. However, one must remember that there are several hormonal, physical, emotional and psychological factors that may affect you as a mother-to-be.

Caring for a new baby is hard work, no matter how well prepared you are or how much you looked forward to the coming of your baby. You may experience a wide range of emotions from joy and excitement to frustration, guilt and resentment. This is quite normal, but you will need proper help and support. Women must prepare themselves and be well informed about ante-and postnatal depression. Antenatal depression is the metal state associated with feelings of despair and hopelessness during the pregnancy. It is treatable and can prevent the long-term and damaging effects of postnatal depression. Women become very vulnerable when they are pregnant and also confused and emotional. First and third trimesters are often the most difficult to deal with. Mixed feelings and uncontrollable mood swings are popular attributes of depression. One in 10 women is affected by ante- or postnatal depression. Whether or not your pregnancy was planned, or unplanned, you never know exactly what to expect, especially if it is your first pregnancy.

You must ask yourself whether you are prepared to give up your independence, spontaneity and freedom, the emotional rollercoaster you will be on, the changes in your relationships and will you know when to ask for help? You may feel trapped by feelings of anxiety and stress, even sadness. Risks that lead to depression include unplanned or ill-timed pregnancies, post-infertility pregnancies, complicated pregnancies, major stressful events such as a miscarriage, lack of support, and previous depressive disorders. You may have postnatal depression if you show signs of the following: you no longer see the funny side of things/laugh, you no longer look forward to things, you blame yourself unnecessarily when things go wrong, you are anxious or worried for no good reason, you feel scared or panicky, you struggle to cope, you have difficulty sleeping because of being unhappy, you feel miserable, you cry often, or you think of harming yourself.

Important issues often need to be dealt with at this time, including past or future issues. Doing so will help make your home safe and secure for your baby. You can prepare the baby’s physical world – the nursery, clothes and name – and part of the preparation will ensure your emotional well-being. If you are feeling good about your life you can take better care of your baby. The greatest gift you can give your unborn child is taking care of yourself.

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