Stress Free Mama

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Can A Stressed Pregnant Mom Affect the Health of her Baby?

When you are a stressed pregnant mom, your stress is felt by your baby. Your stress can influence your baby’s immune system and even their sensitivity to allergens and their asthma risk.

As mothers, you know that you have a deep connection with your unborn baby. You feel that you and your baby are both separate and one.

Now a study (American Thoracic Society. “Mother’s Prenatal Stress Predisposes Their Babies To Asthma And Allergy, Study Shows.” ScienceDaily 19 May 2008. 9 June 2008) from the Harvard Medical School has found that your connection is not just emotional. A stressed pregnant mom may pass some of that stress on to her unborn baby in the form of increased sensitivity to allergens. This increased sensitivity may even increase the risk of asthma for the child.

Pregnant mom looking at her baby's ultrasoundThe predisposition to asthma is only partly genetic. Exposure to come substances in the environment, such as dust mites, can increase the chance of developing asthma.

Researchers monitored the level of stress in each mother, combined with her level of exposure to dust mites. They found an increased level of IgE (a marker of the child’s immune response) in babies from stressed pregnant moms, even if the dust mite exposure was low. The mother’s stress magnified the baby’s immune response, even with low level exposure to dust mites.

“This research adds to a growing body of evidence that links maternal stress such as that precipitated by financial problems or relationship issues, to changes in children’s developing immune systems, even during pregnancy,” said Dr. Rosalind J. Wright, M.D., M.P.H, assistant professor of medicine at Brigham & Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

“This further supports the notion that stress can be thought of as a social pollutant that, when ‘breathed’ into the body, may influence the body’s immune response similar to the effects of physical pollutants like allergens, thus adding to their effects.”

There are several important ideas to remember. First, this does not necessarily mean that these children will develop asthma. More follow-up research is needed for that.

Second, the study suggests that it is the combination of stress and exposure to allergens which causes the problem. So stress is just magnifying the risks.

And third, we all get stressed. Financial stress, relationship problems, work issues happen. A pregnant mom doesn’t have control over all the events in her life. Even if you try to remain a Buddha of sanguineness, you will not harm your baby if you loose it one day.

The biggest point is in Rosalind’s observation that stress is like a pollutant. Our country has made great strides in improving air quality and water quality. Now we must work on our inner-life quality. Instead of viewing stress as a necessary evil of modern life, we must actively envision a slower, quieter life. A life with contemplation. Appreciation. A life with less stress.

We need to reduce stress in our lives for ourselves. But if we can not be motivated for ourselves, then we may be motivated for our born and unborn children.

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Stressed Moms have Unique Challenges

The special role mothers have as caregivers both nurtures us and creates stressed moms.

Mothers are here to care for others.

We are hard wired to serve others. This trait makes our stress unique. Unlike other stressed people, when we need to reduce stress, we must not just disengage from our duties and responsibilities, but we must disengage from our natural inclination to care for those we love over the needs of ourselves.

Another way to view it: Caring for ourselves is one way to care for our loved ones.

Stressed mom pushing a grocery cartStressed Moms.

Stressed Moms are everywhere.

At the grocery store, a woman in business clothes pushes the cart with her 5 year old, trying to sound interested in the story about the cereal. The tensed lips, and the overly strong “Mommy really needs your cooperation now.” are the give-aways. She has 35 things to do before she gets home, and she is quickly feeling like she’s failing at all 35.

Our modern life has created this stressed mom, and while getting out of the cycle of stress is difficult for everyone, it is particularly difficult for a mother. The last thing she needs is to think that she must take a drawing class to relax. When would it be? Before or after the grocery store?

