Condition in early pregnancy

In most cases, the condition in the early stages of pregnancy, in the first 4-5 weeks after conception, does not change in any way. In addition, often even the expectant mother herself does not yet know that significant changes are coming in her life. Usually, changes in a woman's well-being are noticeable after the sixth week, when a pregnant woman has symptoms of early toxicosis: morning sickness, lack of appetite, intolerance to odors. Also, culinary preferences often change during this period: previously favorite foods become intolerable, and what you didn’t like before, on the contrary, can become the most delicious delicacy.

At 7-8 weeks, the condition during pregnancy is characterized by the appearance of a feeling of pressure of the growing uterus on the bladder, frequent urination and possible hypertonicity. Uterine hypertonicity is a situation in which the organ is in a tense state all the time, which is fraught with spontaneous abortion.

In the last month of the first trimester of bearing a child, the formation of the placenta and mucous plug ends, the symptoms of toxicosis, if any, disappear, but new changes appear in the condition of the pregnant woman - problems with the digestive tract, in particular, heartburn and difficult defecation appear.

Condition in the second trimester of pregnancy

If the pregnancy develops normally, without any complications, and the health of the expectant mother is satisfactory, then the gynecologist may allow the woman to have sexual intercourse in the second trimester. This is a very important factor in the normal psychological state during pregnancy. In many women at this period of an interesting position, gynecologists diagnose increased acidity of the vagina, which provokes the appearance of thrush.

By 17-18 weeks, the stomach is already becoming noticeable, the ligaments and joints are preparing for the upcoming changes and soften. This leads to the appearance of the so-called duck gait. It's time for the expectant mother to abandon any shoes with heels.

Since that time, a woman in position is increasingly worried about heartburn - a constant companion of pregnancy. The reason for this phenomenon is physiological, caused by the growth of the uterus and its pressure on the organs of the digestive tract. Therefore, the expectant mother needs to see a doctor so that he can prescribe antacids approved for use.

During pregnancy, the state of the body changes completely, not only the stomach and breasts increase in size, but also the level of blood pressure often decreases. This appears due to the fact that the volume of blood circulating in the body of a woman increases significantly. Low blood pressure can lead to dizziness and even loss of consciousness.

By the end of the fifth month, the expectant mother, who is predisposed to the appearance of a venous network, has the first symptoms of varicose veins: increased fatigue and swelling of the legs. A change in the hormonal state during pregnancy leads to the fact that stretch marks (stretch marks) appear on the skin of the thighs, chest and abdomen, pigment spots form on the abdomen and face, and small acne occurs.

Often, by the end of the sixth month, expectant mothers are faced with such an unpleasant state of the body during pregnancy as urinary incontinence. The growing uterus constantly presses on the bladder and the slightest tension of the organ leads to the fact that the urethra passes urine. A pregnant woman should pay attention to the amount of fluid released, if its amount exceeds the volume of 10 ml, then this may be a symptom that the amniotic fluid is leaking.

By the 25-26th week of an interesting situation, the condition of a pregnant woman may be complicated by the appearance of seizures. The reason for this unpleasant and painful phenomenon is the lack of magnesium and calcium in the body. The appearance of swelling of the legs in the morning during this period may be a symptom of developing preeclampsia (late toxicosis). To prevent the occurrence of preeclampsia, it is necessary to reduce the amount of meat and salt consumed.

At the end of the second trimester, a woman already feels heaviness in her body. And it is not surprising, because her weight increased by 7-10 kg. This responds with pain in the back and in the lumbar region. So the musculoskeletal system lets you know that it is not easy for him to cope with the load. A special bandage will help to alleviate the condition of the body during pregnancy, which will reduce the load on the lumbar spine.

Condition during pregnancy in the third trimester

In the third trimester, the condition of a pregnant woman is often characterized by the appearance of problems with sleep, weakness, fatigue. These factors are symptoms of anemia, so if they appear regularly, you should consult a doctor. Also, expectant mothers are worried about shortness of breath due to the pressure of the grown uterus on the diaphragm.

During this period, women need to lie and sleep in a position on their side. Moreover, the upper leg should rest on the pillow, slightly in front. This position is most optimal for expectant mothers, since when lying on your back, the inferior vena cava is squeezed, which leads to a decrease in the amount of blood entering the brain and the appearance of the following conditions during pregnancy: dizziness, blackouts, lack of air, sweating.

At 35-36 weeks, most women who are carrying a child experience a lowering of the abdomen. This is one of the signs that soon the mother will meet her baby. In the last weeks of pregnancy, the psychological state of a woman requires no less attention than the physical, as the expectant mother often worries in anticipation of the onset of labor.

