5 Ways to Reduce Stress When Trying to Get Pregnant

(Other than punching people who tell you, you just need to relax)

 Most women have been told, for most of their life, that getting pregnant is super easy and could happen at any time if we are not careful. Nobody really seems to talk about what happens when it is not easy.  So, it is often a shock creating lots of confusion, uncertainty, and stress...

And even when you expect getting pregnant to be challenging it can still be really stressful.

There is so much information to sift through and there can be lots of expectations and pressure you might be feeling from yourself or others.

While simply “relaxing” is often an impossible an unhelpful notion there are ways in which you can reduce stress while trying to conceive to make this journey a little easier.

1. Befriend Your Body:

It can be really easy to feel angry at your body, but if you can befriend you body and be kind to it by exercising, meditating, feeding yourself nutritious foods, and getting a massage are all ways you can gratefully reduce stress. Think of yourself as a cheerleader for your body imagining all the amazing things it has done it and that it can still do.

2. Acknowledge the Sense of Loss and Anger you Might be feeling
Holding onto feelings or telling yourself you should feel a certain way can often make you feel worse. Trying to get pregnant can bring up a lot of intense emotions because it is really hard! Let yourself be sad or angry or jealous. Talk about what you are feeling or channel these emotions into writing, making art, hitting a punching bag or pillow, or letting yourself have a good cry. The important things is to get them out so you’re not holding onto them.

3. Re-balance

If your life has started to revolve around getting pregnant, that can put a lot of pressure on yourself and potentially your partner and it may not be a particularly fun way to live. Finding some activities that allow you to continue to live your life so you are not holding your breath every month will help to give you some balance and breathing room. There is space for getting pregnant and for continuing to live life as well.

4. Reach Out to Others Who Understand

It can be really hard to talk about trying to get pregnant, family and friends may not “get it” or they may create more stress with expectations and questions. Talking to others who have been through it can be both reassuring and help you talk about your feelings and struggles without feeling judged.  The Resolve Organization has great support groups and resources for connecting with others.

5. Control What You Can- Make A Plan

Unfortunately, there is only so much we can control. Focus on what you can control, acknowledge that you have done all you can and then make a plan for how you can take care of yourself. For example, if you need structure during the two week wait create a plan for what you can do everyday to help manage stress. If you plan to test decide how and where you want to do it and what you might do for each outcome.