What are the baby blues?

The baby blues are a normal part of motherhood and are linked to hormonal changes that happen during the week after giving birth and most women will experience changes in their mood. You may feel irritable, tearful, irrational, depressed or anxious. If these symptoms last more than two weeks and are interfering with you caring for yourself and baby this may be a sign that you have developed post natal depression. So don’t suffer in silence, talk this through with your health professional.

Myth Busting

It’s perfectly OK to feel both happy and fearful of this new responsibility. The reality of parenthood may not hit you both until you leave the hospital and feelings of being overwhelmed and fretful are common. The birth of your baby may feel like a huge anti-climax and you may long for the life you previously had.

1. Accept Help: Reduce Stress

Do one thing at a time, multi-tasking is a myth and will only increase your stress. Delegate the housework, and don’t turn down any offers of help. Remember, stress creates adrenaline and the production of stress hormones that increase anxiety.

2. Exercise

Once you have had the all clear, start walking. A daily ten to fifteen minute walk releases neurotransmitters in the brain and makes you feel better and the lulling motion of the stroller can aid your baby to fall asleep.

3. Baby Asleep: Be Kind to Yourself

Don’t fill your time with catching up on housework, texting and emailing can wait too. Likewise, unless the visits from friends and relatives are there to give you practice help, keep them short. Get some ZZZs, even if it’s 20 minutes, cat naps count. Take a bath, eat a nutritional snack, and wear an uplifting summer scent. Alcohol is a depressant, limit your intake.

4. Take an SOS Breathing Space

Stop
- What you’re doing, connect with your breathing.

Open
- Breathe deeply into your body.

Select
- Self-kindness. Tell yourself I’m good enough!

5. Make a Connection with other Parents

Even though your mind may be critical and telling you that every other mother is coping better than you. Just show up anyway, regardless of what your thoughts are saying. You may just make a lifelong friend.

Written by:
Dr. Amanda Kinsella.
For more information please contact: www.mindfulpsychology.co.uk