Causes of Mood Swings During Pregnancy & Ways to Handle It

The unpredictable mood during pregnancy is very common. A female might be giggling away for a minute and crying for no reason the next. Getting irritated very easily and then nothing that others say or do affects or seem to help. Whatever is the feeling, most of the females experience mood swings during pregnancy.

You are obviously excited about being a mother but along with the excitement, there are constant worries which bring in mood swings.

Questions such as:

• Will I be a good mother?
• How will I manage the finances?
• Baby’s health
• Whether I am doing the right things to prepare for the baby?

Pregnancy is a life-changing event, which is full of emotional and physical changes. This could be responsible for the mood swings throughout pregnancy.

• Hormonal Fluctuations: This is the most common cause of mood swings during pregnancy. When pregnant the level of progesterone and estrogen increases. This can lead to a feeling of anxiety, sadness, fear, and frustration which could lead to depression ^(1).
• Morning Sickness And Extreme Tiredness: It is mostly experienced during the first and the second trimester of pregnancy. This could lead to mood changes. There could be a mix of emotions such as forgetfulness, moodiness, and even anxiety ⁽²⁾.
• Lack of Sleep: Due to growing belly and other pregnancy changes there might be difficulty in sleeping. This may lead to a feeling of irritation and crankiness.
• Health Conditions: During pregnancy, some females might suffer from gestational diabetes, anemia, or hypothyroidism which could be responsible for a mood swing.

Lifestyle changes combined with a healthy diet could help in relaxing the mind and the body and manage the mood.

Most of the females experience mood swings during pregnancy. A study shows practicing yoga and meditation during pregnancy could help reduce the symptoms of depression ⁽³⁾.

Exercise is a mood lifter. Along with uplifting the mood, it also helps keep up the health. Yoga and meditation calm and relaxes the mind, thereby reducing the mood swings.

If a person does not sleep well, the mind could be stressed and bring in a feeling of irritation or sudden change in mood. Sleeping well is very important especially during pregnancy.

There are enough hormonal changes to affect the mood; not sleeping well becomes an addition to it.

Minimize sleep disturbances such as wear comfortable clothing, switch off the gadgets, sleep on a comfortable mattress, and keep the lights in the room dim and using a pillow to comfort. This will help in getting good sleep.

Prenatal massages help relax the muscle and reduce pain. It also aids the functioning of the lymphatic and circulatory systems. This helps in staying calm and improves mood ^(4).

Pampering yourself also relieves a lot of stress. Go out for shopping, eating something you really crave for, watch a movie, and spend some quality time with your loved ones.

Anything which makes you feel happy enhances mood and reduces mood swings.

There might be a lot of fears in you about pregnancy and childbirth. Some could be valid but few might be irrational and just due to lack of knowledge.

Speaking with your doctor would clear many doubts regarding diet, tests, prenatal care, and health conditions.

Do not unnecessarily stress yourself. If in doubt regarding anything, speak with the healthcare professional and keep your mind clear. This would help in reducing a lot of stress, responsible for swinging off the mood most of the time.

Health conditions such as gestational diabetes, anemia, or hypothyroidism could bring in a lot of stress. Stay healthy. Do not neglect or over think about any of the health conditions.

Manage the condition by following the doctor’s advice and taking the medications regularly.

It is just fine to feel whatever you feel during pregnancy. Follow the tips to manage the mood swings. Knowing the worst of the mood could be managed, could help reduce stress.

Enjoy your pregnancy, feel good about it. Just a little change in lifestyle is all you need to do to feel better.

You are going to give birth to a new life. Keep yourself healthy enough to be prepared for the new changes in your life.

Also Read:

• Causes of Irrational Mood Swings in Teenagers & its Symptoms
• Can Anxiety Medication Cause Mood Swings?
• Why Do I Have So Many Mood Swings?
• How Can I Control My Mood Swings?
• How Do You Stop Hormonal Mood Swings?
• Do Periods Actually Cause Mood Swings?
• Who Gets Mood Swings?