by Miranda Miller-Smith

Created on: March 18, 2010   Last Updated: March 19, 2010

Pregnancy is a time of change. Your body is changing, your life is changing, and in many cases your relationships are changing. It is only natural for a woman to be emotional during such an exciting and trying time in her life. Trust me, I would know. As I write this I am in my third trimester. I am at that stage where I am counting down the days   until I meet my little one.

As we all know hormones have a lot to do with the sometimes unexpected outpouring of emotions a woman experiences during her pregnancy. I believe that is not the only cause for such strong bursts of emotion. As I stated earlier life is changing for you! This can be scary, overwhelming, and joyous and to put it in plain and simple terms: strange!

So, why is it okay to be emotional during a pregnancy you might ask? Well, for starters, you are only human, right? There is no reason it should not be okay for anyone to be emotional at any time during their life. Displaying emotion is one of the things that set us apart from animal and plant life.

You are creating another life, how miraculous is that? In my opinion that right there is justification for anyone who disagrees and says it is not okay to be emotional while pregnant.

Dealing with how your body is changing can be stressful. There are days when I catch a glimpse of my reflection and it takes everything I have in me not to cry. I am so much larger now than I was 6 months ago. I look like I swallowed a beach ball, my feet are sore, my ankles are swollen, and my breasts are like melons or something. It is overwhelming! Then I wonder how will I ever get my pre-baby body back? That is another can of worms. Let’s just not go there!

The way my relationships are changing is also a cause for emotional outbursts at times. My husband one minute won’t let me lift a gallon of milk, then the next minute he is unable to help me with things I need help with, the lack of a sex life is enough to frustrate me to no end. My mom who has never been super involved in my life is now like my shadow, and my friends exclude me from so many of the fun activities they are engaging in. I feel like an outcast at times. So, when I feel seriously emotional, I remind myself. Hey, such is life! I am entitled to feel however I happen to feel, it is not a crime to be emotional during pregnancy, in fact it is healthy to release all of those feelings. If you were to hold onto all of those emotions, you would find your life to become even more stressful than it probably already is. Stress is not healthy for you or the baby. Let it go, breathe and don’t feel guilty for feeling however you feel.

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