Pregnancy is a wonderful state of a woman, but it is no secret that it is during this period of her life that she experiences many feelings, such as joy or anxiety, and all this often happens at the same time. Therefore, people who are constantly next to a pregnant woman, most often husbands, have a pretty hard time. They do not know what emotions will replace peace, maybe she will want to cry for no reason or give her husband a small attack of jealousy. The most interesting thing is that the dynamics of the development of a psychological anomaly in pregnant women depends on the timing of its position.

In this article, we will take a closer look at the condition of a woman who is in the period of the first three months of pregnancy.

Mood for the first trimester.

There are times when a woman does not yet know about her pregnancy, but she feels certain changes in herself. They can be called the most difficult in the life of a pregnant woman. Everything changes in her body: significant changes occur in metabolism, hormonal status and, of course, physiological and psychological sensations. Very often, women change their taste preferences, musical preferences, and even their favorite colors may no longer please the eye.

Depression can be caused by the following factors:

  • The presence of early toxicosis.
  • Nausea.
  • Enhanced sense of smell.
  • Constant desire to sleep.
  • Mood swings.
  • Uncertainty about the future.

Agree, it is quite difficult to enjoy life and maintain composure when you feel sick all the time. Moreover, increased toxicosis often causes not only a bad mood, but also a depressed state, depression and anger towards others. It is during this period that a woman has to get used to a new role for herself as a mother, and it does not matter at all whether this is a planned pregnancy or the result of a moment of negligence. Realizing your new role is not as easy as it might seem from the outside. The main feeling that torments a woman who has just learned about a delicate situation is fear. And there are many of them: the fear of the unknown, the fear of not being able to survive 9 months, the fear of not being able to bear a healthy child, the fear of childbirth and, of course, the fear of becoming a bad mother. In this case, it is best to talk with the closest and most experienced person in a woman's life - with her mother, it is she who will be able to find the right words and reassure her daughter.

An acute sense of rejection of your favorite food plays a huge role in the state of a pregnant woman. This is especially noticeable in women who are accustomed to certain rituals: for example, you simply cannot wake up without drinking a cup of your favorite coffee. During pregnancy, you are horrified to find that you are now sick from the very smell of it. Believe me, it is very difficult to overcome this, and even more so to get used to it. All this fuels the desire to sleep, it would seem, in what, and now you do not refuse yourself in a dream. But you want to sleep everywhere and always. What can I say, if you have the opportunity, sleep as much as you need.

Sometimes it is difficult for pregnant women to visit their usual places: favorite cafes or perfume shops. This is due to a heightened sense of smell. Even the perfume of your husband, which you yourself gave him on February 23, can make a woman vomit.

Only people close to her can survive this difficult period in the life of a pregnant woman, so they must be patient and not react to the antics of a woman, in the end, they must remember: it is now much more difficult for a woman than for them.

I think that all of you have heard one way or another that pregnant women should not worry and worry. The fact that all the emotions of a pregnant woman are transmitted to the child.

There is truth in these words. However, in most cases, the interpretation of these words takes on a very simplified, and, unfortunately, often even harmful form. Now I am talking about those situations when the pregnant woman herself and her entourage understand this “you can’t worry”, how you need to ignore, ignore or suppress “negative” emotions. And often pregnant women become hostages of these installations. Conflict situation at work, tired, quarreled with her husband, mother calls for the fifth time in a day ... no, do not get angry, do not be offended, this can harm the child, smile, only positive ... As if, having become pregnant, a woman loses the right to difficult emotions that are already tabooed by our society, and even more so during pregnancy, since the woman now has added responsibility for the life, health and development of the baby.

It takes a lot of strength and resources to suppress and not experience "negative" emotions. In fact, it still doesn't quite work. A sense of guilt and fear are added that, experiencing something there, harmed the child. Unfortunately, this is a scenario familiar to many during pregnancy. Is it so? How true are these settings and what to do about it?

Let's figure it out. Did you notice that I put the word "negative" in quotation marks? You may have already heard or read that emotions are neither positive nor negative. I ask you to once again try to hear and experience the fact that there are no negative emotions. I am now focusing on this, because I am faced with the fact that many women, turning to me for advice and knowing this fact very well in theory, still do not let it inside themselves. And they continue to fight with their anger, resentment, guilt, fear.

Naturally, each of us has our own reasons from childhood and the family system in which we grew up. And yet. Emotions are just emotions, they are not good or bad. Emotions are markers of your needs. Emotions accompany the emergence and cycle of satisfaction or dissatisfaction of needs. Every emotion is good and necessary. It is natural to get angry when your boundaries are violated, be it psychological, physical, temporal, territorial, or any other. It's natural to feel disgusted when you have too much of anything in contact with a person (his scent, his concern, his expectations of you, etc.).


