10 Simple Ways To Keep Yourself Happy During Pregnancy

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Pregnancy is a special phase where your emotional well-being directly affects your baby’s mental and physiological development. Hence, you must try to stay joyful throughout the pregnancy. However, you must be wondering how to be happy during pregnancy if you are feeling low.

Every pregnancy is different, and so are the experiences of a mother during this journey. Not all the days of your pregnancy will be gleeful. Some may be dull or filled with anxieties and apprehensions about future uncertainties. But that is okay. Feeling low at times is normal.

However, you should learn to fight the pregnancy blues and stay cheerful. Your friends and family are your support system, but only you can keep yourself happy. To help you along this journey, we have compiled some simple methods you can follow to stay happy.

10 Effective Ways On How To Be Happy During Pregnancy

Happiness always lies within your own self. As you gear up for the oncoming labor and childbirth, every trimester will present various kinds of situations for you to deal with. From that annoying morning sickness to unbearable mood swings affecting your mental health, you will have a handful of trivial challenges to deal with.

Below are some sure-shot coping strategies that can help you stay happy during pregnancy, that can help you stay ahead of other issues and be unconditionally happy:

1. Be Yourself:

Pregnancy is special. No matter how bogged down you are with other thoughts, it is important to just ‘be’.

• Being in the situation and connecting with your baby helps you tackle other problems more effectively.
• As the most important thing for you would be your baby, everything will look worth struggling for.
• Drawing on gratitude and being innately happy while addressing smaller issues comes naturally once you are yourself.

2. Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle:

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Lifestyle affects the way you are and the way you operate in everyday life.

• An active lifestyle that is healthy and productive always does more good.
• Once you are pregnant, there is every chance that clumsiness would set in.
• You would start feeling more lethargic and lazy than before.
• Making a conscious attempt to follow a healthy routine impacts your thinking to a great extent.
• The more you prioritize nutrition and staying fit, the more you will start developing healthy and happy thoughts.
• A healthy life makes way for a healthy mind!

Point to consider

Make nutritious food choices and prioritize healthy snacking. For instance, swap potato chips with dried beans or roasted chickpeas or opt for a smoothie instead of ice cream (7).

3. Stay Away From Negative People:

Some people and situations are often referred to as ‘toxic’ because of the way they make you feel.

• Hanging around with people who are pessimists and surviving in an environment that is laden with hopelessness is a huge disaster if you are pregnant.
• Stay away from negative words, thoughts and actions, and most importantly, people who demonstrate them.
• This is not the right time to engage in additional stress and burden your mind and heart, neglecting the importance of stress management.

4. Yoga And Meditation:

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For decades, practicing relaxation techniques like yoga and meditation has proved to be a boon to pregnant women.

• Undergo a good yoga session with a trained professional as part of your prenatal classes to achieve the much-required mindfulness.
• You will begin to feel rejuvenated, strong, and happy.
• The breathing exercises are said to release emotional toxins and rebuild your thinking pattern.
• Try to spend at least 30 minutes every day doing yoga and meditation. You will find a huge difference in the way you feel.

Quick tip

Opt for prenatal yoga classes that teach modified poses, which are designed to accommodate a pregnant woman’s shifting balance (8).

5. Maintain A Journal:

It would be exciting to record how you feel and what you experience during pregnancy.

• These memories recorded in text and video forms go on to become lifetime memories.
• Spend more time writing down the first experiences; the first kick, the first contraction, the first baby shower, etc.
• Shoot videos that interest you.
• You may want to show off all these memoirs to your child years after his or her arrival.

6. Treat Others Kindly:

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Treating others kindly may at times become testy, thanks to the horrendous mood swings influencing your pregnancy emotions.

• You will be easily irked and emotional during a few phases while you are pregnant.
• Understand that this is not your fault.
• At the same time, do not demonstrate your irritated side to those around you.
• Try and control your random impulses. It may be tough to do so, but treating others badly will also end up making you feel guilty and unhappy.

