Hormonal shifts can continue into the second and third trimesters, so crying spells may happen during this time, too. Your body is changing rapidly, which can also increase anxiety levels. As a result, some women may feel more on edge in the second trimester
The second trimester can be a time of tremendous change. Your body is changing at a rapid rate, which can result in a high level of anxiety, coupled with the hormonal shifts that are occurring. Crying out of nowhere may be normal during this time.
Your hormones are changing rapidly during your second trimester, which may cause you to feel more on edge. You may experience some crying or irritability during this time, but don’t let it get to you. In fact, try to relax and smile more during this time.
If your crying spells continue or begin during pregnancy, then there are a few things to keep in mind. Crying spells could be an indication that you’re experiencing a hormone surge, anxiety, or tension. Since now your body is changing rapidly and in some cases this can lead to issues like morning sickness, fatigue and abdominal discomfort. The good news? You may start feeling better as the weeks go on!
Tiredness and emotional changes can make you cry during pregnancy, so it’s important to know when you’re not crying due to depression, but that your baby is teething. As your body continues to change during your pregnancy, these emotional swings can increase significantly.
Emotional During Pregnancy 2nd Trimester
Every woman is different, so some women may have crying spells throughout their entire pregnancy, whereas others only cry during the first trimester.
First trimester crying isn’t unusual, considering this is when a change in hormone secretion takes place. Higher levels of both estrogen and progesterone during the first trimester seem to be responsible for some mood swings, marked by irritability and sadness.
Plus, pregnancy is a major life change. And for this reason, combined with the rapidly changing hormones, crying during the first trimester might be due anything from extreme happiness to anxiety or fear that something will happen to the baby.
Second and third trimesters
Hormonal shifts can continue into the second and third trimesters, so crying spells may happen during this time, too.
Your body is changing rapidly, which can also increase anxiety levels. As a result, some women may feel more on edge in the second trimester. If so, normal everyday stresses and frustrations could also trigger crying spells.
And when you’re nearing the finish line, there’s probably a lot on your mind. You have to complete the nursery, prepare your finances, and the realness of labor and delivery might make you a little panicky.
You’re about to have an added responsibility — whether it’s your first child or you’re adding to your family. This can be a stressful time, and if emotions run high, crying spells might follow.
When is crying during pregnancy a more serious problem?
While a change in emotions and crying spells are a normal part of pregnancy, crying can also be a symptom of a more serious mental health concern such as depression.
Telling the difference between normal pregnancy mood swings and depression can be tricky. As a general rule of thumb, depression will trigger other symptoms, too — not just crying. These symptoms include:
- difficulty concentrating
- loss of appetite
- loss of interest in favorite activities
- feelings of worthlessness
- feelings of guilt
- sleeping too much
- sleeping too little
- thoughts of harming yourself or others
Sometimes, depression during pregnancy is fleeting and resolves on its own. But if symptoms last for 2 weeks or longer, speak to your doctor.
Can crying and depression affect an unborn baby?
Having an occasional crying spell isn’t likely to harm your unborn baby. More severe depression during pregnancy, however, could possibly have a negative impact on your pregnancy.
One 2016 study suggested that mental health issues like anxiety and depression during pregnancy may increase your chances of preterm birth and low birth weight. Another 2015 review of studies found a similar connection between mental distress and preterm birth.
If you’re depressed, you may not take care of yourself during pregnancy as much as you would otherwise. If you’re not eating enough or getting enough nutrients, skipping prenatal appointments, or not moving around, your baby may not be getting adequate care.
It’s important to remember that depression is not your fault, and neglecting your health is a side effect of untreated depression rather than a conscious choice.
We know you would never intentionally bring harm to your pregnancy. All this is just to underscore the importance of talking to your doctor, because there are treatments — ones that are pregnancy safe — that can help.
Depression during pregnancy also increases your risk of postpartum depression (PPD), which can affect how you bond with your baby. PPD is common and nothing to be ashamed of, but it’s important to talk to your doctor so they can help.
How to treat crying spells during pregnancy?
Unfortunately, you can’t control hormonal shifts during pregnancy. But you can take steps to help ease the effects of these shifts, which may relieve — or at the very least, reduce — crying spells.
- Get enough sleep. Too little sleep can increase your stress levels, making you more irritable. Aim for at least 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night.
- Be physically active. Ask your doctor about gentle exercises during pregnancy to boost your energy and improve your mental health. Go for a walk, swim, or take a low-impact aerobics class.