Just like any other emotion. Ignoring and suppressing those emotions that are classified as "negative" by a particular society or person does not entail anything but additional tension and somatization of these emotions.

When, for example, there seems to be no anger, but just a sore throat often. Or, "I have no fears, I'm not afraid of anything", that's just the uterus in good shape all the time.

The worst thing you can do when you get pregnant is to start ignoring most of your life trying to catch that ghostly positivity and be in it 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

During pregnancy, it is absolutely normal to experience a whole range of emotions. Emotions are represented in our body in the form of hormones. The hormones of a woman come to the child with blood. A child needs different hormones to grow and develop. And it’s good if the whole spectrum of hormones and emotions is presented, if already in utero the child gets the experience that adrenaline, norepinephrine, etc. We feel that after stress comes relaxation.

Pregnancy- it's not a disease. This is not an emotional illness. There is no need to stop and stop experiencing your life if you become pregnant.

What then do these words mean that pregnant women should not worry? Do they make sense?

To answer these questions, I need to tell you a little about the psychology of pregnancy. During pregnancy, the subcortical structures of the brain begin to work more actively, which means that the sensitivity and emotionality of a woman increase. And this is what often happens during pregnancy. If in a woman’s life there is some aspect of reality that she was quite able to ignore and “put up with” in a non-pregnant state, during pregnancy the same situations begin to evoke emotions and feelings that can no longer be ignored. For example, if before pregnancy it was quite possible to live “normally” with her husband, despite the lack of spiritual intimacy, pleasure and diversity in sex, the presence of constant abuse and disrespect for personal boundaries, with her mother, despite the frequent devaluation of personal differences, lack of respect and instructiveness, etc. .d. etc., then, having become pregnant, pain, resentment, anger, despair, unfortunately, or, fortunately, will still attract attention.

And again, the worst thing you can do is try to keep ignoring.

As I said, the emotional state of a pregnant woman differs from her non-pregnant state in the direction of greater sensitivity. Emotions seem to be more on the surface, closer, brighter, more changeable. This is natural during pregnancy. This is female growth and development in the knowledge of her feminine. This is an expansion of the boundaries of the emotional sphere. However, for many women this becomes a difficult task and they make desperate attempts to collapse to a previous non-pregnant state in which everything is already known and adjusted. Usually attempts to stop Life and development do not lead to anything good.

By virtue of all of the above, in the state of pregnancy, a woman becomes more vulnerable, more vulnerable. Often, the usual defense mechanisms stop working as smoothly as they did before pregnancy. Some psychologists say that pregnancy is a regression to what is usually called a child's condition. I don't really like this wording, but some might like it. I am more impressed by paying attention to those phenomena that are more pronounced in women during pregnancy: greater vulnerability, vulnerability, tearfulness, the need for security, a greater need for care and rest, a greater need for emotional intimacy.

What do we have? During pregnancy, a woman becomes more emotional and more vulnerable. And at the same time, the One whose life continues to happen in the same way (and as you know, life is different, and a variety of events happen in it, including death, loss, separation, moving, etc.) and whose defense mechanisms of the psyche no longer work so effectively. The one that experiences life more vividly and needs more protection and support.

The best option is when a pregnant woman, oh, God, no, in any case, DOES NOT worry ... when a pregnant woman EXPERIENCES all her feelings, emotions, new sensations and has support in this. When her feelings and emotions are not devalued or judged. When she can cry to someone and share her fears with someone. With those who are in contact with her. With someone who is not afraid of her feelings, emotions, her condition and her vulnerability. With someone who is simple and at the same time very difficult, he can live his life next to a woman who carries a child under her heart, while remaining alive, experiencing her and himself with all the innovations that are born in this contact.

It's great if a pregnant woman has close people who have the qualities that I described above. Husband, mother, sister, friends. I see it as a task, including for myself, to develop a culture of pregnancy, childbirth and the postpartum period in our country and to form a community of perinatal specialists who can help women at this difficult and at the same time very beautiful life stage.

Why am I talking specifically about another living person, next to the pregnant woman? Because the experience takes place in contact. Out of contact, alone, without the ability to experience, emotions are not experienced, but stuck, when the next touch or immersion in complex emotions brings nothing but a new round of old pain. And then, indeed, it is time to talk about the possible harm of those hormones that are released at the same time.

Therefore, I want to encourage women, especially pregnant women, those who will be pregnant to ever take care of their emotional sphere. Do not ignore, do not suppress, do not act out in the usual patterns, but look for an opportunity to survive. Learn to experience difficult emotions while remaining resilient. This is exactly the kind of experience that is good for the child inside. Experience that fear (adrenaline), anger (norepinephrine) and all other complex, stressful emotions are experienced. That it ends. That mom can handle what happens in life, which means I can handle it too. So the world is good and safe for me, no matter what happens in it.