Is it normal to be angry when pregnant

Newborns and babies have weak neck muscles and large, heavy heads. Violently shaking a baby, or hitting, kicking or throwing, can lead to death, disability or serious injury. Skip to content Skip to navigation.

Men: strong reactions to pregnancy Pregnancy can be a time of stress, worry, pressure, frustration and confusion for some men. When anger in pregnancy becomes violence For some men, strong reactions to pregnancy, like anger, can lead to violence. Ways to manage anger as a man Everybody feels angry sometimes. Effects of violence in pregnancy Like physical injury or trauma, violence can cause stress hormones to rise in people exposed to the violence. If this happens, you could be at risk of losing control and hurting your partner or your baby.

Violence is not OK. Before you go back, do your best to calm down. Take deep breaths or go for a walk. But if you lose your temper a lot, it can have serious negative effects for your child. Children often blame themselves when they see the adults in their life get angry.

It makes them stressed and this can affect the way their growing brains develop. Living in a household where there is a lot of anger puts your child at risk of mental illness later in life.

Using hurtful words towards your child can make them feel like they are bad and worthless. It can make them behave badly or get physically sick. Children react to angry, stressed parents by not being able to concentrate, finding it hard to play with other children, becoming quiet and fearful or rude and aggressive, or developing sleeping problems.

You should never physically hurt or punish your child, no matter what they have done or how angry you are. Research has shown that physically punishing children puts them at risk of future antisocial behaviour, aggression, low self-esteem, mental health problems and negative relationships. Never shake a baby. Violently shaking, hitting, kicking or throwing a baby can result in death, disability or serious injury.

Anger usually comes with other emotions including anxiety , depression, disappointment, worry, embarrassment, frustration, hurt or fear. Recognising and dealing with these emotions will help you control your anger. Bottling up your anger can lead to an explosion later on.

But expressing it in a controlled way means you can release some of the underlying emotions and start to tackle what is really making you angry. Try to notice your negative thoughts — 'No-one ever helps me' or 'Why are you so naughty'. Calm down and work out what is really making you feel bad. The best way to deal with anger is to recognise the signs so you can take action before it gets out of control.

If you notice these signs, take a deep breath and try to slow down your breathing. Leave the room and go somewhere quiet to calm down.

You could also go for a walk, take a warm shower or listen to calming music. If your child is doing something that makes you angry, count to 10 before you react. Try to find positive rather than negative words. Let your child know it is their behaviour you don't like, not them. If you do lose your temper with your child, apologise afterwards. This sets a good example and lets your child know it's OK to feel angry sometimes as long as you deal with it well.

After you have calmed down, take a moment to think back on what made you angry and how you reacted. This can help you react better next time. If you notice you are getting angry a lot or you are having trouble controlling your anger, there is help available.

Start by talking to your GP, who can put you in touch with a psychologist or counsellor if necessary. They can help you write down a plan to manage your anger. For advice on managing difficult child behaviour, call Pregnancy, Birth and Baby on to speak with a maternal child health nurse. Learn more here about the development and quality assurance of healthdirect content. If you have had depression or anxiety or any other mental health diagnosis in the past, then talk through this with your midwife early in your pregnancy.

A relapse can be possible during pregnancy or after you give birth NICE, Our support line offers practical and emotional support with feeding your baby and general enquiries for parents, members and volunteers: We also offer antenatal courses which are a great way to find out more about birth, labour and life with a new baby. NICE publishes a booklet Mental health problems during pregnancy and after giving birth covering antenatal and postnatal depression. Archives of Women Mental Health.

NHS Inform. NHS Direct Wales. NHS Start4life. Society for Endricinology. Annals of Behavioral Medicine. When it comes to content, our aim is simple: every parent should have access to information they can trust. All of our articles have been thoroughly researched and are based on the latest evidence from reputable and robust sources. We create our articles with NCT antenatal teachers, postnatal leaders and breastfeeding counsellors, as well as academics and representatives from relevant organisations and charities.

Read more about our editorial review process. Emotions during pregnancy. Read time 7 minutes. Breadcrumb Home Pregnancy How you might be feeling Emotions during pregnancy. Email Post Tweet Post. Normal hormonal changes in pregnancy As soon as you become pregnant, your body begins to prepare for safeguarding and maintaining the pregnancy.

Normal emotional changes in pregnancy Aside from emotional ups and downs caused by rising hormone levels in the first three months, the feeling of growing a new life can be exciting and awe-inspiring Healthtalk. Should I stop having sex while pregnant? What will the birth be like? Will my life go back to normal afterwards, for example can I return to work?