How To Help Your Partner Really Understand You During Pregnancy

When people say "it's all about communication", what does that even mean?

Everyone says that “Communication is key” but...

The truth of the matter is, no one can have good communication when you are already in a bad mood.

Physical changes during pregnancy make you feel tired, sluggish, and depressed. And when you’re sleep-deprived and overwhelmed, even minor problems become difficult to handle.

You feel less attractive, are worried that you’ve lost control over your life and feel that you struggle with your sense of identity. And that’s normal.

Are you confident that you can hold good communication with all those emotions?

A new study done during COVID-19 shows that 34% of moms with kids under 18 months old had a clinical level of depression. Not getting strong support from your most intimate circle is the biggest risk factor.

The foundation of real “communication” starts with Emotional Literacy. That is the awareness of your feelings and their impact, while you are experiencing them.

You can train your ability to be aware of the roots of those emotions together with your significant other. It is not quite enough that you are in touch with your feelings when you are calm and centered. Writing a journal with your partner will prepare you for upsets that can occur due to hormonal imbalances.

The easiest way to start is to write an emotion journal together.

Sharing simple things like how the food makes you feel helps your partner to understand what you are experiencing. Reflecting together with the things you are grateful for enhances the bonding experience for pregnancy. And in the end, writing about the challenging emotions together prepares you for the family journey ahead.

We included a big collection of journal prompts for your mind, body and nutrition during pregnancy to help you to train the emotional literacy together. Learn more about mindful journal for couple here.

PS: In case you haven’t heard, the simple act of hand-writing has shown to reduce stress and improve immune functions in many studies. Check out our article about the "Writing Cure".