Is stress bad for unborn baby?

Question

its it bad for your unborn baby if you are stressed out all the time? i am 13 weeks pregnant with my 4th and never seem to stop shouting at my 4 year old as he is always misbehaving, an im worryed what it might be doing to my baby.

Answer 1

yes

Answer 2

Two things: first, yes, stress is bad for unborn babies. It's hormones and heart rate, remember, and those chemicals travel up the umbilical cord. Second: if you're shouting at your 4-year-old all the time, that tactic probably isn't working. At 4, he's old enough to have a conversation about why he's misbehaving. Maybe he's worried about you or his place in the family with another baby on the way. Find a way to have some alone time with him (with 2 other kids in the house and another on the way, that won't be easy, but even if you sit in the car for a moment, or on the porch with no interruptions, that will be fine, just give him some undivided, undistracted attention). When he knows you're interested in listening to him, he'll probably be honest about what's going on in his head. You'll help him feel better, and that will help you feel better. If you feel better, Baby will feel better. Good mojo all around.

Good luck, and congratulations--

Answer 3

Yes, it absolutely is bad for your unborn. You should also be aware that too much stress could(in extreme cases) cause a miscarriage, particulary as you are still in the early stages of pregnancy. Try talking to your 4 year old in a calm manner (i know, not easy when hormones racing around you), but maybe the reason he is being difficult at the moment is because he too has noticed that mummy is changing and is also becoming stressed. The more you shout, the more upset he will be and react in a negative way, so it's a catch 22 situation. Good Luck

Answer 4

Stress is not really a good thing for an unborn. But on the other hand it probably seems that the 4 yr. old is always misbehaving because your hormones are on overdrive! I hope that daddy is somewhere in this picture. Talk to your doctor and maybe they can advise you on some type of stress managment while you are pregnant. I know this is easier said than done, but you really need to step back and take a breath and try to relax. They won't be little for ever... enjoy it.

Answer 5

Ha! With your fourth! Girl you should know already that you'll be fine, baby will be fine. Just slow it down, don't worry so much about the small stuff because you're preggers, you're tired, and a 4 y/o is WOUND UP WITH ENERGY! There's no way to keep up. Just take a breath, let your son make a mess, let him do his 4-year old thing and things will be fine. Your baby of course will be fine. Of course it is better to not stress, but you are not wonder-woman. No one should expect you to be.

I have a 2 year old that makes it impossible to take time to do anything, I recently discovered letting him play in the sink... I throw a towel down on the floor because he does spill (or rather soak) and give him some toys (he likes just the kitchen bowls, spoons, funnel ect the best) and some soap and sometimes let the water run very very low and he has a ball for about an hour. You can sit down and relax for that time that he's quiet.

Good luck and Congratulations to you! 4 kids are such a blessing!!!! yea!

Answer 6

I think it could be but no one is sure to what extent stress affects an unborn baby.
My daughter is a terror, and I went through a depression when I was pregnant with her. Not really a terror, just very active and curious (and not for the faint of heart) .
I got counseling when I was pregnant and it did wonders. It is a stressful time especially when you have other children, so I would highly recommend it.
I think the stress will affect each unborn baby differently. It also could make the labor more difficult and limit your birthing options.
Do what you can to reduce your stress. Best wishes!

Answer 7

any kind of stress isn't good for an unborn child. I do understand about the stress of a 4 yr old and it is quite hard to not be stressed out atleast one time a day. I would suggest talking with your OB and see if he/she has any suggestions on what you could do to help lower it. Of course being pregnant makes it a lot easier to become stressed as if it would n't be if you weren't pregnant. Look around in your community, we here have such a thing called Mother's Day Out, where a church will "babysit" our children a couple days a week for a lower price than most day cares. Hope this helps you. When you feel it rising, take a deep breath and count to 10. Good Luck!

Answer 8

Scientific research shows conflicting results on this topic. While a stressed pregnant mom may deliver a low birthweight baby, stress is more likely to affect YOU negatively in the short-term. I'm also concerned about how it might affect your 4-year old. Have you thought about parenting classes? Reading books about handling 4-year olds? There are so many tricks that help you to be a calm parent with obedient children. But it takes a lot of work and consistency. A recent study also showed that stress during pregnancy actually may benefit children in the long-run. These babies were shown to have better motor skills at several years of age! Go figure. But of course, it's no fun for you...so I wish you the best in learning to handle stress. Talk to your doctor. Maybe medication or counseling will help?

Answer 9

Stress is never good but worse if you are pregnant as there are 2 people to worry about. Although I know how hard it is not to get stressed you should try. When I have had a bad day and I can feel my stresslevels rising I take half an hour to myself and do something I like. I know this is not possible for everyone but it is worth a try.

I am sure your baby will be fine as worrying doesnt help either.
Good luck

Answer 10

As a Mom who survived 3 children under aged 4...it sometimes helps to "whisper" instead of shout...grabs the 4 year old's attention and it always helps to distract a child. One of the best things is making sure the 4 year old gets plenty of fresh air and time to run around outside. Some of the "misbehaving" sometimes stems from them not getting to burn off their extreme high energy levels.

It's really important to stay as calm as you can...any stress you feel, the unborn baby feels. Shouting just "ups" the stress levels. Deep breathing helps, too, as does counting to 10.

Answer 11

Yes, they say it is, but I also think it's unavoidable. Your hormones are raging and your 4-year-old is doing what 4-year-olds do--how can you help it? I think for you, the baby, and the 4-year-old, you need to perhaps walk away from the situation or count to ten or something. Then go back and deal with it. If it were me, I'd be worrying about the baby, like you are, and worried about my 4-year-old and how my screaming will hurt him. I worried all the time when I was pregnant and my hormones raged, too, but my son is 3 and fine. I just think it would be easier if you could maybe find some help or learn some sort of "calming" strategies.