Mark Luigi Dacumos
What do women worry about most during pregnancy? Things like their baby’s health, problems during labor and delivery, and relationship issues with the father. And while all of those are significant concerns, a study in the Archives of Women’s Mental Health found that women with financial stress had the most significant impact on their babies.
What was the impact of financial stress on mothers? A low birth weight, which can lead to long-term problems like:
- Intensive, costly care during the first months of the baby’s life
- Obesity
- Heart disease
- Digestive problems
- Respiratory issues
While studies have shown that lighter birth weights are likely to come from pregnant women with lower socioeconomic status, increasing income with a baby on the way can be challenging. To avoid this pregnancy issue, your best bet is to manage stress instead.
Tips To Cope With Financial Stress During Pregnancy
Since there’s evidence that financial stress can negatively impact not only you but also your unborn baby, it’s a must to do everything possible to manage it. Here are some simple tips to help you do that, so both you and your baby can enjoy a stress-free pregnancy:
Eat a Healthy Diet
Try to limit processed foods filled with harmful chemicals, sugar, and excess carbs that can crash your energy, trigger cravings, create brain fog, and make you feel irritable. Whole foods will help you feel fuller, longer and are also loaded with nutrients to boost you and your baby’s health.
Don’t forget to drink plenty of water too. Eight large glasses is a worthy goal to aim for daily, as it’ll help with your digestion and energy levels.
Exercise
You don’t have to hit the gym hard, nor should you when you’re pregnant. But getting some exercise by simply moving around more can help manage stress and trigger the release of feel-good endorphins.
Yoga is a tremendous stress-reducing exercise for pregnant women, as is walking around your neighborhood or inside your home. You can also look up pregnancy workouts on YouTube to get routines you can follow.
Get Plenty of Sleep
Stress can cause sleep deprivation, which is why eating healthy, exercising, meditating, etc., are essential. Do everything in your power to get seven to nine hours of sleep per night. If not, the lack of sleep could trigger stress by itself.
Find Ways To Soothe Yourself
Meditation, deep breathing exercises, massage therapy, or reading a book are examples of soothing ways to keep stress at bay. Make a list of activities you enjoy that produce a calming effect, and try to do at least one of them daily.
Don’t Be Afraid To Ask for Help
Getting help from friends and family during your pregnancy can make a huge difference. Whether it’s financial help, assistance with doing things around the house, or mental support, don’t be ashamed to ask for it.
Attend Support Groups or Counseling
If you’re living far from friends and family and feel all alone, support groups in your area can give you the help you need. You can also talk to your OB-GYN and ask for any recommendations.
