The first step in helping your wife during her pregnancy is to understand the cause of the change in her behavior. She may be moody simply because pregnancy is a time of tremendous change for her. Although she may be overjoyed at the thought of having a baby, she may also find the whole process overwhelming. The common symptoms of pregnancy, such as heartburn, fatigue and morning sickness, can adversely affect her mood.She may also be worrying about whether she will be a good mother, or about how the new baby will change your relationship.Coping with the newfound financial burdens also come to mind. With her body changing on a daily basis, she may even become insecure about her own attractiveness.
It is important to know when to expect the onset of symptoms.Mood swings are usually the most noticeable in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Your wife may not be able to control her emotions during the first trimester. Her mood will become more stable thereafter as she adapts to the hormonal changes, and she becomes accustomed to being pregnant. She will again experience mood swings during the last few weeks of pregnancy, just before the onset of labor, so it is important to anticipate this as the pregnancy progresses.
Helping her with her mood swings can also help you cope with this time of trial. Despite much of her moodiness being driven by hormones and out of both of your control, here are ways that you can help her cope:
1. Be helpful. You may have to offer her help, even if she prefers to be independent and self-reliant. It is important that you make her feel like she can count on you for help.
2. Encourage her to rest. Remind her to take frequent naps, especially if she’s working full time, fatigued and stressed.Getting her to consider taking her maternity leave earlier than planned may be a good idea, allowing her time to get used to having plenty of bed rest.
3. Make time for fun. Watching light, comedy movies and allowing her to catch up with friends over coffee, will help her to take her mind off the emotional and physical burden of pregnancy at least temporarily.
4. Talk openly. Open communication about her fears, needs, and her feelings is a healthy practice for the both of you. Besides talking to her, it would be good if you can also help her find community support groups for pregnant mothers. If she is introverted, any creative outlet such as online forums, social media and other tools may allow her to express herself in ways that talking aloud cannot.
5. Exercise! Encourage your wife to get up and get moving. Even better, if you do an exercise program together she will be motivated to stick with it. Ultimately, when she feels great, so will you.