Anxiety During pregnancy..."Natural Help"

Hi J.,

Oh how I remember those anxious and nervous feelings you have like I did when finding out about my pregnancies. No matter how much you were planning for the baby OR maybe not planning, you always get that feeling!
I'm an anxious person as well and do not take meds ( I probably should ) but don't like the side effects of most meds offered. If you can afford it, go to a spa this weekend and get pampered for the day. A nice massage is always relaxing. Take your little one to the park or go feed the ducks......when I had "just" my daughter, the two of us would go feed the ducks and there was always something just so peaceful about it.
When I was pregnant with my 3rd, I had a lot of stress in my life and my OB prescribed Zoloft. I started to feel better and never took it. I was nervous like you abotu taking anything that wasn't safe for the baby. When I asked my nurse if it was completely safe to take she says "Well no anxiety pill is really "safe" to take with pregnancy, but we feel this is the safest." I didn't feel to reassured with that comment so I chose to not take it. I know you are anxious now but I promise you'll start feeling better. Hormones are going crazy right now but try to hang in there and relax as much as possible. Extreme stress in pregnancy has been known to cause miscarriage so take it easy........
Congratulations on your pregnancy.

For me, the most difficult part of coming off anti-anxiety medication just before I became pregnant was trying to go to sleep at night (one of the reasons I started taking the medication). I thought of everything that had to be done and could not relax or quiet my thoughts. My husband suggested I listen to soothing music on a portable CD player with headphones, and it worked really well - so well, in fact, that I never went back on the medication. Now, when I feel anxious during the day or suffer from insomnia at night, I play uplifting yet soothing music and turn my feelings over to God. I pray scriptures to refocus my mind and remind myself that God is on control. A couple of my favorite verses are below.

Psalm 91: 1-2
Let me dwell in the shelter of you, the Most High, so I will rest in the shadow of you, the Almighty. Let me say of you, O LORD, “You are my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."

1 Peter 5:7 "Let him have all your worries and cares, for he is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you."

J.,
Congrats on the baby... I think you should call your doctor's office, I know you have an appointment, but tell them what you just posted and see if they can tell you over the phone if you should stop or start taking again. I don't know much about prozac or having chronic anxiety... I'm just thinking with them knowing you are coming in on Monday they will give you advice over the phone...

I know you asked for natural help, but I would like to suggest that you ask your doctor about taking Effexor instead of Prozac. For me, the Effexor just makes me feel like a good version of "me" - where Prozac always made me a little too relaxed. I took Effexor all during my pregnancy, and there were no issues. I think the only anti-depressant with known pregnancy complications is Paxil.

I hope that you find something to help you get thru things until you see the doctor, but your symptoms sound just like me when I'm not taking my Effexor. I'm not saying drugs are the answer to everything, but if you have a disease (depression) and you find something that controls it, why wouldn't you take it? We do it for allergies, we do it for headaches, etc.

Good luck & God bless - and congrats on your impending blessing!

A recent study came out that pregnant women who listen to 30 minutes of relaxing music a day have a siginificant reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms (think classical, harp or Enya, etc). It might take a week or so to feel the effects but it's cheap and easy and you can do it while driving.

Also, you can try the emotional freedom technique by Gary Craig. You can google it. Dr Mercola at www.mercola.com has a lot of good articles, too. You can go to his site and search several thousand. Fish oil or Krill oil are excellent supplements to take for both you and the baby. The Carlson brand lemon liquid is top rated and doesn't taste bad. These are the omega 3 fatty acids and have shown to elevate mood. Try a whole foods vitamin such as those from the Garden of Life instead of taking a synthetic prenatal vitamin.

Seeing a therapist for biofeedback and/or neurofeedback helps, too. You can also try the Sedona Method, yoga and/or meditation.

The best of luck to you. I have done all of these and was able to overcome severe anxiety, but it took a combination of different things and time. I did it without any drugs.

J.

when I found out I was pregnant with my second child, I had been on Welbutrin for over a year, and life was finally evening out. A nurse came in and told me "you can't be takin that while you are pregnant" so I stopped cold turkey! So two weeks later when I am nearly suicidal, I go to my first Dr. checkup and he says "who the hell took her off her meds?! They won't hurt the baby and she needs to be on them for her safety as well as the babies"!! So, I started back on my welbutrin at a lower dose, and my now four year old daughter is as healthy as can be! You really should not self diagnose, and you should call and talk to the Dr. ASAP.
If you are wanting a more natural approach, go to the halth food store and ask what homeopathic items they have to help with your disorder. they are usually very knowledgable, and can steer you in the right direction.
I wish you the best, but it is better for all concerned if you stay on the meds you were given, talk to the Dr. that prescribed them, he/she can help you make a better choice.

Hello J.,

Congratulations! I wish you a relaxed pregnancy!
You can put a few drops of lavender oil on a tissue and keep it near you. Lavender oil is relaxing. You can read more about oils and decide if you want to use them directly on your body. please note that aside from lavender, all other oils should be diluted in a carrier oil. and to keep them away from children.

you can google pregnancy + essential oils.

By the way, have you figured out if any foods 'enhance' your anxiety? for my son is high fructose corn syrup. I just thought I'd mention it. Good luck! ~C.~

Try a B-Complex vitamin. It's known as the "happy vitamin". You could also try yoga, accupuncture, and/or massage.

Being pregnant is such an overwhelming time of a woman's life. When I was going through what you are going through now, I sat down and wrote a list of things I needed to do to prepare for the baby. I started with 20 things. And then I would do something and check it off. Then I realized things I didn't put on the list and added them and continued checking things off.
One important thing I realized is that this whole process is natural and I have little if any control of the situation. So every morning I stretched and every night I stretched. I would sit and just take deep breaths everynight and morning. It made things easier.