At my day job as a Health Resource Specialist, the part of my day that I take the most pride in is when I get to provide to relief to a couple who have recently found out their pregnant but are panicked because they don’t have health insurance. Anyone who is a parent knows that you’re signing up for a lifetime of anxiety that begins shortly after you see two pink lines staring back at you. When my little “surprise” popped up about three years ago, I instantly began to worry about everything from formula feeding to college savings because the fact is kids cost a whole lot of money. So when expectant parents call the hotline I work at seeking affordable pre-natal care and discover they won’t necessarily have to face millions of dollars in medical bills just to give birth, I’m glad to help…so they can make room for other worries like stretch marks and sleep deprivation.
A new study has found that (surprise) stressing over finances while pregnant isn’t exactly helping your situation and could in fact be harmful to you and your baby’s health. Now even science says that even if you’re not Beyoncé and Jay-Z with a baby that will be born into a trust fund, that doesn’t mean you should let your lack of coins stress you out or the life you’re creating. Researchers at Ohio State University found that women who experienced financial stress during pregnancy had lower weight babies than those who didn’t. Previous research had linked low-income parents with a higher risk of low-birth weight babies. But does low-income directly correlate to low-birth rate or is the solution as simple as not being stressed over your bank account no matter how it’s “set up”? Researchers set out to find the connection in hope that they could help parents cope.
The study asked 138 pregnant women to report their stressors meaning things like financial concerns, stress, depression and anxiety. The women were assessed throughout their pregnancies and again after their babies were born. Moms with the highest level of anxiety about money seemed to be the most at-risk for having babies with low birth weights. What was most interesting however is that the parent’s actual income (or lackthereof) wasn’t exactly what seemed to have the greatest effect on the pregnancy, it was the parents’ perception of their ability to meet their expenses (regardless of their actual financial situation) that had the potential to negatively affect the pregnancy. Meaning that even parents who seemed to have a decent financial situation seemed to have more complicated pregnancies if they were stressed about what they could handle financially and that parents who seemed even worse off seemed to have better pregnancy outcomes if they had a more positive attitude.
Admittedly, now that I have a three-year-old, I find myself wondering how my parents did it all: Catholic school tuition, mortgage in a decent neighborhood in Philly, car notes and groceries. As I find myself buying less and less for myself and saving more and more for my daughter, I have a newfound appreciation for all of the sacrifices they made they my sister and I never noticed and they never made a big deal out of. Now I see why McDonalds was limited to weekends and why my mom never bought the overpriced toys outside of the circus that would be broken by next week. It’s because for parents both wealthy and just making end meets, it doesn’t matter how much money is in your account if you aren’t able to pass on the ability to budget, a healthy work ethic and the insight to invest in your children’s future. Because even if DJ Khaled’s son Asahd’s net worth is more than your whole life and he’s not even a year old, what ironically has the most worth are the values of determination and resilience his father is passing down to him.
In the meanwhile, the study’s principal investigator, Lisa Christian says pregnancy is not time to stress over the “would’ve, could’ve, should’ve”:
“There is no reason to worry about things that are out of your control. Instead, prepare for what you can change and create a financial plan. Reach out to friends and family for help, and find ways to reduce your anxiety like exercising or speaking with a psychiatrist. It is normal to feel financial strain during pregnancy, and there is a wealth of resources available to help.”
In addition, I think the healthiest thing you can do is to focus on being the best parent you can be, no matter what your coins are looking like. The greatest people can come from very humble beginnings. I’m finding for most kids if they’re getting the basics of food, shelter, and a dry diaper, most importantly all they want is your love and time, especially in those early years. Now when you’re dealing with a pre-teen who’s begging for party buses, Playstation and Air Yeezy’s, we’ll talk.
Toya Sharee is a Health Resource Specialist who has a passion for helping young women build their self-esteem and make well-informed choices about their sexual health. She also advocates for women’s reproductive rights and blogs about everything from beauty to love and relationships. Follow her on Twitter @TheTrueTSharee or visit her blog, Bullets and Blessings.
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