There is no denying the fact that you are going to be under additional stress in the midst of an unplanned/crisis pregnancy. You suddenly find your self pregnant and now have many decisions to make about not only you future but your baby’s future. Add the added pressure of the holiday season, which is stressful all by itself and you are probably finding yourself in a stressed out frenzy!

Some of the signs of stress are also common in pregnancy so it might be a little hard to know if you are feeling stressed or if it is just normal pregnancy related problems, but I think women’s intuition lets us know that it truly is stress. However, if you are undecided on whether what you may be experiencing is stress or not, here are a few signs of stress.

• Sleeplessness - lack of sleep is a common complaint during pregnancy as anyone who is - or has been - pregnant will tell you. In early pregnancy you're up and down to the toilet every ten minutes, whilst in later pregnancy just trying to get into a position comfortable enough to sleep in is a challenge. However, if you can't sleep because you're dwelling on problems and worries then this is a sign of stress.



• Headaches - many women complain of frequent headaches during pregnancy and it's thought they are caused by increased levels of progesterone which open up the blood vessels in your head. However, headaches that are caused by stress are usually because the muscles in your neck and shoulders have tightened, causing tension in your scalp, which in turn leads to a tension headache.



• Appetite - changes in your appetite are not unusual during pregnancy, even to the extent of eating weird and wonderful substances in a bid to satisfy overwhelming cravings. However, if you're suffering from stress you may find that you don't want to eat anything at all, or perhaps you eat more than usual, or turn to 'comfort foods' such as sweets and chocolate.



• Upset stomach - many women develop indigestion, especially in later pregnancy. Whether this upset is anything to do with the amount of hair on your baby's head is debatable. However, nausea, diarrhea and vomiting are all common symptoms of stress and differ from the indigestion-like complaints in many pregnancies.

To be continued.....

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