What To Do When You’re Spiraling (And Pregnant)

Because crying in the pantry over a jar of pickles is way more common than you think.

First of All—Take a Breath. Yep, Right Now.

You know that moment when you’re lying on the couch, half-sobbing, half-scrolling through pregnancy forums wondering if it’s normal to feel this overwhelmed during the first trimester? Or maybe you’re in the middle of the second and suddenly spiraling about your due date, baby names, nursery themes, and whether you’re emotionally ready to raise a tiny human with zero instructions?

You’re not broken. You’re pregnant.

And that changes everything—including how your brain processes stress. It’s not just hormones (though hey, thanks a lot, progesterone). It’s a full-body, full-life identity shift. So if you’re spiraling? You’re not alone—and you’re definitely not failing.

What Does “Spiraling” Even Look Like When You’re Pregnant?

Let’s be real—it’s not always dramatic. Sometimes it’s just zoning out during a meeting and thinking, “How am I supposed to keep doing this when I can barely keep my eyes open?” Or maybe it’s lying awake with pregnancy insomnia, wondering if you’ll ever feel like “yourself” again.

Here are a few signs:

• You feel emotionally flooded for no clear reason (thanks, pregnancy hormones).
• Your to-do list makes you want to fake a nap until 2026.
• You’re caught in a mental loop: “Am I doing enough?” → “I’m not ready for this.” → “Is this anxiety or just gas?”
• You’ve googled “depression during pregnancy” more than once this week.

If that’s you, deep breath. You don’t have to fix everything today. But let’s gently interrupt that spiral together.

1. Start With One: One Task. One Snack. One Thought.

When your brain feels like a browser with 37 tabs open and someone just played lo-fi beats on top of a fire alarm, simplify. Choose one thing to do next.

🧠 Just ONE.

Not “clean the nursery” or “read five books about infant sleep schedules.” Try:

That’s forward motion. And it counts.

2. Give Your Feelings the Mic

Pretending you’re fine when you’re not? Exhausting. What helps instead? Acknowledging the chaos out loud.

Try this:
“I feel scared and tired and unsure today. That doesn’t mean I’m a bad mom. It just means I’m a human mom.”

Pregnancy emotions aren’t a flaw in your system—they’re part of the download. You’re processing change, building a baby, and also trying to remember if you already added detergent to the laundry.

Talk to a friend. Talk to your journal. Talk to your therapist (especially if you’re noticing signs of prenatal depression—it’s brave to get help).

3. Create a “Sanity List”

Not the to-do list that makes you cry. A sanity list.

This is your emergency toolkit for when things start unraveling:

• 3 things that ground you
• 3 people you can text without a filter
• 3 affirmations that don’t sound like fluff

Example:

• “I don’t have to do this perfectly.”
• “This feeling will pass.”
• “My body is doing something magical, and I trust it completely.” (Hey, this one’s from our Pregnancy Affirmation Cards if you need a daily dose.)
  

4. Remember: Your “Enough” Might Look Different Today

Let go of the Pinterest-perfect pregnancy checklist.

If all you did today was keep yourself and your baby safe? That. Is. Enough.

Some days, your victory is surviving morning sickness at night. Other days, it’s ordering maternity leggings online instead of crying in a Target aisle.Let your expectations breathe. You’re allowed to scale back. You’re growing a whole human, for goodness’ sake. That’s superhero work in sweatpants.

5. When It’s More Than a Spiral—Reach Out

Spiraling once in a while = common.
Spiraling every day with no relief = let’s talk about help.

Pregnancy depression is real. So is perinatal anxiety. And they don’t make you a bad mom. They make you a mom who’s going through something—and there are people trained to walk you through it.

Talk to your OB. Reach out to a counselor. Call a pregnancy support line.

You are not a burden. You are a person who deserves care, just as much as your baby does.

You’re Not Alone in This

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed, emotional, panicky, or just done—this blog post is your permission slip to step out of the mental storm.

You don’t need to have it all figured out.

You just need a little support, one breath at a time.

And hey, while you’re here—browse around. We’ve got more stress-free pregnancy tips, affirmation cards, and sanity-saving tools created just for you.

Because this journey? It’s big.
But so are you.

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Weekly Pregnancy Affirmation & Mindfulness Cards

Get it now and start feeling empowered today!

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💬 COMMENT BELOW:

Have you ever caught yourself spiraling during pregnancy? What helped you snap out of it (or at least feel a little more human)? Let’s make this space feel like a warm group chat, not another overwhelming advice column.