Just Breathe...

What's a stressed-out expectant mom to do?

By Meagan Francis

Okay, fellow preggos, it's been a stressful couple of weeks. Between nail-biting election coverage and economic woes, no wonder that knot in my shoulder is getting bigger by the minute.

But here's the deal: stress is not a good thing when you're pregnant. Raising the old blood pressure aside, recent research links stress in pregnancy to slower development, anxiety, learning difficulties and other symptoms in children.  Also, stress during pregnancy is one of the risk factors for postpartum depression, which can make it more difficult for you and your baby to bond once he's here. But it's not like we can completely avoid anxiety-causing events. So what's a stressed-out expectant mom to do?

• Well, you can't have that trusty glass of wine. Or can you? A new British study published in the Journal of Epidemiology indicates that light drinking during pregnancy--defined as 1-2 units (one glass of wine would equal one unit, for example) per week or per occasion--is not only linked to no developmental, behavioral or health issues but is actually linked to better-behaved, better-adjusted children. It's unlikely that the March of Dimes will be giving the gestating girl's glass of wine a green light any time soon, but it's worth noting that many experts find the "not one sip" rule to be overkill (nobody's proven definitively how much alcohol is safe, therefore, experts in the US are loathe to OK any amount...but other countries are not nearly as stringent in their guidance.)
• So, while you're stressing out about whether or not you can have a glass of wine with your Thanksgiving meal in a few weeks, turn on some tunes. Turns out that--duh?--soothing music lowers the chance of stress and depression in pregnant women.  Just lay off the gangsta rap or techno for now, unless you find them particularly soothing.
• Gentle movement can help, too. I've done yoga throughout my last three pregnancies and it's a great way to keep limber, toned and centered as your center of gravity gets thrown off, you start bumping into things, and nighttime becomes a circus of strategically-placed pillows supporting your various growing and stretching parts.  It can be a great aerobic workout, too. You can even find prenatal yoga videos online--just keep in mind that it's easy to over-do it while you're pregnant. Check out this guide to safe online videos to get a good start.
• And don't forget to indulge in at least one prenatal massage...this mom weighs in on why they're worth the cost (and why you should seek out a therapist who's specially trained in pregnancy massage).