Pregnancy can be an anxious time for many of us, and those hormones certainly don’t help! The weeks between getting that positive pregnancy test and the twelve week scan can often feel particularly long, especially if it’s your first pregnancy or you’ve previously experience loss. And unfortunately, those feelings of anxiety don’t always go away after that. They’re merely replaced by other things to stress about like travel systems or nurseries. So here are some ways to deal with anxiety during pregnancy:

1.       Talk to someone

Although many people choose to keep their pregnancy a secret until that all-important 12 week scan, you really don’t have to. Your partner will probably be a great support at this time but it might also help to talk to someone who’s experienced pregnancy first-hand. Talking to your mum, sister or close friend can really help to calm anxiety as often things don’t seem as bad once you’ve said them out loud. It’s always good to talk and this is as true in early pregnancy as it is at any other time.

2.       Get checked out

At any time during your pregnancy, if you have any symptoms that concern you, speak to your midwife or triage at your chosen hospital and they can advise you. Things to look out for include bleeding (although a little bit of bleeding can be normal) or pain (especially in your left shoulder, as this can mean an ectopic pregnancy) or if you think your baby isn’t moving as much in the later stages. Getting checked out is never a waste of time. Usually these things are nothing but if there is a problem, it’s always better to catch it early.

3.       Take another pregnancy test

This would only really apply in early pregnancy and I say this with caution as I don’t always think it’s a healthy thing to do. But, if you find it reassuring to see the little pink lines then taking another pregnancy test can help to calm your anxiety and plenty of women do this (I was surprised how many!). Cheap pink dye tests are as accurate as their more expensive counterparts and less likely to have misleading evap line. However, you should bare in mind that past a certain date, pregnancy tests are no longer useful as you may have too much of the HCG hormone in your urine for the test to provide an accurate reading.

4.       Read about what’s normal

The more you understand pregnancy and what’s normal during pregnancy, the less likely you are to worry about it. As human beings, we are programmed to fear the unknown so the more we understand something, the better. This goes for many things in life, including pregnancy and childbirth. Some women also find that they’re particularly anxious about the idea of giving birth whilst pregnant so learning about birth and doing a hypnobirthing course can be very reassuring.

5.       Do some breathing exercises and exercise in general

The breathing exercises we do in hypnobirthing can really help you to relax during pregnancy and childbirth. They can also be used at any time in life when you’re feeling a bit anxious like going to the dentist or getting a smear test. Or even if you just need to take a few minutes to feel a bit calmer. There are loads of times you will benefit from the breathing exercises you learn on a hypnobirthing course.

The other kind of exercise is also really important. And I’m not suggesting a spin class or Body Pump. There are loads of great pregnancy yoga teachers out there, I did mine with Sally Suchfield who also does mum and baby yoga. Yoga is a great way of taking some time for yourself and will definitely help with anxiety. But it doesn’t even need to be that, even just a leisurely stroll outside in the fresh air can make a world of difference.

6.       Look for a hypnobirthing course

As I said before, the thought of giving birth can be a key cause of anxiety during pregnancy, especially if it’s your first time or you’ve previously had a bad experience. A hypnobirthing course can really help you understand childbirth and understanding it better is an important step in alleviating anxiety. Most courses are recommended from about 20 weeks so you’ve got plenty of time (and choice) out there. I offer private 1-to-1 courses for you and your birth partner and these can be in-person or online. I also offer group courses in-person and online which can be a great way to meet other parents expecting a baby at a similar time to you. If you have questions about how hypnobirthing can help, check out my FAQs.