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Stop Stressing! How to Be a Calm Preggo

You're pregnant -- and worried about, well, pretty much everything. Here's how to stop stressing and get your calm on! (21 Photos)

Julie Seguss on Dec 31, 2013 at 4:48PM

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Lori Adamski Peek/Workbook Stock/Lori Adamski Peek

Easy Ways to Chill Out When You're Expecting

When you're expecting, it's easy to stress about pretty much everything, from the little things ("Will I ever stop feeling like I'm about to barf?") to the big ("Will my baby be healthy?"). What's not so easy? Tuning out all those worst-case-what-if scenarios, relaxing and enjoying the nine months before your new addition arrives. While Dr. Allison Hill, an obgyn and co-author of The Mommy Docs' Ultimate Guide to Pregnancy and Birth says there's no strong evidence that your stress can negatively affect your baby-to-be (one less thing to stress out about!), it's certainly good for your health to keep your stress levels in check. So try one -- or all! -- of these ways to be a calm preggo.

Move It, Baby!
Numerous studies have shown that aerobic exercise helps reduce stress and boost your mood by releasing endorhpins. In fact, one small study of pregnant women doing aquatic exercise found the mamas-to-be reported less psychological distress after a dip in the pool. (That calm, cool, floaty feeling? Yeah, it's relaxing.) No matter what pregnancy exercise you prefer, make it a habit and you'll help relieve another source of preggo stress, too: baby weight!