The dangers of pregnancy fantasies

Psychologist & Postpartum Specialist Shoshana Bennett, PhD, explains the dangers of treating pregnancy as a fantasy and not being realistic about the difficulties it entails
The Dangers of Pregnancy Fantasies
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The dangers of pregnancy fantasies

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There are many fantasies about pregnancy. One of the biggest are that we are always supposed to be happy and glowing. We are supposed to be looking forward to the pregnancy. Looking forward to having the baby. Excited about the future. We're also thinking that, if there are any couple issues, those will disappear. My needs don't matter anymore. Everything is focused on the baby, so she can get lost in the shuffle. That is one of the dangers right there. Another myth of pregnancy is that the mom is told that she is already supposed to be bonding with this baby or else the baby is going to pick up negative vibes. There's all this unnecessary worrying. A mom feeling this way, feeling like she is not living up to the expectations, can be quite damaging to her and those around here. The truth is that many of these things are fine, as long as they are coming and going, and she's doing fine. She's doing relatively well. There's no problem at all. I wanted to add that women who have had a hard time conceiving and women who have had fertility issues, place an extra load of pressure on themselves. Once they are pregnant, they are telling themselves, "I can only be elated about this. I will not allow myself to be anything other than happy. I certainly am not going to open my mouth if I'm not feeling and glowing. We've sunk all this energy, time, and money getting pregnant. I've got to be happy now." A word to these women, this happens to everyone. Don't be afraid to speak up. Don't put extra pressure on yourself.

Psychologist & Postpartum Specialist Shoshana Bennett, PhD, explains the dangers of treating pregnancy as a fantasy and not being realistic about the difficulties it entails

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Shoshana Bennett, PhD

Clinical Psychologist & Postpartum Specialist

Shoshana Bennett, PhD (“Dr. Shosh”) from the popular DrShosh.com Radio Show is the author of Pregnant on Prozac, Postpartum Depression For Dummies, and co-author of Beyond the Blues: Understanding and Treating Prenatal and Postpartum Depression & Anxiety.  She is also the creator of the new mobile app PPD Gone.  National TV shows including  20/20, Discovery Channel, The Doctors and The Ricki Lake Show feature Dr. Shosh as the pregnancy and postpartum mood expert and news stations such as CNN consult her. Several publications including the San Francisco Chronicle and the San Jose Mercury News have written articles on Dr. Shosh’s work.  She’s interviewed regularly on national radio and has been quoted in dozens of newspapers and magazines such as The Wall Street Journal, WebMD, Boston Globe, Fit Pregnancy, Glamour, Parenting, Psychology Today, New York Post, Self, Cosmopolitan, and the Chicago Tribune. 

Dr. Shosh is a pioneer in the field.  She is a survivor of two life-threatening postpartum depressions. She founded Postpartum Assistance for Mothers in 1987, and is a former president of Postpartum Support International. Dr. Shosh helped develop the official Postpartum Support International training curriculum for professionals which is now considered the gold standard in the field. She has helped over 19,000 women worldwide through individual consultations, support groups and wellness seminars.  As a noted guest lecturer and keynote speaker, she travels throughout the US and abroad, training medical and mental health professionals to assess and treat postpartum depression and related mood and anxiety disorders. She earned three teaching credentials, two masters degrees, a PhD and is licensed as a clinical psychologist.

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