- Talk to other moms or pregnant women. Getting support, either online or from a local group, may also ease some of the fear and anxiety associated with pregnancy. By talking to other moms, you can share advice, relate personal stories, and provide each other with emotional support.
- Don’t overwhelm yourself. Yes, preparing for a new baby can be overwhelming and stressful. But don’t feel that you have to do everything yourself, or that you have to do everything before the baby arrives. This type of pressure can lead to frustration, guilt, and crying spells.
If you’re depressed, talk to your doctor. Certain antidepressants are safe to take during pregnancy. Plus, treating depression during pregnancy may lower your risk of developing PPD after baby is born.
Does My Baby Know When I’m Crying When Pregnant
It is common knowledge that your eating and drinking habits, overall health, and activity levels have an impact on the growth and development of your unborn child. You must have come across advice on how a pregnant woman must stay happy at all times and not give in to despondency – there might be a reason why. Research conducted by the Association for Psychological Science indicates that the mother’s emotions can also have an impact on a foetus that is six months or older. The way you feel during your pregnancy can have a significant role in determining your child’s attitudes and views of life as she grows up.
There are no definitive conclusions on the extent of impact on the foetus, but it should be reason enough to ensure that you don’t cry a lot while pregnant. It has also been found that pregnant women are prone to crying at certain times more than others. A lot of women find themselves crying during the first and third trimesters of pregnancy.
Causes of Crying When Pregnant
If you have been bursting into tears at the drop of a hat, do not think that something is wrong with you. A lot of pregnant women go through the same experience, and you are definitely not alone. There is a plethora of reasons why women are more likely to cry when pregnant. These include physical as well as emotional causes. Here are some:
1. Fluctuating Hormones
Three hormones—estrogen, progesterone, and human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) are produced in the body. Changes in the levels of these hormones can transmit varied signals to the brain that can then have an impact on a pregnant woman’s moods. They are primarily responsible for stoking pregnancy emotions and making her cry without any provocation. Progesterone levels in particular tend to be on the higher side during the last two months of the pregnancy, leaving the woman quite vulnerable.
2. Stress
It doesn’t matter how well you have timed or planned your pregnancy – stressors are bound to pop up every now and then. Your physical and mental health, the worry towards the well-being of your unborn child, doctor’s visits and tests, job-related ups and downs, family relationships, older children, etc. can all cause stress during pregnancy.
3. Stretch Marks
Almost every pregnant woman will get at least a few stretch marks during this time. They usually fade away with time, but seeing them for the first time can cause a pregnant woman to tear up because her body is changing.
4. Being Uncomfortable
Physical discomfort is part and parcel of every pregnancy. Being fit or healthy prior to your pregnancy is irrelevant as some aches and pains are definitely in store. Being unable to sleep peacefully without having to keep switching positions every few minutes, waddling around with the excess weight and a huge tummy is enough to bring on the tears every now and then!
5. Clothes That Don’t Fit
Shopping for clothes can prove to be saddening at times during pregnancy as you might be too big for your regular clothes, but too small for maternity apparel. You might come close to tears during this stage, especially if you’re looking to wear something appealing for an important meeting or social event.
6. Watching Emotional Films/Shows
Watching a soul-stirring movie or television show can have you in tears in a jiffy. Also, pictures of babies, parent-child relationships, and even baby animals in distress can turn on the waterworks before you even realise it!
7. Comments on Your Pregnancy
People’s comments on your pregnancy body and weight can prove to be distressing, which can lead to crying. Listening to people tell you that having a baby is going to change your life, your body and your relationship with your spouse can also be stressful.
8. Pregnancy Milestones
Some moments of your pregnancy will remain priceless – the first time you hear your baby’s heartbeat, the first time you see your little one in an ultrasound image, the first time your baby kicks inside your womb, and so on. So, don’t be surprised to find yourself fighting back tears during moments like these.
9. Going Past Your Due Date
Going past your due date with no sign of the baby can leave a pregnant woman disappointed and impatient. There’s a chance that you are tired of the physical discomforts that you’ve been putting up with, and if the end is still not in sight, it can prove to be a bit too much.
10. Being in Labour
No matter how many pregnancy classes you’ve attended or how strictly you have stuck to the pregnancy manual, labour can be painful. Irrespective of whether you will be having a vaginal delivery or a C-section, pain is a given!
How Crying Can Affect Your Baby During Pregnancy
The effects of crying during the second trimester – or, for that matter, at any time during your pregnancy – will have an impact on your little one. It depends on the type of mom you are. Here are some categories that illustrate how crying during pregnancy is bad for baby: