It’s normal to feel a little worried and stressed while pregnant, but maternity anxiety can become a real problem that may require professional help. If you find that you’re feeling anxious most of the time or have difficulty relaxing, you may be suffering from maternity anxiety.

How to cope with maternity anxiety

Anxiety during pregnancy is very common. In fact, more than one in ten pregnant women have it. Because pregnancy can be a very emotional experience, it can sometimes be difficult to figure out if what you’re experiencing is manageable or a sign of something more serious.

If you are feeling anxious all the time or you are having panic attacks during your pregnancy, it’s important to seek help. 

There are different ways to treat anxiety, and it all depends on how severe the anxiety is. For example, if a woman has mild symptoms, she can likely try exercising, prioritizing self-care, eating a healthy diet, getting a massage, or other ways to relax and take her mind off of being pregnant.

If the symptoms are moderate, therapy is most recommended. Seeing a therapist every other week or even once a week can help tremendously with managing anxiety symptoms as the pregnancy continues. For those experiencing severe anxiety symptoms, a combination of therapy and medication is usually the best way to go.

In addition to therapy, some great ways to manage mild anxiety is to accept that you cannot control many aspects of pregnancy, including when the baby will come, the amount of weight gain, and any complications you may experience. You also should prioritize sleep, take time for yourself, and find a community of people going through the same things as you.

Many anxiety symptoms can be managed with therapy and schedule adjustments. Still, if you are having severe symptoms or experiencing panic attacks, it’s important to speak to a therapist and make sure that you get the help you need.