Pregnancy and postpartum: how to manage the concern of expectant mothers in the time of the Coronavirus

Pregnancy and postpartum: how to manage the concern of expectant mothers in the time of the Coronavirus
Fonte: shutterstock

Coronavirus and anxiety in pregnancy

Pregnancy and postpartum are some of the most exciting moments in a woman's life. These are phases of enormous changes that can lead to the onset of worries and anxious experiences that perhaps were not present before. 





The spread of the Covid-19 epidemic around the world in a short time has meant that uncertainty and fear have taken over positive emotions. 

These negative emotions during pregnancy and postpartum can be amplifiedThis is because the hormonal, social, psychological and biological changes that these life stages bring with them make women more vulnerable to stress and anxiety. 

What are the main fears of new and future mothers and what are the strategies to fight perinatal anxiety from covid-19? We asked the doctor for help Ylenia Barone, psychiatrist of the Perinatal Psychopathology Service of Humanitas San Pio X.

In this article

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Anxiety in pregnancy and post partum

Pregnancy and post partum: why can these two phases of life already bring about anxious experiences under "normal" conditions?

"They already normally represent moments of profound change in a woman's life: hormonal factors are in fact involved, but also changes of a psychological nature", explains Dr. Barone. 



Something new is about to happen: "Having gods mild anxiety levels during this time are normal and in some ways it is also important, because it prepares the woman for childbirth and for the experience of motherhood.

However, concerns must be contained within a normal range. ”When they tend to be excessive and pervasive, the alarm bell must sound.

"It is very common to have an anxiety disorder at the time of peripartum: the scientific literature tells us that 1 in 5 pregnant women suffers from it. intervene when the functional limit is exceeded, or when these fears and anxieties become invalidating the daily routine and alter a woman's normal functioning: in this case we are no longer talking about normal worries but about an anxiety spectrum disorder that needs treatment by a specialist ".

How are they amplified by the Coronavirus emergency?

"This period is special for all of us: it is already experienced with fear and concern because we are faced with something uncertain. In addition, in the last few weeks our daily life has been upset, and this increases the state of worry. The peripartum, which is already of high psychic vulnerability, predisposes to have these anxieties related to the coronavirus more present, incisive and in some cases disabling ".



Read also: Anxiety in pregnancy, 4 tips to manage it

The most frequent anxieties of mothers

What are the most frequent anxieties of mothers?

  • Being a suitable mother

  • That the child has no anomalies

  • That there are no terminations of pregnancy

  • The fear of childbirth

Post partum concerns: 

  • The health of the child and his safety

  • Have adequate support

Anxiety in pregnancy and postpartum at the time of the Coronavirus

In this period the concerns described above are more focused on the issue of the virus:

  • Pregnant women fear that contracting the virus may have a negative prognosis for pregnancy 

  • The concern is also related to the topic of routine visits: whether they are confirmed or unconfirmed, whether going to the hospital is safe

  • In post partum, concerns are related to the aspect of breastfeeding, if it is safe in this pandemic condition

  • Fears are also linked to the fact that the newborn may contract the virus during hospital visits

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Reflections and practical anti anxiety advice for pregnant women in the time of the Coronavirus

"First of all, it is essential to reassure women that sgetting scared during a pandemic is normalThey do not have an anxiety disorder, it is a condition that affects everyone right now. Women who have good resilience are favored, while those with a more anxious basic personality will be more predisposed to have higher levels of anxiety and will have to work a little harder to maintain a minimum of serenity ".

Here are some suggestions for dealing with this period with more tools:

  1. SCIENTIFIC DATA. "The virus is new, there are not yet many studies on the subject but what we know so far about children but also about pregnant and breastfeeding women could reassure us".
  2. EXTERNAL. "Don't keep it all inside - one thing that can be of great help is talking about your concerns with your partner and family."
  3. DO NOT RELY ON DOCTOR GOOGLE. "Whenever medical doubts related to pregnancy arise, absolutely do not look for the answers on the Internet or worse on social networks. Talk to your gynecologist, if you have children, contact the pediatrician, for elderly people there is a family doctor ".
  4. HEALTHY LIFESTYLE. "While pregnant it helps a lot - not only in times of pandemics - to try to lead a healthy lifestyle: regular sleep, maintaining rhythms that we had before, a correct diet, where possible to do a minimum of physical exercise. 'WHO, which also have a beneficial effect on stress ".
  5. REMEMBER THE LITTLE ONE IN THE WOMAN. "It is okay to express and externalize anxiety, but we must try to convey feelings of tranquility to the baby. Being too worried harms the child himself."
  6. ORGANIZE THE BEDROOM. "Are you locked up at home? Take advantage of this period to think and organize the bedroom, the stock of rompers, to wash and iron all the things that friends and relatives have lent you. Make the bag to take to the hospital, paint a wall with some stencil: all useful and relaxing activities, which keep you focused on the future and not on the anguish of the present ".
  7. GO INTO DETAIL. "Make the most of the time to devote to reading in a constructive way, dedicating yourself to deepen your future role as parents. There are many suitable volumes, such as" Sorry but my mother is me "by Giorgia Cozza or" Organized and happy "by Daniele Novara, but also the volumes of TBBrazelton: "The child from 0 to 3 years" and "The child from 3 to 6 years". You can also fill in the pregnancy diary or that of the baby ".
  8. YOGA AND MINDFULNESS. "Exercise is a powerful anti-stress: prenatal yoga, muscle relaxation and mindfulness exercises are ideal. Just look for some tutorials on the Internet, many sports centers are gearing up. Mindfulness helps to live one day at a time, savoring the positive things that that day manages to give us ".
  9. ANTI-STRESS KITCHEN. "Cooking, freezing sauces for when you return home with the baby and you won't have time to cook, learn new recipes for weaning: this is another useful activity that can release tension".
Read also: 7 Mindfulness Exercises

Concrete help strategies: reflections and practical anti-anxiety advice for new mothers in the time of the Coronavirus

For women who have recently given birth, everything we have said above and other precautions applies: 

  1. WITH THE BABY. "If you have a baby to take care of, you need to take advantage of this period to create a good" mother-child relationship "which will be fundamental in its growth. Try as much as possible to give it peace of mind and security".
  2. IF THERE ARE OTHER CHILDREN IN THE HOUSE. "The little brothers or sisters can be involved in small practical tasks of caring for the newborn, such as handing you the wipes for the change. This forced coexistence can help to establish a bond between them too". 
  3. SMALL DAILY CUDDLES. "Set aside half an hour to do simple things like watch a movie, take a hot bath, take care of yourself. It helps a lot in stress management."
  4. UPDATE BUT WITHOUT "INDIGESTION". "It is essential to update yourself daily on what is happening in the world but not compulsively, because this amplifies the anguish. Spend half an hour a day reading the news, not in the evening".

The interviewee

Ylenia Barone is a psychiatrist of the Perinatal Psychopathology Service of Humanitas San Pio X.

TAG:
  • coronavirus
  • after childbirth
  • anxiety
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