So, let me just preface this with a warning to husbands/partners everywhere: Your only chance for survival would be to know when to shut up, keep your head down, say, "Yes, Dear" a lot, with a full absence of sarcasm, resentment, or maybe patronization in your tone, and demeanor (good luck in finding out what constitutes any of those); and, for the love of God, DO NOT exacerbate ~keyword1~ by trying some cute little quip about eating habits, weight gain, or perhaps mood swings. Lovingly referring to your spouse as "Shamu" is not endearing, it is actually stupid, and more likely to cost you a minimum of an eye, or two, whenever she lovingly scratches them out.

My husband liked to joke that PMS is an acronym for Pack My Suitcase. Whenever it came to my pregnancies, he knew much better than to joke-well, except for the time that he actually did call me "Shamu" at a dinner party; it wasn't pretty. He instantly realized that the appropriate emotional response no longer applied: crying over something funny, laughing uncontrollably whenever I should have been angry--emotional wrecks usually make others feel a bit off-kilter, which is not all bad when you're the wreck. ~keyword3~ meltdowns could elicit many necessary foot rubs, catering, and general sensitivity from your partner...oh, come on!...if you had to endure the varied, literal headaches of pregnancy you would not be above a little blackmail for pampering, either; fear is a good motivator.

Early pregnancy mood swings are the results of rising hormonal levels. Estrogen as well as progesterone are the main catalyst, however the entire affect is influenced by a volatile cocktail of other hormones, as well. Significant hormonal spikes stimulate the production of other (chemical) neurotransmitters in the brain, having an impact on mood stability.

Numerous sources help answer the question, "When do pregnancy mood swings begin?" I imagine the answer is given usually in response to men's inquiries, as even first time pregos are usually well aware whenever they begin experiencing sudden, wildly shifting moods. Likewise, several sites list the specific signs of pregnancy mood swings simply because, with the possible exception of mild, ongoing depression, the symptoms are quite obvious. Basically, mood swings start out somewhat like an oncoming wave, sometimes rushing to shore in an overwhelming crash, other times it is more a series of waves in different sizes and intensity that become unbearably annoying over time; attempts to stop both are the equivalent of sticking your hand in the wave, and then trying to stop the water from running through your fingers. Regardless of severity or onset, the word "swings" precisely describes the instability, as well as frequently short-lived characteristics of individual emotions. It's normal for pregnant women to find themselves erratically shifting between complete outrage, hysterical laughing, uncontrollable sobbing, as well as collapsing in a heap in the corner spent, depressed, and even remorseful within a matter of several minutes.

Supposedly, pregnancy mood swings are encountered mainly in the first trimester, from weeks 6-10, subside, and then reappear in the third trimester close to the birth. Yeah, and then morning sickness only occurs in the morning for the first few weeks. Apparently, male biochemists are responsible for the most of the the "credible" sources of information regarding pregnancy related symptoms.

Many women report that ~keyword2~ is among the most difficult of the emotions to deal with because of the guilt they feel afterward. In addition, the shock when they behave in ways which are often very contrary to their personality, as well as the complete inability to control their rage, leaves them feeling abnormal, and frightened.

pregnancy mood swings