How to destress during pregnancy

Pregnancy impacts different women differently, but one fallout most to-be-mothers experience is pregnancy stress. Hence, we spoke with Dr. Manju Hotchandani, Obstetrics and Gynecologist from Moolchand Women's Hospital, and asked her to throw some light on the subject. "Gone are the days when women were expected to handle only household responsibilities; today women are supposed to multi-task. In this process, she gets stressed without even realizing it. During this stage of life every women goes through several physical and psychological changes. In addition, professional commitment could be more stressful and harmful," says Dr. Hotchandani. Here are some of her ideas for relaxing and avoiding stress during pregnancy. Root cause: Try to take things lightly; take breaks from work and try to find out what the triggers and actual reasons of stress are. Stress is a result of useless worry and anxiety. Life is fickle, take it with a pinch of salt and you will see life clearly. When at work, listen to your body and take adequate breaks, ease yourself and it will also help you up your ante at work. Sleep like a baby: Sleep for at least eight hours every night. During pregnancy, your body needs proper rest to relieve the physical stresses and to give your mind a break. Sleep it off and rejuvenate your body. Your body has to work for the functioning of two people, so relieve physical and mental stress, stop thinking too hard and sleep. Practise deep breathing, visualisation and other relaxation techniques to free your mind of daily troubles an hour or so before hitting the sack. Eat healthy: Eat a good breakfast; regular meals and a healthy, balanced diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables. Stressed out, then eat your way through it...but make wise healthy choices when it comes to foods. There are several veggies and fruits that reduce stress. Your doctor will recommend a nutritious and balanced diet and your spouse and/or partner must help you stick to it. Say No to a love that's bad for you: Caffeine causes a physiological stress response so avoid its excessive and repetitive intake. This is 'the' drink that will get you through the day and could very well be your way of de-stressing, but this stimulant is a complete no no for your body. Fight the urge during pregnancy. Exercise your body and mind: Get involved in deep breathing practices, light exercises, enjoy nature, and listen to music. Connect with body, connect with nature, connect with inner being. Exercise is one of the ways to ensure a stress free delivery; there are different exercises which can be done in the comfort of your home. Set your mind free too, listen to soothing music or watch fun videos. Relax: Learn some relaxation techniques; this can help you sleep better and relieve stress-related physical pains such as stomach pains and headaches. Most hormonal changes at this stage of your life are linked to stress management. Relaxing and exericsing are your most useful weapons to fight abnormal stress build up. Acquired knowledge: When a woman learns that she is expecting, one of the biggest reasons for stress is the lack of knowledge - what will birth and parenthood be like? Get acquainted with what parenthood involves. Enroll in pre-natal parenting classes and talk to friends who have gone through it too. Becoming aware of your future life as a parent, and your current state of pregnancy is half the battle won. When you choose to be aware, you will find that most of your worries were baseless.