Beat the baby blues
Your life is perfect – you’ve just had the most beautiful baby and you have the most loving and supportive partner, friends and family. And yet you feel incredibly moody and depressed and you find yourself crying at the drop of a hat. What’s wrong with you?
Nothing. This is a perfectly normal condition which as many as 80% of all new mothers suffer from. It’s called the ‘baby blues’ or ‘postpartum blues’ and you should not feel guilty at all if you are going through it during the first few weeks after your baby is born.
You’re doing a great job of being a mother – trust us! – even though you’re constantly tired and may be feeling irritable, anxious and trapped. This is completely natural during this transition period as your hormone levels are changing and feelings of physical and mental exhaustion may overcome you frequently.
You may even have doubts about your ability to raise your little one properly. But don’t worry – you have accomplished something amazing and you’re being an incredible, caring and capable mother to your child.
The baby blues can hit anyone, even women who are not usually prone to depressive moods. We have some simple ideas that you may find helpful in this situation:
Understand what's happening
You're not alone
Speak to your loved ones
Be kind to yourself
Speak to your doctor
If you still feel depressed and anxious more than two or three weeks after your baby was born, visit your doctor for advice. If you or other members of your family have a history of depression and if negative thoughts and feelings remain for an extended period of time, a medical professional may be able to suggest effective ways to address these issues.
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