Is It Normal To Cry During Pregnancy?
During pregnancy, many women are more sensitive and suffer from anxiety or depression. Undoubtedly, what should represent a time of happiness can become a constant struggle if the mother can’t help but wonder if it is normal to cry while pregnant.
Hormonal imbalances do indeed lead to mood swings. However, special care should be taken when symptoms progress from hypersensitivity to chronic depressive disorder. Let’s dwell on this topic in more detail below.
Is It Normal To Cry During Pregnancy?
The answer to this frequently asked question is yes. Due to physical and hormonal changes, the mother may experience changes in behavior during pregnancy. These can include sadness, fear, crying, or even fits of anger.
However, these sensations need not appear for the duration of the pregnancy, not even for a full month. However, if it does, it is perinatal depression and you should take appropriate action.
Perinatal depression
Perinatal depression is the name given to a state of sadness, confusion and loneliness in the mother. It can occur both before and after birth.
Perinatal depression is different from a simple temporary hormonal change because once this depressed state occurs, it can last for several days or months.
These bouts of sadness are accompanied by symptoms such as insomnia. Or the opposite may be the case, and the mother-to-be may desire to sleep all day. In addition, the mother may experience the following ailments:
- apathy
- lack of interest (this also applies to the arrival of the baby)
- Difficulty concentrating
- Loss of appetite
- nervousness
- hopelessness
How does it come to crying during pregnancy?
It is estimated that the crying fits and sad moods occasionally occur in pregnant women, but that only 10% or 15% feel the effects clearly.
This does not mean that if you feel like crying due to hormonal imbalance, you will definitely have perinatal depression. This depends on a number of factors, such as: B. Your psychological background or that of your family, as well as sociodemographic and medical conditions.
On the other hand, one should take into account the current life situation of the pregnant woman. The same goes for other things that could affect your mood, such as:
- financial problems
- Marital problems
- the fact that it is a single mother who receives no support from the father
- Problems at work
The hormonal changes affect the chemical neurotransmitters, which in turn regulate moods in the brain. This change makes expectant mothers to feel more sensitive, which consequently can be accompanied by crying and the desire to cry.
How can you fight crying during pregnancy?
First of all, you should know that crying isn’t necessarily a bad thing. With careful analysis , crying serves as a natural pain reliever that can bring us into a state of serenity.
So if you want to cry, don’t try to hold back your tears or demonize the sensation. On the contrary, you can just let yourself go and ease your worries to help you feel calm.
However, you should avoid falling into a prolonged state of grief. At the same time, you should try to maintain the best attitude towards adversity. Remember that hormonal changes are only temporary.
To combat the urge to cry while you are pregnant, you can also follow these tips:
- Do some physical activity. This can include, for example, short walks throughout the day. This helps lower levels of cortisol – the hormone associated with stress – and increase levels of serotonin – the hormone related to pleasure and wellbeing.
- Try to get at least 8 hours of sleep each night. Getting enough sleep ensures that your body recovers for the next day and that you feel calmer.
- Avoid watching stressful news, movies, or television programs that may make you sensitive or nervous.
- Eat a balanced diet to keep your hormones and body working properly.
To combat depression, it is also important that you surround yourself with family and friends who offer their support. You can also consider consulting a healthcare professional who can investigate your case further.