The Unique Problem of Stressed Moms:

  • We serve. We give. We help.
As mothers, our lives are designed with the needs of others first. And now that many mothers work outside the home, we give at the office and come home to give at home. We never get down time.
Mothers are made for this job, and can flourish in it. But modern life has pushed the demands to the maximum, while reducing the support to a stressed mom to a minimum. The system is bound to crash.
  • Because so many people rely on us, when a stressed mom needs to take time for herself, she feels like others will not get what they need in order for her to get what sheneeds.
How do you fit in a yoga class when the kids need to get to soccer?
This is a real and valid concern of stressed mothers, and adds to the level of stress.
Compound this with the statistic that around 25% of mothers are single, then the question about how to find time for oneself becomes even more vexing.
    • A mother’s brain is a never ending “things to do” list. Another way to say this is that a mother is never done with her chores. Unlike an executive who can complete a project, a stressed mom always has more to do. There is no project completion party.
    • As the snowball of stress grows, many mothers feel more stress delegating and instructing her family to help, than to do it. Lacking a system of help at home, many stressed moms just grow more stressed.
  • Like all mothers before us, moms are the heart of the family. Now, many mothers must be the brains at work as well.
When the mother’s world was closer to home, all of a mother’s tasks would have a theme of directly building the home for her family–growing food, cooking, mending clothes, teaching, raising the children, caring for the sick. She had one job description which predominantly involved more heart centered, right brain tasks.
Now mothers must often work outside the home. She must shift every morning and every evening from right brain to left, from heart to head. When her kids need to talk about their hard day, she must ignore her work deadline. And when she’s at work, she must focus on her job, and not on sick kids at home.
A work-outside-the-home mother’s life requires two opposing skills, and this is stressful. We can never do one skill completely.
  • A modern mother is disconnected from the woman’s community. Even stay-at-home-mothers do not have the companionship and support of other moms. My 80 year old friend tells me about how she would go to a fiend’s house and work together during the day to complete their tasks. For many women today, their closest women’s community is watching Oprah.
Mothers need each other to replenish themselves. When stressed moms get together, after a chat, some tea and cake, and some good girl-friend talk, they are often revived and ready to go home and work again. But few women get this support.

To find out more about Stressed Moms, please view the resources below.

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Stress and Hair Loss: A Double Dose of Anxiety

It’s difficult to be under stress and hair loss can make it even worse. Find out how stress affects hair loss and what you can do about it.

Brush and a large lock of fallen hairWe have all had days when stress makes us feel like pulling our hair out, but can stress actually cause hair loss? The (perhaps surprising) answer is yes, stress and hair loss are linked. Medical experts cite extreme stress as the cause of two different forms of hair loss: telogen effluvium and alopecia areata. To understand how stress can affect your hair, it is helpful to know how hair grows.

How Hair Grows

Hair grows from the hair follicles just under your skin’s surface. Your soft tresses are composed of the same protein (keratin) that your nails are. The follicles produce live keratin cells, but the hair you see is composed of dead keratin cells.

Each follicle has a life cycle of its own, which is divided into three periods: anagen, catagen, and telogen. The anagen stage is the growth stage and it can last from two to six years. The catagen stage is a two or three week transitional period between the growth stage and the resting stage. The telogen stage is the resting period, which lasts eight to twelve weeks. At the end of the resting period, your old hairs are shed and new hair replaces them as the growth cycle starts.

The majority of your scalp follicles are growing hair at the same time, but the rate of growth can be affected by your health, your age, and your stress levels.

It is normal to lose some hair every day. The average adult has over 100,000 strands of hair on their scalp and it is common to lose around a 100 strands a day. Don’t worry about some hair loss, unless it is excessive or you begin to notice that your hair looks noticeably thinner.

Stress and Hair Loss: How are they related?

One-time Stressful Events

Chances are if you are suffering from telogen effluvium hair loss you will have some idea of the source of the stress. This condition with the tongue-twisting name is directly linked to a serious one-time stressful event such as surgery, injury, or sickness.

When the body experiences a stressful event such as injury, surgery, or illness it responds by targeting all its energy to recovering from the problem, rather than growing hair, nails, and so on. Many hair follicles enter into a resting stage prematurely and hair from the resting follicles begins to fall out at a noticeable rate two to three months after the initial problem. You might notice big handfuls in your brush or comb, or on the floor.

This type of stress related hair loss is certainly alarming, but there is no cause for concern. You can’t go bald from telogen effluvium hair loss, although on some days it may seem like you might. Experts assure us that hair lost from this form of stress will return in six to nine months, likely just as thick and healthy as ever.