7. Enjoy All That Preparation:

Before the arrival of your baby, you will be busy making plans.

• Right from arranging the nursery to shopping for pregnancy and your baby, you will be full of excitement as you plan and sort things.
• Enjoy all the baby preparations to the fullest.
• Relish all the joyful moments as you expand on your needs and that of your baby’s.

Point to consider

Do thorough research before buying any new nursery product. Look for the most up-to-date recommendations from trusted organizations and read product reviews.

8. Pamper Yourself:

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This is the perfect time to rest all your worries and indulge.

• Make sure you keep appointments of spa and body massage.
• Get that long intended body toning and pedicure rituals.
• Once your baby arrives, you will not be as lucky with free time as you are now.
• You will be amazed at the kind of pleasure and relief that comes with some beauty therapy.

Catherine Lesinaivalu, a mother and blogger, fondly reminisces about the self-care rituals she embraced during her pregnancy. She shares, “I would enjoy long baths with my favorite body wash, rubbing my tummy with scented local oils from the Suva City Market/Vitamin E lotions, walking, prenatal yoga and squatting, massaging my feet and lower back with medicated oils for the aches and pains, date nights, elevate my legs and talk to baby or play soft music (i).”

9. Delegate Work:

Most times, pregnant women feel like they are lone warriors set to take over the oncoming duty of motherhood.

• This kind of self-burdening is of no benefit, except straining you both physically and emotionally.
• Feel free to ask for help and delegate work to the people in your home, while maintaining good communication with your partner.
• In case you are a single mother, identify those select friends of yours who will come helpful in times of crisis post-delivery.
• Delegating a bit of work to others will enable you to focus on spending more time with your baby.

10. Breathe:

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Breathing deeply rushes in powerful thoughts that result in equally promising actions.

• The more you focus on your breath and settle down, the more relaxed you will be at the time of labor and childbirth.
• What more, breathing goes a long way in helping you get rid of negative thoughts and challenges like postpartum depression.
• These simple tips are quite effective in enriching you with happy feelings and a positive mindset.

Quick tip

Educate yourself about your birth facilities, enjoy healthy delicacies, speak to fellow mothers, and seek support (when needed) to enjoy a smooth pregnancy.

Infographic: Effective Ways On Being Happy During Pregnancy

To improve your happiness during pregnancy, prioritize taking care of yourself. This includes eating nutritious meals, exercising regularly, and getting enough sleep. In addition, make time for activities that bring you joy and focus on the excitement of welcoming your baby. For more valuable tips, check out the infographic below.

Illustration: Momjunction Design Team

It is important for a mother and baby to be very happy during pregnancy. Learn how to manage stress with the tips and advice in this helpful video.

Image: Stable Diffusion/MomJunction Design Team

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Dr. Sadhvi MythiliMBBS, Psychiatrist

With a passion for reading and understanding about the human mind and how it functions, Dr Sadhvi Mythili took up Psychiatry after completing her graduation in Medicine from Kakatiya Medical College, Telangana. She pursued post graduation from the prestigious Asha Hospital.

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shreeja pillaiMSc

Shreeja holds a postgraduate degree in Chemistry and diploma in Drug Regulatory Affairs from the University of Mumbai. Before joining MomJunction, she worked as a research analyst with a leading multinational pharmaceutical company.

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Rebecca MalachiBSc

Rebecca is a pregnancy writer and editor with a passion for delivering research-based and engaging content in areas of fertility, pregnancy, birth, and post-pregnancy. She did her graduation in Biotechnology and Genetics from Loyola Academy, Osmania University and obtained a certification in ‘Nutrition and Lifestyle in Pregnancy’ from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU).

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Apoorva KMSc (Counseling Psychology)

Apoorva is a certified psychological counselor and NLP practitioner. The assistant professor-turned-writer believes that her experience as a teacher, psychologist, and researcher enables her to guide MomJunction readers on child development and mental health.

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