Dealing With My Pregnancy Hormones – Its Laura Kate

Let’s talk about coping with pregnancy hormones. The last few weeks have left me feeling quite low, and I think honesty matters here. After everything it took to reach this point, I assumed I’d feel nothing but joy – so the low mood arrived with a hefty helping of guilt.

The first trimester brings an enormous hormonal shift. hCG, progesterone and oestrogen climb quickly, and for lots of us that surfaces as exhaustion, nausea, tears and swinging moods. Understanding why I felt that way didn’t banish it, but it did help me stop turning on myself.

What Has Helped Me Through the First Trimester

There’s no magic cure, but these little daily habits have genuinely helped me.

Eating little and often

Going too long without food makes my nausea and my mood both worse. I keep easy snacks nearby – oatcakes with nut butter, yoghurt with berries, a boiled egg – and aim for some protein and fibre each time to keep my blood sugar more even, a habit I learned to prioritise with PCOS.

Rest without guilt

Growing a baby is tiring work. I’ve stopped battling the afternoon slump and now lie down whenever I can. The housework isn’t going anywhere.

Gentle movement and fresh air

A slow walk or half an hour pottering about the garden lifts my mood more than I ever expect – every single time. Getting my hands in the soil is my favourite form of therapy.

Talking about it

Opening up to my husband, a close friend and my midwife brought the biggest relief of all. Saying “I’m struggling” out loud stripped away much of its power.

Feeling low during pregnancy doesn’t make you ungrateful. It makes you human.

If your low mood lingers for more than a couple of weeks, keeps you from enjoying things, or you have thoughts of harming yourself, please talk to your midwife or GP as soon as you can. Antenatal depression is common, and support is there for you.

This post shares my own experience and is not medical advice.