Chronic Stress

Hair loss from the stress of a one time health problem does not need treatment, but the stress-related hair loss caused by alopecia areata frequently does need treatment. Alopecia areata is believed to be caused by chronic stress as well as genetic factors and is itself quite stressful and distressful.

Alopecia areata is an inflammatory disease–your immune system on overdrive. Hair growth is stopped when white cells (the body’s disease fighters) mistakenly attack the hair follicles. The affected hairs begin falling out shortly after the growth stops. Round bald spots occur with alopecia and some unfortunate patients may become entirely bald. Medical treatments help some people, but not all alopecia patients.

Will my Hair Ever Grow Back?

Fortunately, in both telogen effluvium and alopecia areata the hair follicles are not damaged; they are simply dormant.

It is rare for telogen effluvium to lead to permanently thinner hair.

In alopecia areata, your hair may return on its own after a period of several months. Sometimes hair re-grows in alopecia areata only to fall out once more. It is not unusual for alopecia areata patients to experience several cycles of hair loss and re-growth. The returning hair maybe thinner, finer, and even a different color than previously. While this cycle of hair re-growth is frustrating, it is a sign that the hair follicles are still working.

Stress and hair loss are linked. If you are suffering from hair loss caused by stress you can take heart that it is likely not a permanent condition. Remember that stressing over the problem can just make matters worse. Instead of fretting, take simple steps towards a healthier lifestyle and you may find that stress-induced hair loss eases on its own.

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Stress Acne: Reduce Inflammation for Prevention and Treatment

Stress acne is a symptom of a taxed immune system. To clear your skin, reduce inflammation through diet and other natural methods.

Like the rest of your body, your skin’s health can be affected by your stress level.  If you suffer from stress acne, you have undoubtedly discovered this for yourself.  Pimples seem to pop up overnight when you feel yourself overwhelmed.  Topical acne treatments may control your symptoms, but they can’t cure the problem.  This kind of acne is more than skin deep and preventing or curing it must be holistic–centered on your whole system, rather than merely targeting symptoms.

Stress and your Immune System

High Stress = Excess Inflammation

Inflammation is the primary physical cause of acne, although excess skin oil also plays a role.  Stress affects your health by causing inflammation throughout your body.

Stressed business womanWhen you are under stress, your body secretes stress hormones, including cortisol.  Cortisol and the other stress hormones travel through your blood stream signaling your blood vessels to dilate and your blood pressure to rise.  These changes prepare you to meet the stress and they are called the “fight or flight” response.

Unfortunately, our modern day stresses are generally long-term and cannot be dealt with through fighting or fleeing.  Chronic stress means that your stress hormones will be nearly continuously released.  One effect of continual stress hormones is that your immune system never shuts down.  It acts as if you are under continual attack from outside invaders (for example bacteria or viruses).  This immune system “overdrive” is inflammation and is a typical result of chronic stress.

Your immune system helps your body fight unwanted invaders, but too much response, inflammation, does not help your body deal with stress.

  • Inflammation of the blood vessels and arteries contributes to hardening of the arteries and heart disease.
  • Inflammation of the digestive tract contributes to digestive problems and inflammation of the air ways contributes to asthma and other respiratory problems.
  • Inflammation of the skin results in stress acne and other stress-induced skin conditions like hives and psoriasis.

Diet for Stress Acne:  Reduce Inflammation

The link between stress and inflammation is complex and yet to be clearly understood.  However, researchers have determined that diet plays a role in the inflammation process.  The Western diet, which is generally rich in refined sugars and other processed foods has been linked to increased inflammation and to acne.

Foods with refined sugars are high on the glycemic index; in others words, they trigger your body’s insulin (blood sugar) level to quickly rise.  A high insulin level puts your immune system on alert, triggering the inflammation response.

A diet rich in complex carbohydrates and omega-3 fatty acids can help you avoid this pitfall and improve your overall health.   Avoid refined sugars and stay away from junk food.  Eat whole grains and foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as cold-water fish (salmon, herring, and trout), nuts and flaxseed.  Getting adequate lean protein will help keep your blood sugar levels balanced.

Chocolate and Acne??

The connection between a poor diet and acne gives some credence to the notion that certain foods cause acne.  Over the years, various foods, including chocolate and milk have been linked with acne.  Researchers are certain that coca, the main ingredient in chocolate, does not cause acne; however, the extra ingredients of that chocolate bar–refined sugar and milk, may cause a problem.

