Having a baby can be one of the most exciting times of your life. It can also be one of the most difficult. They say a women's body changes so much during a pregnancy that it would be like a man changing to a women. With that many changes going on in the body, one can only imagine all the different emotions a women is dealing with during that time.
Most women get morning sickness during the first trimester of their pregnancy. I didn't get much morning sickness, instead I got really depressed. Not the kind of depression you get when you are sad or melancholy, it was more like someone pulled my plug. I lost all desire to do anything, even things I normally would love to do. Everything seemed like an overwhelming chore. Just getting through a day was overwhelming. Luckily this only lasted for a few weeks, about the same amount of time that morning sickness would last, then it would gradually go away and I would be able to enjoy the rest of my pregnancy.
Many women suffer from PostPartum depression. A new baby can come with a lot of new emotions. There is excitement and joy about having a new member in the family. You may also experience fear and anxiety over all your new responsibilities. Many new moms experience "after baby blues, which can include mood swings and crying, but sometimes it can turn into postpartum depression which is much more severe. Even more rare is an extreme form of postpartum depression known as postpartum psychosis.
From my own personal experience, not getting enough rest or having enough help can bring on after baby blues, or make them worse. Don't feel guilty if you have to ask someone to come in and help a couple of times a week or even everyday. Your biggest priority should be your health and your babies health. Don't compare your self to anyone else, or your experience to anyone else's. Don't pay attention to well meaning friends who want to share their experience about what an easy recovery they had. Your birth experience was unique and your own, and so will be your recovery. Be patient and give yourself time.
Experiencing postpartum depression doesn't mean there is something wrong with you, or that you are a bad mother. It is not something you can control, or that you cause. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Just because every other mother you know looks like they are handling everything just fine and you feel like you can't, does not make you inadequate or a bad mother. knowing when to ask for help takes a strong and inciteful person, who realizes and accepts her own strengths and weeknesses. Often reaching out for help is the best thing you can do for yourself, your baby and your family.
Sometimes you need to reach out and have someone help in the home with all the extra responsibilities and work involved in having a baby. just having some help and not feeling so overwhelmed can often help with after baby blues. Sometimes you may just need a night out with your spouse. Baby blues can often be directly linked to how connected you are feeling to your spouse and how involved he is with all the new changes that you are experiencing. A night out together without the baby or other children can sometimes help a lot.
Other times "After Baby Blues" can become so severe that it can be debilitating and frightening. Never hesitate to talk to your doctor about medication for After Baby Blues if you are feeling afraid for your self or your baby. After Baby Blues can be very severe and the worst thing you can do is suffer in silence. Reach out and find help. You deserve to feel well and to feel joy!
After Baby Blues usually don't last more than a few weeks and may include:
Postpartum depression is similar to the baby blues, but it can last for months. The symptoms can be more intense and make it difficult to care for your baby and even do every day normal things. Women are often reluctant to see a doctor or even tell anyone about how they are feeling. They sometimes feel guilty about their feelings, or may be frightened and afraid that no one will understand. Symptoms of depression should never be ignored and professional help should be sought if you are having a difficult time caring for your baby, if your symptoms don't fade after two weeks, become progressively worse, or include thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.
Symptoms of Postpartum depression may include:
A rare and serious form is called Postpartum Psychosis, which usually comes on within the first couple weeks after birth. The symptoms are more severe than postpartum depression and may include:
Most women get morning sickness during the first trimester of their pregnancy. I didn't get much morning sickness, instead I got really depressed. Not the kind of depression you get when you are sad or melancholy, it was more like someone pulled my plug. I lost all desire to do anything, even things I normally would love to do. Everything seemed like an overwhelming chore. Just getting through a day was overwhelming. Luckily this only lasted for a few weeks, about the same amount of time that morning sickness would last, then it would gradually go away and I would be able to enjoy the rest of my pregnancy.
