Pregnant and feeling anxious? Seven techniques that can help

If in normal times many women are afraid before giving birth, now during wartime, they are even more so, as they hear about the terrible tragedies and the sirens blaring across the country. Even women who are not on the confrontation line may experience these feelings, and they are only natural. “It’s important to understand that fear is a natural response that helps us cope in the face of a real or imagined threat. The emotional mind activates the stress and survival response as a flight or fight defense mechanism so that the central nervous system immediately shifts into emergency mode. That’s why in a stressful and anxiety-ridden time, you may feel your heart beat faster, your blood pressure increase, you might sweat, breathe rapidly and experience other symptoms as well,” said Alona Solomonov, a certified midwife and CBT therapist at Hillel Yaffe Medical Center.

Below are seven techniques to alleviate stress and anxiety that you can use at any given time:

1. Breathing - Diaphragmatic breathing is an effective and simple way to relax. You need to breathe slowly and as deeply as possible, depending on your stage of pregnancy. Place one hand on your chest and the other on your stomach. Inhale while counting slowly to 4, and exhale with your lips pursed, like exhaling into a straw, while counting slowly to 6. Repeat these steps for two minutes.
2. Relaxation - Sit or lay down in a comfortable position. Focus on your breathing for a minute or two. Close your eyes, and try to imagine something pleasant, a trip or any encounter that made you feel good or you would like to experience. While imagining, look around you and pay attention to what you see. What plants are there? What scents do you smell? What colors do you see? Do you see the sun, stars, moon?
3. Exercise - Make sure to take a walk or any other physical activity that is suitable for your stage of pregnancy. 
4. Knowledge - The expression “knowledge is power” is not an empty statement. Knowledge helps alleviate anxiety. Before giving birth, it is advisable to attend childbirth education classes, whether they are face-to-face or online, to go on a preliminary tour of where you plan to have your baby, especially if you are moving to a new and unfamiliar place. If you feel you are lacking any information, it is important that you get it from a certified staff member and do not rely on a friend, neighbor or information you find online.
5. Try to avoid unpleasant childbirth stories - They can lead to anxiety. Remember that it is okay for you to say that you do not want to hear other women’s childbirth stories.
6. Sharing - discuss your feelings with your partner, a friend or relative. Do not be alone.
7. If you have any doubt - then there is no doubt - if you feel emotional stress that is making it difficult for you to function, it is important that you contact a professional, who can help you cope with your feelings.

In short, this difficult period may increase your level of anxiety and, therefore, it is advisable to do a few simple things to alleviate these feelings, either through relaxation and breathing or through a supportive conversation. Hillel Yaffe Medical Center offers CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) for pregnant women who are fearful and anxious. The therapy is provided by a midwife who is CBT certified. If you are experiencing anxiety or feel the need to share and receive information from a certified professional, please contact us by e-mail: [email protected]