Refined sugar helps trigger the immune response, leading to inflammation.  Milk also seems to lead to inflammation in some people.  Casein the protein found in dairy products produces an allergic response in many people; the immune system reacts by trying to fight the perceived toxin and excess inflammation is produced.  The hormones in milk have also been linked to acne.

Traditional Chinese Medicine

Chinese traditional medicine also recognizes the connection between diet and acne, as well as between the emotions and acne.  Emotional strain or improper diet can lead to the stagnation of qi, the vital life force (energy) flowing through your body.  Chinese practitioners recommend eating cleansing foods and keeping well-hydrated to help promote the flow of qi.  Cleansing foods include: watermelon, squash, pear, broccoli, cucumber, winter melon, cabbage, celery, beet tops, dandelions, seaweed, aloe vera, carrot tops, cherries, papaya, persimmons, buckwheat, brown rice, millet, and mung beans.

Another Chinese remedy: pearl powder.  Pearl powder is made from sea pearls is used on the skin to promote skin health.

Sunlight for Stress Acne

In recent years laser light treatments have proven useful in treating acne.  This success does not surprise naturopathic healers who have long advocated sunlight for acne.  Exposure to sunlight is necessary for your body to produce vitamin D, which is vital for calcium absorption and also plays a role in fighting inflammation.

Experts say that fifteen minutes of sun exposure before you put on any sunscreen is healthy, not harmful.  Try to get the morning sun; the atmosphere offers the most protection against harmful ultraviolet rays in the morning.   A little sun can ease depression, and stress and give you healthier skin; it can even lower your blood pressure.  Just remember not to over do it; sunburning is not healthy for your skin or the rest of your body.

So if you have stress acne explore the many alternative ways to treat it.  Don’t assume that acne must be a fact of life.  Eliminating stress acne means you have one less stress to cope with.

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Troubles Sleeping for Women in Bad Marriages

Women in happy marriages get good sleep. Sleeping for women in unhappy marriages–not so much. How can insomnia help you improve your marriage and your life?

Woman with stress and insomniaWomen in happy marriages were 10% more likely to get a good night’s sleep than women with unhappy marriages concluded a recent study by Wendy M. Troxel, a psychologist at the University of Pittsburgh.

Wendy reviewed questionnaires from 2000 women who participated in the Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN). The women reported on their sleep quality (how often they had trouble falling asleep, if they stayed asleep, and how early they woke up) and the quality of their marriage.

The women with happy marriages had less trouble getting to sleep, were more likely to stay asleep, had fewer sleep complaints and had more restful sleep. Sleeping for women in unhappy marriages was not as good.

Is it a surprise that poor marriages and poor sleep go together?

…After all, these women are in bed with the person they are not happy with.

…After all, relationships are very important to many women and relationship issues are bound to trouble women.

…After all, an unhappy marriage is bound to increase stress.

Wendy points out that her study does not examine which comes first–the bad marriage or the bad sleep, but only that poor sleeping and women in unhappy marriages go hand in hand.

While this study comes dangerously close to stating something so intuitively obvious that it doesn’t need stating, there is a deeper point you can learn.

Too often we look at the pieces of our lives and forget the big picture. No doubt some of these women have gone to doctors with sleep issues and have received medication for insomnia. No doubt some of these women attribute their sleep problems to the many stresses (besides their marriage) in their lives.

But at the core, these women are not happy in their marriage. And some of them are not happy at all.

If you view the symptoms of your health as clues to your deeper needs, then insomnia becomes an opportunity to ask, “What is really going on with me?”

If you view the symptoms of your health as clues to your deeper needs, then insomnia becomes an opportunity to ask, “What is really going on with me?” Instead of shouldering your stressful life unquestioningly, look at your health and assume that you most likely, barring the whims of fate, would be healthy. If you can’t sleep at night, then ask why not?

It is hard to look at your life without blinking, and as a woman, harder still to face the cold realities of a troubled marriage. But in doing so, and accepting what is really happening, you become free to both improve your relationship, and get a good night’s sleep.