Author: development

Caring your your emotional wellbeing as a partner

Caring for your emotional wellbeing in pregnancy

Your emotional wellbeing in pregnancy is an important contributor to yours and your baby’s overall wellbeing.

***Key Points***

• Emotional health is a state of wellbeing. When you feel well and happy, you are better able to cope with stress, maintain relationships and enjoy life.
• There are emotional benefits for both you and your baby when you look after your emotional health
• You will be better able to deal with general problems and inevitable stress in life if you are active, have a purpose in life and feel a sense of belonging.

• If you have been feeling down, sad, anxious or worried for more than two weeks, it’s a good idea to talk to someone about how you’re feeling.  Your GP is a good start.

***Key Points***

***During pregnancy***

A big part of looking after yourself in pregnancy includes nourishing yourself with good food, sleeping well and incorporating some light daily exercise.  Ceasing alcohol, stopping smoking is important too and may involve assistance from your Midwife or GP by referring you to appropriate community support services.

Find something you love to do and making time each week to do whatever it is you enjoy will help you relax and improve your mood.  Encourage family members and friends to visit and help with household chores.

Participate in exercise alone or with friends, a gentle walk in the fresh air will make a tremendous difference to your mood and outlook.  Ensure you are getting regular sleep.

Be kind to you and your growing baby.

***During pregnancy***

***After your baby arrives***

When your baby arrives, some experiences will fill you with joy, love, surprise and delight.  At other times, you might feel frustrated, challenged, stressed, angry and even disappointed. All these feelings are common and you might find yourself going through them all in a single day.

Whilst having a baby can be one of the most exciting and challenging things you will ever do it can enrich your life in ways you can never begin to imagine and as your life starts to change you will discover something new every day.

These numerous changes place some women at risk of developing anxiety, depression or other types of mental health conditions. Some degree of depression is experienced by one in 10 women during pregnancy and one in six women in the year after their baby is born.  Anxiety can also occur with depression and is common at this time.

There is good support in the community so the earlier these conditions are picked up the quicker you are able to visit your GP and be on the road to a recovery plan.

***After your baby arrives***

***Signs and symptoms to look out for***

If you’re worried about how you or your partner are feeling, here are some signs and symptoms to look out for

• persistent, generalised worry, often focused on health concerns

• panic attacks – a racing heart, palpitations, shortness of breath, shaking or feeling physically ‘detached’ from your surroundings
• abrupt mood swings
• obsessive or compulsive behaviour
• feeling sad, down or crying for no obvious reason
• having little or no interest in things that bring joy (like time socially with friends, exercise, eating or being with your partner)
• feeling nervous or on edge
• tiredness all the time
• not being able to sleep
• losing interest in sex or intimacy
• fear of being alone with your baby
• intrusive thoughts of harming yourself or your baby
• brain fog, or finding it difficult to focus, concentrate or remember things
• engaging in risk taking behaviour (such as drug use).

If these symptoms last for more than two weeks, it may be time to get some help.

***Signs and symptoms to look out for***

***Preparing for parenthood***

Remember emotional health is a state of wellbeing.  Feeling well and content, will help you to cope with stress, maintain relationships and enjoy life. Just as there are many benefits from being physically healthy, you and your baby can benefit from being emotionally healthy.

Prepare for parenthood by –

• speaking to others
• developing a network with other women or parents who are also pregnant or who have children of a similar age (e.g. shire based mothers’ group)
• read reliable parenting literature or books, attend antenatal classes
• be aware of your expectations about pregnancy, birth and becoming a parent
• consider who might be able to support you if you need it.

While preparation is important, it’s also good to remember that you can’t prepare for everything and some things may happen for no well explained reason.

***Preparing for parenthood***

***Where to get help***

Where to find help

• See your doctor, obstetrician, maternal & child health nurse or midwife
• Access a mental health care plan via your GP

• Talk to a counsellor, psychologist or psychiatrist
• Phone the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Helpline on 1800 882 436
• Phone the Post and Antenatal Depression Association helpline on 1300 726 306 (9.30am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday)
• Phone the Parenting Line on 1800 654 432
• Visit healthdirect.gov.au or call 1800 022 222
• Crisis lines – Lifeline 13 11 14, Area Mental Health Triage (available in every area), Emergency 000.

***Where to get help***

Sources /References

PANDA  – website

Beyond Blue  – website

Health Direct  – website