Pregnancy? Stress? Of course!

If you are pregnant, but not stressed, you aren't fully awake for the day yet! Pregnancy in and of itself is stressful. But adding other factors...like the pregnancy being unplanned, or having financial struggles, or other children to care for, or all of the above, this is a stressful time! Here are some tips for reducing stress in your life and pregnancy.

1. Look closely at your lifestyle. Are there changes you could make to take some pressure off?
2.Prepare to cut back...eventually. Even if you can maintain your current schedule or demands, as the pregnancy progresses, you will need to be smart about extra cirricular activities. Get more sleep. Rest between activities. Allow yourself some time to think; to consider all options for this baby.

3.Be in charge of your mind. Decide now that you - not your mom, friend, or boss - are in charge of your thoughts. You are going to determine how you feel about this pregnancy and how your will deal with the outcome and its possibilities. Certainly listen to the advice of both medical professionals and friends and family members that you trust. But don't allow yourself to be made to feel bad by the well-intentioned but often incorrect comments and opinions of others.

4.Communicate! People that love you are not mind readers. Communicate your feelings, thoughts and needs.

5. Do your homework! Learn as much as you can about pregnancy, child birth, and adoption. We can help! You can call our birth mother line any time with questions and concerns. And once you're in our program, your counselor is available to you, too, to openly and honestly discuss your feelings and worries.

6. Give yourself a break! Take advantage of spare moments you can sleep, read, have a bubble bath, watch a movie. This is an important time of life, and you deserve a break now and then!