Psychological Stages of Pregnancy

By Dr. Sibilla Segatto, Psychologist and Family Mediator, www.studio-psicologo.it

Generality

On a physiological level, the nine months of gestation are a preparatory time both for the embryo and the fetus to mature and grow to become an individual ready to face life outside the maternal uterus, and for the mother's body to gradually prepare to welcome a small body that grows and changes to help its birth.

Alongside this set of dense physiological changes, we must never forget the equally intense psychological changes that the mother goes through during pregnancy, which are to be considered preparatory to making her, even from a psychological point of view, a mother ready to lovingly take care of her. her baby. It is absurd to imagine that pregnancy takes place within a week. In this case our species would have had very little chance of reaching the present day. In such a short time it would not be possible to develop such a deep sense of attachment that bind a mother and a child in the nine months of gestation and that allow the child to be able to count on a care that will accompany him constantly, especially in the first years of life. Even in nature, the longer the gestation in animal species, the more puppies they need long maternal care even after birth, before becoming autonomous individuals This is why the psychological time of gestation is a key factor on which every pregnant woman should pause to reflect.
During these long months, the pregnant woman sees very different psychological phases alternate.

First quarter

The first quarter is a time of shock and a sudden need to settle under new balances. On the one hand, the fast hormonal and physiological changes that immediately affect the female body (although often not yet visible) can create difficulties for women such as tiredness, nausea, mood changes, on the other the delicacy of this first phase of pregnancy it does not fully allow the woman to enjoy the event that is happening to her. It is relatively frequent in this period to witness spontaneous and early terminations of pregnancy. The anxiety that this eventuality may occur, accompanied by the lack of signals from the body that can make the child feel the vitality, are elements that unite most women in this phase.
Then there are concerns about the health of your child. Very common moods are the concern that the child is growing properly, that he does not have genetic diseases, malformations or other pathologies. From this point of view, being constantly followed by medical or obstetric staff is a way to find answers to doubts and fears that are completely legitimate and understandable. It is very important during pregnancy to be accompanied along the entire journey by people, both from a professional and a human point of view, who are able to accept without judgment the worries and moods of the mother .

Second quarter

The second quarter looks like a distinctly different period. On the one hand, it is possible to reassure oneself more about the possibility of a spontaneous abortion (an event much less frequent at this stage) and therefore "allow oneself to mentalize" the idea that one is about to become parents. On the other hand, the physical state of the mother also finds renewed well-being and energy, which make these months of pregnancy perhaps the best from a physical and psychological point of view.
Also from the point of view of sexuality, the couple relationship could find a benefit. In the early stages, the fear of harming the embryo in a highly delicate phase conditions many couples from having a satisfying sex life. The second trimester would seem to be the most appropriate time also to regain greater intimacy, thanks to the fact that the woman's body still allows a certain agility in movements.
In this period there is also an extraordinary change in maternal psychology. The perception of fetal movements inside one's body finally makes the baby "alive and real". This constant intrauterine communication between the mother and the child, made up of exchanges and perceptions, is a cornerstone of the psychological relationship between the two and also becomes one between the child and the father, when the movements begin to be perceptible even from the outside. From these first jolts and taps the foundations are laid for the formation of that "inseparable emotional bond that unites a child to his parents.

Late stages of pregnancy

The last phase of pregnancy still sees fluctuating moments. The time of childbirth is approaching and so is the idea of ​​being able to truly know your child. During pregnancy, the parents' mind built an "imaginary child" within itself, the result of the fantasies matured over the months. With the birth of the child, the parents will instead meet their "real child", who in most cases will be different from what they had imagined or hoped for. This phase can create some upheavals, which require a much longer psychological processing time, the greater the deviation from what was expected (think of the hope of having a healthy child and seeing the birth of a child with some difficulties or pathologies).
The last part of the pregnancy is then confronted with the issue of childbirth. The woman's body becomes more and more "cumbersome", the physical fatigue makes itself felt and the thought of labor and childbirth becomes more and more present in the woman's mind. many women live this expectation naturally and as a physiologically integral part of the process, other women suffer from a real anxiety at the idea of ​​feeling pain, losing control of their body, being hospitalized or feeling fear at the idea that their body it can be irreversibly transformed or torn. Also in this case the childbirth preparation courses are fundamental both to give practical notions useful to quell the sense of anguish or worry, and to psychologically approach this event in time.
In all these alternating psychological phases of pregnancy, the indispensable role that the partner of the woman plays during the whole process must be emphasized. Being able to constantly count on a sensitive, empathic and welcoming partner is one of the key aspects that makes a woman feel "strong" in "going through the fragile and oscillating psychological" swings "of pregnancy.