Common Pregnancy Worries Women Experience
Now that you are bigger, you may have a whole host of new pregnancy worries. Feeling the baby move and perhaps seeing the clear evidence of baby’s presence tend to make mothers acutely aware of the little life they’re protecting.
With this awareness comes new, and very real, concerns. How will you be physically able to handle everything – job, home, older children? How will you be able to stretch yourself emotionally? How will your relationship with your mate change now that you are so preoccupied with your pregnancy? What about the baby?
The fear of bearing a deformed baby crops up now and then. We’ll take a look at the most common pregnancy worries women have during the middle trimester.
Fear of Falling
In the first trimester, a thick, muscular uterus and an even more protective pelvic bone shield your baby, so it is nearly impossible to injure her if you trip and fall. By the fifth month, however, your uterus grows beyond the protective shell of your pelvic bone. While the chances of injury from a simple fall are still very unlikely, many pregnancy worries stem from these changes in your body.
If your expanding breasts don’t yet obstruct your view of your feet, your abdomen soon will, and so you can’t always look down to see where you are stepping. Since your body is changing rapidly, your balance will not be as secure or as graceful as it used to be. In the months to come, you will not only become less graceful but also less agile.
There is no need to worry unduly about minor falls. Your baby is well protected by the natural shock absorbers of your abdominal muscles, uterine muscles, fetal membranes and the amniotic fluid, all of which cushion any outside blows. It would take an accident that seriously injures mommy to have even a remote chance of injuring baby.
To see how well your baby is protected by the amniotic fluid in the amniotic sac, fill a mayonnaise jar with water, place an egg in it, shake it up, and see how well protected the egg is. Amniotic fluid is actually thicker and more protective than water.
While baby is unlikely to be hurt by a fall, you may be. A sprained ankle or twisted knee is no cakewalk without painkillers, and might necessitate x-rays or other medical interventions you would rather avoid. Realize the natural limitations that your new body imposes.
Fear of Deformities
One of the inevitable pregnancy worries you will experience is that your baby will be imperfect; that’s why moms and dads count fingers and toes with such delight right after birth. Minor imperfections like birthmarks, skin tags, an oddly shaped head (it will look nice and round in a day or two) often alarm new parents the day of birth.
Concerns that major deformities like clubfeet, Down Syndrome, heart defects or digestive abnormalities are possible, yet these are extremely rare. Firmly tell yourself that these pregnancy worries will not help you or baby. Nothing is gained by borrowing trouble, as our grandmothers used to say.
Medical science is so advanced that it can correct or alleviate most infant problems. If you can’t stop obsessing to the extent that it disturbs your ability to be a wife and enjoy your pregnancy, seek professional help.