The term “Baby Blues” was actually very new to me when I became pregnant. I’ve never known anyone, friends or family, who have struggled with depression during their pregnancy. I always assumed that pregnancy was such a joyous time in every pregnant woman’s life that they couldn’t possibly experience any signs of depression, especially if there was no previous history of it.
While pregnancy is definitely a happy and joyous time in a mother’s life, some moms could definitely be struggling with overwhelming symptoms of depression.
I’ve never struggled with depression before. Sure, I would get sad once in a while, or depressed about something that was out of my control, but these symptoms never lasted long. It was never debilitating until I became pregnant. You can read a more in-depth post on my personal struggles with depression from Why I Started a Money-Making Blog, which gives more details on how depression during pregnancy led me to where I’m at today in my career.
So, from all of these major changes happening in my life, from finding out I was pregnant, to moving to a different state, to becoming broke, I just kinda began to shut down. I cried all the time. I was becoming really angry and resentful at my husband for moving us here. It was a struggle getting out of bed just to take a shower. I had zero motivation once so ever. It’s like my mind was just giving up or something. Things I used to enjoy, like reading or working out didn’t even interest me anymore.
In the beginning it was hard to tell the difference between what was depression and what was pregnancy hormones. I didn’t want these overwhelming emotions to affect the baby, so I decided to talk to my doctor about what I’m feeling and some of the things I’ve been going through.
I was definitely glad that I consulted with my doctor. She made me feel like I wasn’t going crazy. She assured me that this is actually more common in pregnancy than I might realize. We talked about some different options to help me cope and get through some of the symptoms of depression. I had tried some of these options before I talked with my doctor, but I was never consistent with them, which is what’s important. I would try to implement these options once I was already deep in the depression cycle, instead of using them as a preventive approach to depression.
*Before I get into the different approaches, I took for overcoming depression during pregnancy, I want to remind you all that I am not a doctor. What worked for me may not work for you. That’s why it’s so important to consult with your doctor about how you’re feeling during your pregnancy.
Vitamin Supplements
I take a prenatal supplement every day, but my doctor suggested a couple of additional supplements that might have a more positive affect on my mood. Now, in addition to my daily prenatal, I also take a Probiotic, an Omega-3 Fatty Acid supplement, and a Vitamin B-12 supplement.
Our gut actually makes around 90% of our body’s serotonin, which is a chemical that contributes to our happiness. So not only are probiotics essential for healthy digestion, but they can also help stabilize your mood. Omega-3 capsules that are rich in EPA have more positive effects on mood. Vitamin B-12 can help improve your energy, mood, and stress levels by aiding the metabolization of fats, carbohydrates, and protein. Vitamin B-12 deficiencies can have symptoms that resemble depression.
Exercise
I know exercise should be a no-brainer here. Exercise is good for your overall health and mood. Getting at least 30 minutes of cardio a day releases an endorphin called endogenous cannabinoids that promote a sense of well-being and happiness. Also, working out just makes you feel good about yourself in general. You can’t help but feel accomplished at the end of a workout. It feels good to stay in shape and be healthy.
Yoga
Many people use yoga to relieve symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. Yoga can be very therapeutic because it combines meditation and focused movements to help strengthen the body-mind connection.
I actually took a prenatal yoga class near me that really helped clear my mind from any stress and depression, but also helped manage really bad back pain I was experiencing from the pregnancy. I felt a lot calmer and more relaxed after taking these classes.
Diet
Our diet has a major affect on our mood and how we’re feeling. A diet high in sugar, refined carbs, and high in fat can leave us feeling sluggish, tired, cranky or depressed. It’s best to just stick to a healthy well-balanced diet.
Adding more fruits, vegetables, and lean meat to your diet will have a tremendous impact on your overall mood.
During my pregnancy my doctor told me to cut back on the refined sugar and carbs. Instead, I added a lot more lean meat for protein and vegetables to my diet. I immediately started to feel a difference. My stomach felt great, and I had more energy.
I didn’t completely eliminate bread, pasta and sweets from my diet, I am pregnant after all. Instead, I just reduced how much of them I ate. I only ate these foods in moderation. It was hard at first because I love bread! I kept forgetting that carbs break down into sugar. Once I got my diet under control it wasn’t hard to keep up with healthy eating habits. Plus, I loved coming up with healthy low-carb and low-sugar recipes.
Hobbies
Finding something you love to do can be the most effective remedy for stress relief, anxiety and depression.
I love to read. Reading is the best relaxation I could possibly ask for. It allows me to briefly escape reality and all the problems I’m currently stressed with and just get lost in whatever world of fantasy that I’m currently emerged in.
Maybe reading isn’t your thing. Maybe you enjoy cooking, or exercising, or building model airplanes. Whatever your thing is that you enjoy, it’s important to make time for it. Putting away some time for yourself and doing something you love to do will help keep you sane, trust me.
Well there you have it. A couple ways you can cope with depression during pregnancy. I’m sure there are plenty of other ways to handle depression during pregnancy, but these are just some of the things that my doctor and I talked about implementing more of.
Leave a comment below letting me know if any of you have had any luck with these strategies. Or, maybe you have done something different during pregnancy that’s worked for you? I would love to hear from you.
References
https://www.healthline.com/health/depression/yoga-therapy