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When you first find out you are pregnant it can be a rush of emotions, from excitement to nervousness to fear.  All are very normal emotions that you can experience when you first find out, but there is one emotion that many women feel that isn’t talked about much – so what happens when you are pregnant and depressed?

First the pregnancy blues is actually quite common.  With the rush of hormones and the changes that are taking place in your body and your life it’s very normal to get a bit down.  It’s only when things get worse such as sleep problems, crying all the time, lack of interest in actives and feelings of hopelessness where the issue becomes more serious.

So many women have heard of postnatal depression but not of prenatal depression and are often too embarrassed to ask for help.  Especially when all of those around you keep congratulating you and expect this to be a joyous time for you.

So if you are feeling depressed first try and determine the level of sadness that you feel.  Some degree of the pregnancy blues is perfectly normal due to the rush of hormones around your body, but if you are crying constantly and it is interfering in your normal life it might be time to visit a doctor or your ob-gyn.

Mild to moderate symptoms can be treated quite easily, but if your symptoms are severe then y ou might be referred to a mental health professional.

There are some things that you can do at home to help improve your mood if things are not too bad.  They include:

• Eating a healthy diet and getting plenty of rest. 
• Exercising – while this may be the last thing you feel like doing, exercise actually reduces the hormone cortisol which is linked to depression.
• Keep your expectations realistic – during the nine months that you are pregnant your body will be changing and you won’t be able to do many of the things that you used to.
• Keep in contact with friends and family.  It’s proven that being around others will help lift your mood.

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