Stress is a natural part of life. It has benefits as it can motivate us. However when it builds up we can feel tense, anxious, angry or depressed. If this stress build-up is not controlled or managed, it can lead to ill health, relationship problems and difficulties with work. 

Sources of stress vary from person to person, and no two people react to stress in the same way. Planning for a baby can be stressful in itself - for both of you. Now more than ever, it's important to manage stress well. The way you deal with stress can influence your physical and emotional well-being, which can in turn affect your unborn child. For example, if you react to stress by reaching for a cigarette or alcoholic beverage, you may increase your baby's risk of birth defects or other health problems. Learning how to relax, getting enough exercise, and eating well can help fight the effects of stress on both you and your baby. 

Common Sources of Stress during pregnancy: 

• Physical and emotional change. Are we both ready for a baby in our lives? What changes will we have to make in our day-to-day lives? 
• How will our relationships change with each other, relatives, friends and co-workers? 
• How will we deal with pressures at work? Too much work, physically tiring work, or scheduling conflicts between home and work 
• How do we avoid demanding too much of ourselves? Trying to do too much and trying to do it all perfectly, at work and at home.