The Strategies..
• Exercise is a good way to control
stress. An hour everyday at the gym,
jogging or bike riding does wonders. Now you still
have time but once the baby arrives, you will
have very little time to do anything else so take
advantage of the free time and freedom that you
now have to de-stress by exercising perhaps.
• Your male friends with children
can become another avenue of encouragement. Get
advice from them, joke with them, check with them
on how they felt during low times and how they
dealt with those phases. Most importantly remember
that such feelings are legitimate and you are
not alone in this.
• Keep doing regular normal things
is another approach to manage stress instead of
taking the other extreme. Stick to your regular
routine as long as it works for you. Begin your
day as always, going to work and putting in the
required hours, meeting the same people and from
there heading back home to your family. Although
it may seem monotonous, the predictable routine
can be comforting in this constantly changing
world.
| Keep
the due date in mind especially when
planning your outings or when you
need to travel for work. You need
to stay close to home base for at
least 1-2 months before the baby is
due. Both you and your partner will
not feel comfortable otherwise. |
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• Take a night off and go out with
the guys. Do guy things with your buddies.
Communicate this need with your partner; she will
understand and may even encourage you to go. An
occasional outing with your friends may rev you
up - in fact encourage your partner to have her
friends or mum over or if she is up to it, to
go out with her group of friends.
• Don't be hard on yourself;
not everyone is skilled at the same kind of tasks.
A lot of hard work is involved when building a
family. Don't do things you are uncomfortable
with because that's what you are 'supposed to
do'. Do the work you are equipped to do well and
you will make a worthwhile contribution to your
pregnancy. For example if you can't cook for nuts,
don't force yourself into the kitchen. Instead
take over the food shopping. Focus on contributions
that make you feel good and then you are likely
to do it well.
• Be honest with yourself and your
partner. Resentment will build for having
to act in a way that is not you. Trust your emotions
and allow yourself to be who you are and feel
the way you do without external pressure to be
otherwise. Be vocal about the difficulties you
face. For example if you don't feel comfortable
going to the doctor's office, let it be known
instead of making up excuses. By explaining your
fears to your partner, you are helping her to
understand you better.
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