Pregnant women go through a lot of both physical and mental stress, which leads to so many insecurities popping up. People often talk about how your physical health suffers when you’re pregnant, but the mental side of things is rarely discussed in detail. As a result, we want to break the stigma and speak about the common mental insecurities you face while carrying a child. Hopefully, this helps any women out there going through pregnancy and feeling some of the things talked about in this piece. Take a look at all of the insecurities, down below:
I Look Disgusting
You wake up, haul yourself out of bed, and look at yourself in the mirror. One thought pops into your head; I’m disgusting. You feel like you look horrible and have just become so ugly. It makes you unbelievably self-conscious, and you don’t want to be seen in public. As a consequence, you retire to the sofa where you comfort eat all day, which fuels these feelings of insecurity.
Needless to say, this is all a mental issue. In fact, many people think women get more attractive when they’re pregnant, and that they have a special glow to them. There are a few things that you can do to overcome this insecurity, some are in your head, others are more practical.
First, change the clothes you wear so you feel more comfortable and aren’t trying to squeeze into your old jeans and tops. You can actually buy loose-fitting maternity scrubs from various websites, and these are great when you’re pregnant as they don’t really show your figure. So, you don’t see anything bulging, your clothes don’t feel tight, and you’re instantly in a better frame of mind.
Second, you need to think more clearly. Understand that you might not look your best because you had a rough night’s sleep or because you were up with morning sickness. Carrying a child is no walk in the park, it takes its toll on your body. So, there will be natural things that happen, which can make you – temporarily – look a little worse for wear. But, you often find you’ll look and feel a lot better after a nice long shower or bath. Try this every morning, and you’ll overcome this insecurity.
I’m Not Ready To Be A Mother:
This is probably one of the toughest insecurities you face when you’re pregnant. Almost all expecting moms go through a phase where they freak out and think they’re not ready to be a mother. For some, it’s right at the start, when they first find out they’re pregnant. For others, it’s right near the end when it suddenly dawns on you that you could be a mom at any moment. Of course, it can happen at any time in between too, and it may last for weeks, months, days, or minutes.
It’s common to feel this way because you’re entering the unknown. As humans, we mentally recoil whenever we’re faced with something that’s not known to us. It’s like walking into a dark cave, our brain sends out warning signals because we have no idea what lies ahead. If you’re pregnant for the first time, you’ve got no clue what could happen. You have no idea if you can be a mom or even how to be a mom, so it’s normal to get some prenatal jitters.
The only way to overcome this is through reassurance. Reassure yourself that you can be a mom and that you’ll make a great one, at that. Often, having others around you tell you that you can do something will make you think more positively, too. Also, get advice from other moms, read books, resources, and just brush up on your knowledge. This helps you learn what to expect, which prepares you for motherhood and helps banish the nerves. If your anxiety is particularly overwhelming, it is a good idea to look into different options for counseling. Read some online reviews, seek recommendations, and visit websites to learn more about their therapy services. Don’t be afraid to shop around for the right counselor or therapist for you so you can get the best help possible for your situation.
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I’m Overweight:
Normally, if you’re insecure about the way you look, you’re also insecure about your weight while pregnant. Now, we’ve decided to separate this insecurity from the first one because they are two different things. Being insecure about the way you look can mean you’re not happy with your hair, face, body; whatever. But, being insecure about your weight means you’re very self-conscious about feeling fat.
It’s dangerous, because feelings like this can often lead to eating disorders. You may refuse to eat food because you think you’re fat, which ultimately starves you and your baby of vital nutrition. The reason most women are insecure about their weight is because of the fact that they look bigger when they’re pregnant. But, this is natural. Another person is growing inside of you, you’re obviously going to look bigger!
You can put your mind at ease by doing some light exercise and trying to follow a healthy diet. At the very least, this will keep you healthy during pregnancy, leading to a healthier birth. On a mental level, the fact that you’re doing exercise and aren’t binge eating will help you come to terms with your extra size being down to the baby and not you being fat.
The mental side of pregnancy doesn’t get discussed much. Hopefully, this has shone a light on how your mental health is affected when you’re carrying a child. Also, we hope it helps you overcome these nagging insecurities if you suffer from them!
Featured Image By: Max Pixel
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