Looking after your mental health during pregnancy

Speak to your partner or talk to your friends and family about how you feel. Don’t be afraid to reach out for support. Talking through your worries can help a great deal.

Whilst you are preparing to give birth, it's important to get as much rest as you can. This might be easier said than done, but try to take advantage of breaks where possible, or let your partner help if they are at home with you.

Try and focus on the here and now. Each day is exciting enough when you’re preparing for life with a baby. Don’t worry too much about the future and things you can’t control. Maybe keep the news to a minimum, stick to trusted news sources and maybe just check them once a day. Social media can be a great way of finding positive stories and can be a way to access peer support.

If you can, set aside a short time each day where you can get away from noise and distractions and be calm and peaceful. You could try some breathing exercises, or just sit quietly cradling your bump. This video from Tiny Happy People shows you how.

Don’t feel guilty about shelving things that aren’t that important. Do you really need to repaint that room? Will your friend really mind if you don’t go for the whole of her hen party? Being pregnant is the perfect excuse to take things a bit easy.

You can find more tips like this to help with mental wellbeing on the Tiny Happy People website.