Managing Mood Swings Explained in Three Simple Steps

Different Reasons Causing Mood Swings if You are Pregnant

One of the main reasons leading to mood swings in pregnant women is the hormonal changes taking place in their bodies. Both estrogen and progesterone affect the neurotransmitters in your brain, which would pave the way for extreme or optimal mood swings. However, it would vary from one person to another and is highly subjective.

When you are pregnant, there is a high chance that you would get stressed, and you would start asking different questions to yourself. You would be having thoughts about your abilities as a parent.

Besides that, you might be considering the challenges that might be there while giving birth to your baby. If you are working, you might be thinking about your career as well, which would cause stress.

Since numerous changes are happening in your body, you could feel stressed about different situations. From tiredness to inability to work, there are many signs of fatigue that can affect you.

Along with that, there could be changes in your bodily metabolism, leading to mood swings and other emotional issues.

As per a study, 15 to 23% of pregnant women get affected by anxiety. It is because of the anxiousness they have about their work, future, and family life. These elements can harm maternal and child outcomes too. Depression is yet another factor that could affect you while you are pregnant, which could also be a reason for mood swings.

If you are a single parent or a teenager who is going to be a mom, you could find pregnancy challenging. Under these circumstances, you might get stressed, which would act as the cause for mood swings.

These are some factors that can lead to mood swings as well. However, you can always keep track of your health and your wellness with the assistance of the Women's Health Tracker. Through this, you could overcome the problems you might have while you are pregnant. Now, we will look into mood swings in three simple steps based on the three stages of pregnancy.

First Trimester

The first trimester is during the first three months of your pregnancy. During this time, you might find that your breasts are getting soar. You might be feeling nauseous, which would lead to vomiting and loss of appetite. These factors would pave the way for mood swings while you are pregnant.

Besides that, you would have mixed emotions that could be both positive and negative. Sometimes, you might be feeling happy as you think about your pregnancy. Sometimes, you might be sad as you would be thinking about your baby and other factor associated with it. There are chances of being obsessed about yourself, and studies show that people might even develop narcissist behaviors.

Another aspect associated with mood swings is that you might become highly emotional and sensitive. Fear is another issue faced by most pregnant women. It could be under the thoughts you are having about your pregnancy. Most women would be afraid of miscarriage and related problems while they are pregnant. If this is your first time, you might be wondering if you are doing it right. It would lead to fear, which could ultimately affect your mood.

Akin to that, being protective of your to-be-born child can be a component that has a direct relationship with how you feel and react. These changes mostly happen because of the hormonal changes occurring in your body, which would pave the way for mood swings. However, you have to remember that it is perfectly alright to face these kinds of issues during the first trimester of your pregnancy.

But, you have to provide all the updates to your obstetrician or midwife. Through this, they can guide you in overcoming any challenges that you might face due to mood swings. In some cases, your doctor would refer you to a professional who can help you through this crisis. Apart from that, you can take a few steps that would assist you in taking control of the mood swings you might have during your pregnancy. They include:

These are some ways by which you can overcome the mood swings that you might have during the first trimester of your pregnancy. The intensity in which each person faces mood swings differs as each person is unique in their ways.

Second Trimester

During the second trimester, you might feel much better. It is because your body would start getting adjusted to your physical changes. It would have a positive impact on your emotional and mental health. Symptoms related to morning sickness and tiredness would tone down. It would assist in the creation of a positive environment, which would be highly beneficial for your well-being.

Apart from that, you might feel the baby moving, which would also brighten up your mood. These factors would make you excited about your baby. During these three months, you could have occasional mood swings, which would cause random crying or weeping. But, the chances of having these problems are pretty low.

Third Trimester

When you enter into the third and the final trimester, physical issues could become more prevalent. It is primarily because of the discomfort you are having due to the bodily changes. The increase in body weight might lead to limb swelling, and it could affect your sleep. You might find it challenging to sleep because of the breathing problems that would be there. Here, you would find discomfort in the expansion of your lungs while you are lying on the bed. It would pave the way for difficulties in breathing.

These physical changes would have an impact on your psychological conditions. It would result in hormonal swings, which can affect your mood. You might move away from the happy place you were present during the second trimester. There are chances of facing confusion regarding your pregnancy. You might get anxious about labor and delivery, which happens with most women.

Even though it is normal, you can always convey your fears to your doctor or midwife. You can also open up to your partner or your friends or family members. They might be able to support you and help you face the fear you might be having.

Another common issue seen with pregnant women in their third trimester is that there would be an increase in the oxytocin level. It is because your body is preparing itself for the delivery. Due to this, you might start doing a lot of chores and would be into organizing things. Since you would be anxious, you could be cooking food or even rearranging your closet from scratch. However, these would depend on each person.

While you are pregnant, you would have to keep track of your health. For that purpose, you could use the Women's Health Tracker, which would assist you in checking on your progress. Apart from the mood swings you might be having while you are pregnant, there can be postpartum mood swings as well.

The mood swings you are having could lead to depressive syndromes. It could happen while you are pregnant and even after your delivery. However, you have to inform your doctor of the symptoms you are having. When it comes to mood swings after having a baby, it happens because of postpartum depression.

As per the CDC, one in eight women in the US slips into postpartum depression after giving birth to their child. CDC prepared this data based on the report by the Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS).

From this, it is apparent that mood swings can affect you while you are pregnant. However, you can always take care of this situation with the assistance of your doctor and the right mindset. You can also rely upon the Women's Health Tracker to keep your health conditions updated. It would help you know when you have to meet your doctor.