Psychology in pregnancy and childbirth

To experience the period of pregnancy and childbirth with smiles

"And a quarter of a mother is enough for ten lives, and there will still be some left over. Where to recall it in a moment of great danger"

(Odysseus Elytis, Ek tou plision)

Motherhood, from initial thoughts about planning a pregnancy to postpartum, is a unique psychological journey for every woman. Pregnancy and motherhood bring big joys but also huge changes, which can they raise anxiety, fears and insecurities in the mother and the father. The dynamics of the family are shaken and the contribution of the expert plays a catalytic role.

With the news of the pregnancy

"What I really want is so unknown to me!" The news of pregnancy for the new mother causes mixed feelings and ambivalence. Joy, dreams, expectations, hopes, gratitude, anxiety, stress, worry, confusion, despair. Troubled by inner doubts related to whether she really wanted a child, but also whether she is capable of cope to the challenges of motherhood. She is concerned with questions like the following:

• Am I fit to be a mother?
• Can I live up to that?
• Is the pregnancy equally desired by both parents?
• Will my partner support me?
• What will I do with the other areas in my life?
• Will I be able to fully respond to my work?
• Will I be as efficient?
• Could my professional development be at risk?

It is the period when she is asked to discover herself and her relationship with her partner (if it exists, otherwise things are even more difficult) through an unknown path that can be passable, it can also have difficulties.

During pregnancy

The period of pregnancy is a special challenge for the mother, who faces life changes and more.

Physical: weight gain, changing signs of femininity, different self-image, etc.

Social: change of daily and non-daily activities, possible interruption from work, possible health issues such as discomfort or lack of sleep, sexual intercourse under conditions, possible cohabitation with third persons of the family environment who provide help, adaptation to new situations, etc.

All this under a flood of hormonal changes which in themselves cause sudden emotional transitions, from excitement to worry, from laughter to crying and vice versa.

In addition, concern for the health of the fetus plays a primary role in the psychology of the pregnant woman, with fear and anxiety dominating. The most common cause of this anxiety (in addition to childbirth anxiety) is the awareness of the risk of miscarriage. Insecurity is often not hidden, and questions like the following arise:

• Is what is happening in my body normal?
• How do I look in the eyes of my husband? Am I attracted to him at all?
• How do others see me?
• How will my pregnancy go?
• Will I be able to have sex with my partner?
• How will I deal with coexistence with third parties?
• What will I do if, due to the needs of the baby, I will not be able to be active as before?
• Will his little brother be jealous? How to prepare it?
• How can someone help me? In what way;
• Will everything go well until delivery?
• What will the birth process be like?
• I worry…

A woman's environment needs to be a full environment respect, where the interest is not thwarted and not injured but on the contrary supported and is emotionally embraced. More specifically, the husband must support the woman in any difficulty she is called upon to face during pregnancy and after. The two companions, as much as possible, they experience motherhood together.

During surgery

Labor is characterized as the period immediately after childbirth, where the woman is in a mental state with emotional loading and adjustment effort with the infant in her life.

The young mother is called to enter a new, unfamiliar way of life. That in itself is challenging anxiety.

It is completely normal for the first days with the newborn to experience intense hormonal changes and therefore emotional fluctuations: one moment to be overwhelmed with euphoria and the next in tears to discover that motherhood is full of problems even dead ends (possible postpartum depression).

The discomfort of childbirth, the discomforts of a caesarean section (when present), the lack of sleep, the difficulty of making breastfeeding a habit, the anxiety about everything related to the health and safety of the newly arrived family member, can create problems and conflicts in the family environment. And when there are issues in the couple that are hidden or simply left, that have not been dealt with, the conflicts are numerous and more intense.

Also, the arrival of the new baby significantly changes the daily life of the older siblings (if there are any), the daily life of the couple and also many facts in the family environment.

Therefore, understanding, adaptation and cooperation are required. For a new mother to be mentally prepared for this will clearly ease her way through the labor period and improve her relationship with the infant.

Where does the expert contribute? Why should I come to a counselor-psychologist?

In achieving the "EFTOKIA». By becoming a parent, one automatically discovers a new world which one automatically follows. So the best thing to do is to be informed and prepared. This way she will be able to cope better and not only calm down but also enjoy parenthood. It has been proven that correct information, the gradual adaptation to the different phases of motherhood, the appropriate one preparation, support and management of the new situations brought by the new member favors the course of the pregnancy, positively affects the physical and mental health of both the mother and the baby she is carrying and contributes to general euphoria. By talking to a specialist, the pregnant and new mom can face up and see her anxiety decrease significantly. The new dad is ready to experience fatherhood and cope with the demands of this new role. The parent-to-be can learn all that they are wondering about and feel happy with the arrival of the new member, without stress, worry, pressure and doubt.

