When Do You Get Mood Swings During Pregnancy

Pregnancy is known to bring about several changes in a woman’s life as well as her body. These changes are not just physical; they can be emotional and mental as well. In case you are pregnant, it is perfectly normal for you to be elated and overjoyed about your impending motherhood one minute and yet in the next instant to feel anxious about what kind of parent you will make. Moreover, during pregnancy, there is a surge in the level of hormones within your body. In turn, these hormonal changes usually intensify the severity of mood swings during pregnancy. What really happens is that the rise in the hormonal levels can have an effect on your neurotransmitter. This effect causes all the various emotions that you could feel, to be brought to the surface. Stress, nervousness and anxiety are other factors that can lead to moodiness, during pregnancy. In general, mood swings in pregnancy are rarely a cause for concern. On the contrary, mood swings are considered absolutely normal and pregnant women should not hesitate to ask for help, in coping with them.

Some of the most effective ways of dealing with these mood swings are:

• Getting a lot of sleep and rest through the day
• Keeping yourself occupied
• Getting sufficient physical activity, without exerting yourself 
• Eating regular meals, that are balanced and nutritious
• Taking breaks from your daily chores to relax
• By practicing various techniques to de-stress & unwind, like Yoga or meditation

It is advisable to get a doctor’s go head, before indulging in some of the above activities. You can expect the moodiness and the irritability to kick in, when you are between the sixth and the tenth week, as that is usually when the mood swings flare up for the first time. Fortunately, as you enter your second trimester, you can expect the moodiness to abate to a great extent. Unfortunately, most women state that the surge in emotions that they feel in the third trimester is probably the worst. It is natural for you to feel anxious about the delivery and what comes after that, which can lead to intense mood swings. This phase should not last for more than three to four weeks.

In case you experience spells of severe mood swings during pregnancy, you should inform your doctor about it without any delay. These severe mood swings can be controlled and prevented, with the help of therapy and other lifestyle changes. 

Submitted by J on November 28, 2010 at 10:39

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