Have you heard of the term cyber anxiety? We all know how it goes. Now that you’re pregnant, everyone wants to tell you how it is (ie: the horror of labor and breastfeeding, the pains of late pregnancy, the absence of romance post-birth, etc). You then go searching online to see if their points are any valid. You might stay on the web for a long, long time looking at ALL the articles.
As you can imagine, the folks online are mostly writing opinion pieces, unless you make sure they are based on valid research.
Here are just some themes that you may be googling that could be making your head spin:
- Pregnancy diet
- Labor complications
- Postpartum depression
- Pumping
- Fatigue
- Colicky Baby
- Infant Sleep
Keep in mind, many articles focus on the “nevers” and the “don’ts”. Even the “shoulds” can come across as too rigid. This can leave a women feeling like nothing is good for her or her baby! Women may feel like they’ve already failed at motherhood after eating some sushi or some soft cheese. Guess what!? Japanese moms eat sushi and Italian moms eat loads of any kind of cheese. We all do our best with the information we have, at the time that we have it. Remember, no one is perfect. And most of the time, babies come out perfect.
Here are some signs you may be looking around online too much:
- You feel like it’s taking over your day
- Your personal relationships are suffering
- You don’t feel better after searching for answers and information
- You feel even more anxious
- You value online advice more than your doctor’s/doula’s advice
- You are losing sleep
Advice:
- Decide you won’t look online anymore for the answers
- Call your doula instead of searching on google for hours
- Talk to friends that follow their intuition over outside resources
- Join a pregnancy support circle
- Take a bath and talk to baby! Ask her what she needs
- Go for a walk and connect with nature
- Stick to websites with .gov or .edu addresses if you are looking for a medical answer
- Call your OB when something is going on that needs attention
Cyber anxiety is real. If you find yourself on the computer all the time, spending endless hours looking up symptoms and reading stories, take a deep breath, close the screen and take our advice. A healthy pregnancy is one where you feel balance, ease, support, and good energy within and around you.
Check in to see if there is room for your own, actual experience. What does your gut say about the matter? Who do you trust that can offer you valid facts mixed with a therapeutic ear?
We’re here for you! Have you thought about adding a doula to your team? With a doula, you’ll be able to share your natural anxiety and excitement about your pregnancy and new motherhood experience. She’ll have tons of resources, and help guide you in the right direction when it comes to a healthy pregnancy balance!
What are your family plans for Thanksgiving? I’d love to hear and hope it’s going to be as relaxing as possible! Enjoy this holiday time!
Regards,
Stephanie