• Have unanswered questions?
• Do you have doubts?
• Do you cry often?
• Are you worried?
• Do you feel like no one can understand you?
• Are you stuck and don't know what to do?
• Can't manage your nerves or anger?
• Do you feel bad about your body? Are you doubting whether you are attracted to your man?
• Wondering if you can have sex?
• Do you want to learn to live without anxiety and stress?
• Need guidance on how to work with your partner?
• Do you need support?
• Do you want to talk somewhere? Share what you feel?
• Do you want to know what changes will happen in your life and family and prepare yourself to handle it better?
• Do you want to achieve a secure bond with your baby?
• Do you want to come home from the maternity ward and be happy?

You are not alone. Let's talk and you'll feel better. You will find solutions. You will calm down. You will be emotionally drained. You will have the right directions and find the answers you want. You will enjoy pregnancy, parenthood. You deserve it, don't neglect yourself.

The counselor or psychologist is the expert, who will undertake to understand and yes support the pregnant woman throughout the course of the pregnancy and in her subsequent course as a new mother. At the counselor the pregnant woman will feel safe to express all the difficulties and changes that scare her and she will find her own ways and solutions alone or with her partner, to manage the new situations, through group or individual sessions. She will be there to solve every problem, guide and prepare the new parent through couples therapy and family counseling.

Topics that can be discussed individually or in groups:

• How I feel about being pregnant.
• Stress management which occurs in high-risk pregnancies or in cases of history of infertility or miscarriages and its treatment.
• The difficulties arising from conditions or life events occurring during the perinatal period (eg problems with work, illness of relatives, death, etc.) and how do i deal with them.
• How I experience them changes in my body and self-image acceptance.
• How was my life before pregnancy, what changed and how to deal with it.
• The mental disorders occurring in the perinatal period (pregnancy and postpartum) in men and women and their treatment.
• Perinatal death (termination of pregnancy voluntarily or on medical recommendation, miscarriages, intrauterine death, etc.) –coping with loss.
• THE absence of a partner.
• Can alone to support my child(ren)? How; I'll make it;
• The relationship with the partner and how to work better with him.
• The relationship with other family members (parents, partner's parents, siblings, other children).
• I have too Needs, biological and emotional but and desires…
• Adopting new roles.
• Stress, anger management and possible aggression.
• The relationships between the new baby and the older brother of – Preparing it for the arrival of the new member.
• Sexuality.
• Tips for the first two months after childbirth.
• Psychosomatic changes the period of labor and handling of these.
• How can I be a parent without stress and panic.
• The contribution of the father and the importance of supporting one's partner/spouse.
• Smooth transition to parenthood.
• What changes at home with the arrival of the child? need to create new relationships and balances through processes and conditions that contribute to smoother adjustment of the newborn in extrauterine life, with the aim of avoiding conflicts and establishing a smooth transition to the new everyday life.
• Update on the Basic needs (physical and emotional) of the infant.
• Building safe emotional bond with the baby.
• Its importance mental health of the baby in the first years of life.
• Postpartum Depression: information, symptoms, treatment.
• Management of anxiety that occurs in cases where the newborn needs to be hospitalized etc.

THE search for support from the future parent is also one adjustment and a step towards her maturity for which pregnancy prepares us. The information and education of the new mom and the new dad create the best possible basis, psychologically and practically, for the most helpful, but also functional development of relationships. Through this, the smoother transition to parenthood.

Where do I go?

Being in an absolute accomplished and trusted environment, thoroughly qualified, at the clinic "womanclinic KALOGIROU", fully understanding the mental and emotional needs of women, during the period of pregnancy and childbirth, we approach advisory the above topics that have the dominant role in their lives, during the period of the months that run through and follow the birth of their baby.

The goal is preparation of the expectant mother and father in their new role, so that they not only experience this period and its changes as much as possible more smoothly, but to be able to her enjoy, touching on everyday issues that concern them. Parenthood is a very beautiful period in a couple's life that deserves to be lived with peace and smiles. We build more together functional and happy relationships, but also easier living conditions.

The sessions with her psychologist-psychotherapist Nicoletta Pouliou aim to create the context in which the mental and emotional needs of the woman will be fulfilled as much as possible, so that when the time comes, the mother should feel ready to take care of her child as best she can, with joy. New parents to create a beautiful and balanced family with children who live harmoniously and happily. Information, preparation and sharing for such an achievement is necessary. Meetings/sessions last 60 minutes, complete confidentiality is maintained and are held at the clinic "woman clinic KALOGIROU".

Feel free to contact us for free. We are by your side for whatever you need!