Pregnancy After Infertility: Emotions After Infertility
The moment when you first realize that you are pregnant is one of great joy for moms-to-be. This can be especially true for women who have undergone extensive fertility testing in order to diagnose and treat fertility problems with their partner, as pregnancy is often also a great relief. However, pregnancy after infertility can also be an overwhelming experience that brings such emotions as fear, worry and concern, all of which are normal emotions. Read on for advice on emotions that you’ll likely be experiencing as part of your pregnancy journey.
Previous Pregnancy Losses
If you have experienced pregnancy loss, discovering you are pregnant again can cause great fear and worry.
It is important to discuss these feelings with your partner in order to help rationalize them and overcome them. Know that it is normal to feel scared, but that it is also okay to embrace this pregnancy.
Miscarriage
Similarly, having experienced a miscarriage can lead to extra concern when pregnancy occurs again, especially in cases when you’ve undergone infertility testing and infertility treatment. In addition, loved ones may find it difficult to understand your worry, making it even more frightening to worry about another miscarriage.
Expressing your emotions can help put your fears into perspective and can help you focus on the joys of this pregnancy, such as picking out baby names and preparing your baby’s nursery.
Infertility
If you’ve undergone extensive fertility testing, your fertility specialist and the rest of the staff at the fertility clinic have likely become an important part of your life. Your fertility team is likely one with which you’ve bonded and even created friendships.
This can make it hard to move on to new health care professionals and you might find yourself worried about the level of care your new team will provide. A good idea is to make more prenatal appointments than needed in order to familiarize yourself with the staff and facilities. Also, be sure to talk to your health care provider about your concerns.
Adjusting to Pregnancy
Many times, women who experience pregnancy after unexplained infertility and other fertility problems may not feel entitled to express concern over the common annoyances of pregnancy, such as morning sickness, muscle aches and fatigues.
However, internalizing your emotions can make these pregnancy problems worse and lead to resentment. Share your frustrations with your partner or with other pregnant friends and remember that you shouldn’t feel guilty about feeling uncomfortable with some of the less pleasant aspects of being pregnant.
Tips on Coping with Your Emotions During Pregnancy
Here are some tips on coping with common emotions during pregnancy:
- talk openly and regularly with your partner about how you’re feeling
- keep a pregnancy journal to record your thoughts
- let yourself enjoy pregnancy: choose colors for baby’s nursery and shop for maternity clothes and baby wear
- focus on believing in yourself and your baby: have faith that parenting will be a reality for you and your partner
