Feeling stressed while pregnant? It could be your diet…
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Recent research shows a possible link to what women eat in pregnancy and their emotional wellbeing. Naturopath Stephanie Hamilton reports on the findings.
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- Feeling stressed while pregnant? It could be your diet…
It’s not unusual to feel stressed and overwhelmed during pregnancy. There is so much to consider, so many changes that occur, and so much uncertainty that it’s normal to have at least a pang of anxiety and apprehension at some point during the pregnancy. Too much anxiety, however, could have consequences for both mother and baby.
Mothers who experience high levels of anxiety during the course of their pregnancy risk birthing their babies earlier and at a low birth weight. For the baby, high levels of maternal stress and anxiety have been linked with changes in their development and their own stress response system, and so it is important to address some of the causes. And what you eat, or rather what you don’t eat may be one of these causes.
A large-scale study published earlier this year in PLos One showed that mothers who never ate seafood were 53 percent more likely to experience high levels of anxiety than those who did. Mothers who ate a predominantly vegetarian diet were also 25 percent more likely to experience anxiety than those who ate a diet rich in red meat and poultry. Previous clinical investigations have suggested that the consumption of long-chain omega-3 fatty-acids, such as those present in fish, have a significant effect on our emotional health, and the data suggests that people with a lack of these omega-3s in their diet may be more likely to experience anxiety.
The addition of fish to an otherwise balanced diet - one that encompasses fresh fruits and vegetables, whole-grains, healthy fats and minimal amounts of processed foods should be in line with the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) guidelines on what fish to eat during pregnancy.
The study also found that women who ate a more “health conscious” diet were less likely to have high anxiety symptoms compared with women who ate a less “health conscious” diet. Pregnancy is a nutritionally demanding time and so a healthy pregnancy naturally needs a healthy diet.
More tips to help with stress in pregnancy:
- Take a walk outside and take some long, deep breaths
- Read a book that isn’t pregnancy or childbirth related
- Go on a date with your partner
- Indulge in a pregnancy massage or reflexology treatment
- Find a prenatal yoga class near you and commit to going at least once a week
- Listen to your favourite music and dance around your living room
- If you feel like your stress is all-consuming and you are concerned at all about your health or your baby’s health, please discuss this with your health care professional.
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