Q&A: Managing Anxiety in the First Trimester and Beyond

Pregnancy Podcast

Vanessa Merten

Newborn, Parent, Homebirth, Vbac, Kids & Family, Doula, Firsttimemom, Midwife, Pregnancy, Doctor, Parenting, Pregnant, Vanessamerten, Physician, Csection, Prenatalcare, Breastfeeding, Naturalbirth, Nursing, Birthcenter, Family, Baby, Hospitalbirth, Health, Obgyn, Research, Trimester, Expecting, Labor, Mom, Diet, Dad, Birth

4.5 • 948 Ratings

🗓️ 23 April 2025

⏱️ 24 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

During the first trimester, there is little external reassurance that everything is progressing normally. You do not look pregnant yet; you cannot feel your baby move. While ultrasounds and hearing your baby’s heartbeat are reassuring, you have very few prenatal appointments in the first trimester. Feeling nervous and worrying about your baby’s health is entirely natural. In this episode, we explore why early pregnancy can feel so emotionally overwhelming and share practical, evidence-based tools to help manage anxious thoughts. Whether you are experiencing ongoing anxiety or just the occasional moment of doubt, these strategies can help you feel more grounded, calm, and confident during the early stages of your pregnancy.

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Read the full article and resources that accompany this episode.

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Check out the 40 Weeks podcast to learn how your baby grows each week and what is happening in your body. Plus, get a heads up on what to expect at your prenatal appointments and a tip for dads and partners.

For more evidence-based information, visit the Pregnancy Podcast website.

Transcript

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0:00.0	You are listening to the pregnancy podcast with Vanessa Martin.
0:10.7	Hello, thank you for tuning into the pregnancy podcast. In today's episode, we're talking about
0:17.9	managing anxiety during your pregnancy. When you're in the first trimester,
0:23.6	there's not a lot of reassurance that everything is progressing normally. You don't look pregnant
0:29.7	yet. You can't feel your baby moving. There are things that can be reassuring, like seeing
0:35.8	your baby on an ultrasound or hearing their heartbeat,
0:39.5	but during the first trimester, you have very few prenatal appointments, and they are far apart.
0:46.8	Feeling nervous and worrying about how your baby is doing is completely normal.
0:53.1	And in this episode, we'll explore why early pregnancy can feel so
0:57.1	emotionally overwhelming and share practical evidence-based tools to help manage anxious thoughts.
1:05.1	Whether you are experiencing ongoing anxiety or just the occasional moment of doubt. We'll talk about strategies to help you feel
1:13.5	more grounded, calm, and confident during the early stages of your pregnancy. You can find
1:19.9	the complete article and all of the resources for this episode at Pregnancypodcast.com slash anxiety. You are currently listening to the public
1:31.9	feed of the podcast, which gives you access to the last year of episodes. Become a pregnancy
1:38.4	podcast premium member and get every single episode of the podcast ad-free, and that includes hundreds of
1:46.6	episodes exclusively available to premium members. Check out Pregnancy Podcast Premium at
1:53.8	Pregnancypodcast.com slash premium. Thank you to Pathways.org for their support. A lot goes into preparing for a new baby.
2:05.9	You get a crib, you stock up on diapers, you get all the baby gear, but what are you actually going to
2:12.7	do with your baby when they arrive? New parents love the Pathways.org Baby Milestones app because it offers the
2:21.8	support they need during those early days at home. The first few days when you're home with your baby can be a
2:28.8	significant adjustment. The app has you covered with a first week survival guide that has everything from safe
2:36.7	sleeping practices to why your baby cries and how to address it. Plus tips for feeding,
	...

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