Supporting Family During Pregnancy
Not many people understand the importance of family support during pregnancy. What matters is that the family members support the mother-to-be and keep her in a good mood. This also benefits the health of the baby.
The fact that a mother feels cared for and supervised during her pregnancy ensures that her stress hormones are kept in check. This contributes, among other things, to the possible prevention of postpartum depression.
The arrival of a new family member means that new relationships arise. The family expands and each member must make himself available emotionally to the new family member. Support is important at this time.
What is not experienced as family support
In addition to all the feelings that come with being pregnant, women are sometimes exposed to a whole host of negative comments from those around them. They can make comments that make the mother-to-be feel uncomfortable. Here are some examples of things pregnant women don’t want to hear :
- “Watch what you eat! If you don’t, you will have a hard time losing all that weight again
- “Are you going to keep the baby?”
- “Do you want another baby after this, or is this the last one?”
- “And what about your job?”
Negative comments can have an effect on the health of the mother, and therefore the health of the baby. We know these comments aren’t always ill-intentioned, but you need to understand the importance of great support throughout pregnancy and how these simple questions can negatively affect pregnant women.
The support of the father-to-be is very important
The unconditional support of the father-to-be during pregnancy helps the mother to better cope with:
- mood swings
- stress
- all the other inconveniences that come with being pregnant
The hormonal changes that women experience during pregnancy can make them feel somewhat unsafe, anxious and irritable in all kinds of situations. It is these moments when it helps if the couple of parents-to-be is there for each other.
Yes, the woman carries the baby in her womb for 9 months, but the pregnancy is the care and responsibility of both parents. Pregnant women need their partner’s love and support. They need someone to listen to them and someone to talk to about all the changes they are going through during this time, without judgment.
What you can do as a pregnant woman
While all those around you should understand the importance of having family support during pregnancy, not everyone will. If so, you can focus on ignoring the possible anxiety that can arise from the statements of those around you.
Therefore, you might consider the following recommendations:
- If you have questions about your pregnancy, don’t turn to your friends or family for the answers. Specialists are the only people who can tell you what to do.
- If your family members overdo it and don’t stop intruding, then you need to set your boundaries and command respect.
- You must understand that the only job of those around you is to assist you. However, if this is not the case, you can choose to keep your distance.
Supporting family during pregnancy, how do you do that?
Often, relatives and even the expectant father are not aware of the importance of family support during pregnancy, nor are they aware of the proper way to deal with the hormonal changes that the pregnant woman is experiencing.
Here’s some advice on what you can do to support her:
- Tell her again and again how much you love her.
- Pay attention to her if she wants to tell you her fears and emotions.
- Do not undermine the importance of issues related to the future baby.
- Respect her personal space, especially if she wants to be alone or doesn’t feel like talking.
Finally
In short, the support of family during pregnancy will affect the state of mind of the mother, and therefore the health of the future baby. By simply asking, “ Is there anything I can do to help? “ You can give her a sense of protection.