Many women suffer from PostPartum depression. A new baby can come with a lot of new emotions. There is excitement and joy about having a new member in the family. You may also experience fear and anxiety over all your new responsibilities. Many new moms experience "after baby blues, which can include mood swings and crying, but sometimes it can turn into postpartum depression which is much more severe. Even more rare is an extreme form of postpartum depression known as postpartum psychosis.
From my own personal experience, not getting enough rest or having enough help can bring on after baby blues, or make them worse. Don't feel guilty if you have to ask someone to come in and help a couple of times a week or even everyday. Your biggest priority should be your health and your babies health. Don't compare your self to anyone else, or your experience to anyone else's. Don't pay attention to well meaning friends who want to share their experience about what an easy recovery they had. Your birth experience was unique and your own, and so will be your recovery. Be patient and give yourself time.
Experiencing postpartum depression doesn't mean there is something wrong with you, or that you are a bad mother. It is not something you can control, or that you cause. Asking for help is not a sign of weakness. Just because every other mother you know looks like they are handling everything just fine and you feel like you can't, does not make you inadequate or a bad mother. knowing when to ask for help takes a strong and inciteful person, who realizes and accepts her own strengths and weeknesses. Often reaching out for help is the best thing you can do for yourself, your baby and your family.
Sometimes you need to reach out and have someone help in the home with all the extra responsibilities and work involved in having a baby. just having some help and not feeling so overwhelmed can often help with after baby blues. Sometimes you may just need a night out with your spouse. Baby blues can often be directly linked to how connected you are feeling to your spouse and how involved he is with all the new changes that you are experiencing. A night out together without the baby or other children can sometimes help a lot.
Other times "After Baby Blues" can become so severe that it can be debilitating and frightening. Never hesitate to talk to your doctor about medication for After Baby Blues if you are feeling afraid for your self or your baby. After Baby Blues can be very severe and the worst thing you can do is suffer in silence. Reach out and find help. You deserve to feel well and to feel joy!
After Baby Blues usually don't last more than a few weeks and may include:
- Feeling Sad
- Anxiety
- Crying
- Mood Swings
- Trouble Sleeping.
- Irritability and Mood Swings
Postpartum depression is similar to the baby blues, but it can last for months. The symptoms can be more intense and make it difficult to care for your baby and even do every day normal things. Women are often reluctant to see a doctor or even tell anyone about how they are feeling. They sometimes feel guilty about their feelings, or may be frightened and afraid that no one will understand. Symptoms of depression should never be ignored and professional help should be sought if you are having a difficult time caring for your baby, if your symptoms don't fade after two weeks, become progressively worse, or include thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.
Symptoms of Postpartum depression may include:
- Overwhelming fatigue
- Loss of interest in everyday activities.
- Loss of interest in eating.
- Inability to sleep
- Inability to feel joy
- Irritability, frustration and anger
- thoughts of harming your baby
- Difficulty bonding with your baby
- Avoiding friends and family
A rare and serious form is called Postpartum Psychosis, which usually comes on within the first couple weeks after birth. The symptoms are more severe than postpartum depression and may include:
- Feeling Confused and disoriented.
- Hallucinations and delusions
- Paranoia and Anxiety
- Attempts to harm yourself or your baby
If you think that you might be experiencing Postpartum Phychosis, you should get medical help immediately! Do not wait to get help and hope you might feel better. Postpartum psychosis is very serious and may lead to life threatening thoughts and behaviors.
- Women are often reluctant to see a doctor or even tell anyone about how they are feeling. They sometimes feel guilty about their feelings, or may be frightened by them and afraid that no one will understand. Symptoms of depression should not be ignored and professional help should be sought if you are having a difficult time caring for your baby, if your symptoms don't fade after two weeks, become progressively worse, or include thoughts of harming yourself or your baby.
“Just as despair can come to one only from other human beings, hope, too, can be given to one only by other human beings.”– Elie Weisel