Pregnancy is not just a special time in your life, but it can be a stressful one too. All those raging hormones, the weight gain, the discomfort, stress and anxiety can be rather overwhelming, especially when you are nurturing a new life within you.

Pregnancy can make you vulnerable to emotional mood swings, caused not only by hormones and physical change, but by psychological changes too. Your general well being also depends on: the emotional meaning of this pregnancy, how you deal with your body image during this period, the state of your support system and how well you take care of yourself - physically and emotionally - during pregnancy.

Look Forward
Ever heard that saying - "With every new baby, a mother is also born". Pregnancy is also a period of psychological preparation for motherhood. And this is the time to look forward to all that motherhood has in store for you. You can prepare yourself emotionally by asking

• Am I ready for motherhood?
• What kind of a parent will I be?
• What exactly am I looking forward to?

Look Back
Reflect on the kind of childhood that you had. It has been found that mother-daughter relationships, relationships with siblings and your marital relationship, all play an important role in your psychological preparation for motherhood. If your childhood was a traumatic or
not-so-pleasant one, it's important that you get rid of all negative emotions from the past so that it doesn't get projected onto your relationship with your child. Post-partum depression or "baby blues" most often begins with depression in pregnancy, so pregnancy is the time to try and prevent it.

Take your needs seriously
In the Indian scenario, the expectant mother is fussed over during pregnancy, but as soon as the baby is born, all attention shifts to the baby. But motherhood brings new challenges for the new mother, like sleep disturbances, fatigue and after-effects of delivery. So anticipate your needs in motherhood and seek support - whether it is with housework or issues related to family relationships.

Stick together as a couple
Marital discord and unwanted pregnancy both contribute to stress in pregnant women. If couples do not stick together, there can be a postpartum crisis, with depression worsening. Explore your inner landscape and talk with your partner about the changes a baby will bring to your lives. Be aware that this may require some
soul-searching and create the family that you want to have together.

Get professional help
Motherhood is a life-changing event, but is often underestimated. In India especially, emotional support during this period of change is most often inadequate. So if you have previously been prone to depression, don't count on pregnancy hormones to blow it away - as on the contrary, it may actually enhance it. Counseling will help you work through your depression.

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