Pregnancy is a complex journey where a woman experiences positive and negative emotions. The biggest challenges a mother-to-be faces when her baby is born are the significant life changes. How will her relationships be, will she be a good mother, will she be capable of handling the responsibilities, how will the baby transform relationships? Below are some common emotions a mother-to-be may experience during pregnancy. 

- Mood Swings: 

Pregnancy can be a rollercoaster of emotions where hormones shift upwards and downwards. Mood Swings are expected during the early and late stages of pregnancy. One key reason behind moodiness is the flood of hormones that are essential to the baby’s growth. Several types of hormones cause hormonal imbalances. Estrogen may produce a sense of well-being or extreme moodiness. At the same time, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is a hormone that rises significantly in the first trimester, causing morning sickness and irritability. The progesterone hormone helps loosen muscles and alleviates contractions, leading to fatigue and sadness. 

It is widespread that the same mother may experience different types of emotions in two separate pregnancies. Many psychological, social, personal, physiological, ecological, and economic factors affect a mother’s psychological changes during pregnancy. A study conducted in 2015 concerning the correlation between PMS and prenatal depression showed that women who experienced PMS mood swings had a higher chance of going through prenatal mood swings.

It’s important to note that not all emotional changes are considered prenatal mood swings. Only when the mother finds herself hopeless, sad, and resenting her partner and the fetus will it be best for a woman to consult a therapist.

- Fear and Anxiety:

Fear and anxiety are interrelated emotions that are common during pregnancy. A mother can undergo various types of fears during pregnancy. One of the most common fears is miscarriage. A different kind of fear is causing harm to the baby’s health, especially after facing fertility problems, a history of miscarriage, or premature birth. The fear of giving birth is expected as well. Around 20% of women admit that they are afraid of giving birth, and about 6-10% of women have a birth phobia. Women who fear giving birth are worried about the “unknown” and the fact that they can’t control the birth process or labor pain. In addition to all those added fears, some women fear they won’t be good mothers. Guilt and worry also accompany fear when it comes to taking care of the child. Keeping a positive mindset throughout pregnancy reduces anxiety and the feeling of fear.  

- Forgetfulness:

Forgetting is a common trait during pregnancy. It is also known as “mommy’s brain,” “momnesia,” and “pregnancy-induced brain fog.” Forgetfulness is most probably caused by the fluctuation of hormones as well as sleep deprivation. Studies have shown that during pregnancy, the part of the brain associated with emotional skills is constantly functioning. While brain cell volume decreases during the third trimester, which triggers “momnesia.” Hippocampus is the part of the brain that involves memory. Studies show that it changes during pregnancy, which may be an added reason a woman forgets during pregnancy. An increase in the pregnancy hormones progesterone and estrogen in the brain during pregnancy is another reason for forgetfulness. However, there is nothing to fear because this is just a temporary state a woman goes through during pregnancy.  The brain cell volume plumps back to normal after a few months of delivery. 

- Body Shame: 

Many women suffer from self-image issues throughout their lives, but they feel most insecure when their baby bump begins to show, and their physical features begin to change. This usually happens in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Women may feel dissatisfied with their body appearance, which results in a significant effect on their self-esteem. Body image issues are one of the most common fears pregnant women encounter, where they constantly worry about change in their appearance, losing control over their weight, becoming less attractive, and going back to their pre-baby body.. However, it is known that most pregnant women do go back to their pre-baby body weight in the next year or so after birth. Society needs to help pregnant women by providing support and awareness on accepting our body shapes, the way we look, and that the physical changes that accompany pregnancy are part of a journey that will end.

- Nesting Instinct:

The nesting instinct is a burst of energy women get during the last month of pregnancy, where they are compelled to organize and clean to prepare for the baby’s arrival. It can be: cleaning, stocking the baby’s needs, organizing the baby’s room, or planning future events. The leading cause behind nesting is still ambiguous, yet most researchers suggest that nesting instinct is human adaptive behavior to pave the way for the baby’s arrival. It’s associated with the fluctuations and changes of hormones throughout pregnancy. In the 3rd trimester, estrogen reaches its peak level, which could be a factor in this behavior. In addition to that, some studies suggest that nesting is a coping mechanism for pregnancy-related anxiety and stress.

To sum it all up, pregnancy is a roller coaster ride that is both blissful and tiring at the same time.  Bodily changes, fluctuations in hormones, the transformation of feelings are all part of pregnancy. Women who have the advantage of learning about all these alterations before pregnancy may handle all the changes thrown at them.