How to Stop Panic Attacks During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is supposed to be a magical time, full of joy and happiness.  At least that’s what they portray in the movies.  Unfortunately, for a lot of women this isn’t the case.  A combination of hormones, excitement, and physical changes can bring on anxiety.  Several women also begin to develop fears about the health of the baby or being a parent.  All of this stress can eventually lead to panic attacks.  While no one ever wants to deal with a panic attack, it’s even scarier when you’re pregnant.  The following tips will help you stop panic attacks during your pregnancy.

• Talk to your doctor.  If you’re having fears about any step of the pregnancy or birth, you should contact your obstetrician.  They can listen to the worries you have and address them.  They should be able to put your mind at ease.  You’re not the first woman to be worried during pregnancy, and you won’t be the last.

• Get support.  If you have a friend or family member that experienced panic attacks during their pregnancy, they can probably give you some advice.  At the very least, they’ll be able to identify with what you’re going through so you don’t feel so alone.  There are several good support groups you can join online if you want extra support.

• Take good care of yourself.  You should try to eat a balanced diet and get regular exercise.  You will also want to get plenty of rest.  While these things are always important, they’re even more so while you’re pregnant.  Staying healthy is a good way to reduce anxiety. 

• Try to relax.  Constant stress is not healthy for you or your baby, so you have to find a way to relax.  If you’re feeling overwhelmed, try to delegate as much as you can.  Maybe you can get your husband to do more of the household chores and cooking.  You probably won’t be able to give up everything in your routine, but try to trim it down do the absolute essentials. 

• Practice deep breathing.  More than likely, if you’ve gone to Lamaze class, you have learned some great breathing techniques to do during labor.  These same techniques can be used to reduce your anxiety anytime.  Whenever you start to feel stressed, take a break and practice your breathing.  It will help you relax fairly quickly.

Pregnancy can be a stressful time.  It’s even more stressful if you have the added worry of panic attacks.  To help stop panic attacks during your pregnancy, you can follow the advice above.  Your doctor should also be able to give you some recommendations to follow.