3 Tips to Cope With Prenatal Anxiety and Panic Attacks
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When I was pregnant, I Googled if I was hurting my baby by not breathing during a panic attack — more than once.
My prenatal anxiety sky-rocketed around the second trimester due to life stresses and my personal history of anxiety. But now whatever was happening in my body also affected another person. My baby.
This fact created even more anxiety, making it hard to calm down during a panic attack.
I don’t want that for you, mama.
I want you to know how panic attacks during pregnancy affect your baby.
What is a panic attack?
Let’s start with the definition — what is a panic attack?
Mayo Clinic defines a panic attack as “a sudden episode of intense fear that triggers severe physical reactions when there is no real danger or apparent cause”.
Though there’s no seen cause of the panic, the mind perceives a dangerous situation or a loss of control, leading to overwhelming fear. Often, the person is immobilized in this fear and cannot think rationally.
Related: 4 Expert Tips on How to Calm Anxiety During Pregnancy
Symptoms of a panic attack
A panic attack lasts 5 to 10 minutes, though one can sometimes last up to 20 minutes. It might look like feeling:
- Intense worrying or fear
- Unable to breathe or irregular breathing
- Heart palpitations
- Upset stomach
- Sweating or chills
- Dizzy
- Chest pain
What is the difference between a panic attack and an anxiety attack?
Anxiety attacks build up slower than panic attacks do. Often, panic attacks have more intense symptoms. They happen unexpectedly and often involve terrifying physical symptoms, such as
- Loss of breath or irregular breathing
- Heart palpitations
- Feeling like you’re going crazy
- A perceived loss of control
- Feeling like you are about to die
What does a panic attack feel like while pregnant?
You might be surprised that panic attacks are not that different when you’re pregnant.
The loss of breath that comes with pregnancy is common. Although, when the loss of breath is combined with extreme worry or a feeling like you are about to die, it is a panic attack.
They might be even more intense while you’re pregnant because you fear the baby’s safety, adding to the fear and worry that initiated the panic attack.
Why am I crying and hyperventilating while pregnant?
Crying during pregnancy is normal — when it’s within reason. Pregnancy and postpartum emotions are turbulent, causing both joyful and sadness tears.
Related: How Much Crying Is Too Much In Pregnancy?
If your crying begins to interfere with your day-to-day life, then there might be a larger issue than the hormones.
This might look like:
- The inability to do a task without crying
- Difficulty concentrating
- A strong urge to stay in bed or sleep all day
- Loss of appetite
Hyperventilating during pregnancy happens when we cry too much or too hard. We are already out of breath from a baby on our lungs, but strong emotions can take the remaining breath we have.
When you are hyperventilating, it’s important to regulate yourself and your breathing patterns. After all your oxygen is delivered to your baby, too, and you both need it!
How do you treat a panic attack while pregnant?
Common treatment methods for panic disorder or panic attacks include:
- Talking to someone you trust (a friend, family member, or healthcare provider)
- Beginning cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or another therapeutic treatment
- Practicing relaxation and breathing techniques frequently
- Utilizing coping mechanisms to find which works best for you
- Taking care of yourself – diet, exercise, mental wellness, and rest
What about when you are in the middle of a panic attack? How do you deal with a panic attack while it’s happening?
What to do when having a panic attack during pregnancy
If you are in the middle of a panic attack, chances are you aren’t on the Internet reading this post. It’s important to memorize these coping strategies, so you can recall them as the attack is happening.
My typical method is an easy-to-remember and an easier-to-implement acronym.
Think: BRR!
Learn more about The BRR Method and download the FREE booklet here!
1. Breathing
It’s easy to overlook breathing techniques since they are recommended often. But breathing techniques are recommended so much because they work!
By focusing on your breathing, you are turning your thoughts from worries to breaths. Plus, you’re regulating your breathing pattern and calming yourself down!
A few simple breathing techniques include:
- Inhale for 5 seconds. Hold for 5 seconds. Exhale for 5 seconds. Repeat.
- Close your eyes and focus on your breathing. Inhale through your nose and exhale out of your mouth.
- Place your hand on your stomach. Deeply inhale and exhale while feeling your hand move up and down with your stomach.
2. Rooting
Rooting, or grounding, can be extremely effective in calming yourself down after you practice it.
This can look like:
- Envisioning roots extending from your feet to the ground, following their path in your mind.
- Laying flat on the floor. Picturing roots growing from each body part, starting with your head and moving towards your toes.
Think:
- What colors are the roots?
- How wide are they?
- Are they spiraly? Lengthy? Twiggy?
- Where are they eventually leading to?
3. Rationalizing
Start distracting your mind with rational thoughts that you know subconsciously. These are the things you learned in kindergarten.
- Count as high as you can.
- Name every body part starting from head to toe.
- Sing the alphabet repeatedly.
This is pretty embarrassing. Since you’re my friend, I’ll still share this with you.
I hate shots. Multiple nurses had to hold me still at the pediatrician because I couldn’t stay still on my own during a shot. When I was 15 (yes – I was still fighting shots at that age), I started to recite Bella’s monologue from Twilight when she figures out that Edward is a vampire.
I still can recite it from memory today because I know it so well. What’s something you know so well that you can immediately recall during times of distress?
Download your BRR Method to start coping with mama anxiety!
Should I go to ER for a panic attack?
A trip to the ER isn’t necessary for a panic attack until it’s something you absolutely cannot calm down from.
If after practicing multiple coping strategies you are still struggling, you might need to go to the ER.
What triggers a panic attack?
It can be hard to recognize what triggers a panic attack. Being more aware of the attacks and reflecting on what led up to them is important. Write down your thoughts and observations after each panic attack. You might notice a pattern over time, which can help you in preventing panic attacks while pregnant.
Causes for pregnancy panic attacks
Causes for panic attacks or prenatal anxiety could be:
- A personal or family history of panic attacks or anxiety
- Huge life stresses (in fact pregnancy can be a life stress by itself!)
- You’re more affected by stress
- You are more aware of and inclined to experience negative emotions
Related: How Finances Cause Anxiety and Depression for New Moms
Can you have a panic attack for no reason?
At first look, it might appear that there’s “no reason” for a panic attack. They seem to come out of nowhere suddenly.
However, we know that the body holds onto stress even when the mind isn’t thinking about it. A great book on this is The Body Keeps The Score! I highly recommend it. We might not know the reason for our panic attack, but there always is one. Our body knows the reason.
5 Tips for Preventing Panic Attacks
- Avoid large amounts of caffeine and alcohol
- Practice a mindfulness technique or coping mechanism consistently
Grab your BRR opt in
- Regularly exercise to relieve stress
- Eat a well-balanced diet
- Consider therapy
How panic attacks during pregnancy affect your baby
A panic attack here and there won’t hurt your baby if you’re pregnant. However, the danger lies in consistent stress or anxiety for pregnant moms.
Expecting moms are more susceptible to stress because of their changing hormones. A pregnant mom like you might worry about how the baby is developing or if you are doing the right things while carrying the baby or whether or not you will be a good mom. There’s also significant life stresses surrounding a pregnancy, such as financial pressures or relationship changes.
Related: Good Moms Have Scary Thoughts (& What to Do Next)
These worries can take a toll on both mom and baby if they are continuous. With treatment and support, new moms can cope with their anxiety in order to prevent any harm to their developing baby.
Build your postpartum support team and start preventing anxiety with this FREE template!
Can panic attacks cause miscarriage?
Enviornmental factors can cause miscarriage, but these are things like tobacco, alcohol, or marijuana use. While a mom suffering from anxiety or panic attacks could be more inclined to use substances, the panic attacks themselves don’t cause pregnancy loss.
Related: What to Know About Postpartum After Miscarriage
The Truth About Panic Attacks During Pregnancy
The truth is panic attacks aren’t your fault.
Mama guilt starts before birth, and it’s a hard thing to cope with. But heightened anxiety and the experience of panic attacks aren’t something for you to feel guilty about.
Mood disorders happen.
However, treating the symptoms and creating a support team can make all the difference.
Did you experience panic attacks while pregnant? What tips seemed to help you?
Very interesting! Anxiety during pregnancy can be very difficult, i love your tips especially rooting. Thank you so much for sharing this post
I’m glad Rooting resonated with you! Let me know if you try that method out 🙂