Looking After Your Mental Health As A New Mom
Becoming a new mom is a huge change in your life, and can be challenging. This little bundle of joy can be exhausting, especially in the early days, and almost 20% of new moms experience some kind of mental health issue, most commonly depression. A change in hormones, from pregnancy to postnatal can often contribute, but sometimes it is simply the lifestyle change and lack of sleep that affect how you are feeling. So what can you do to help look after your mental health in those early days?
Lifestyle Change
It comes as no surprise that having a new baby involves a complete lifestyle change. To help your mental health, it is important not to be angry or resentful about this. Sometimes new parents report feeling estranged or detached from their old life. They talk about loss, rather than an addition. They grieve or mourn what they had before, or who they previously were. Therapy can help you to adjust to the changes, and look forward to the future with your new baby.
Feeling Overwhelmed
When you have brought your new baby home, it is easy to feel overwhelmed with jobs and household chores. As much as you can, try and delegate jobs - you will probably get a lot of visitors in the first few weeks, excited to see you and your new family addition. Give each of them a task, whether it’s a little washing up, or hanging out the laundry. Generally they will be more than happy to help. Asking for help is extremely important - tell your friends and family how you are feeling, and they can help you through these early stages of being a parent.
Getting enough Sleep
Lack of sleep is one of the biggest problems that affects new moms, and it can have a knock-on effect on your mental health. Surveys have shown that new moms often get less than 4 hours sleep each night. There is a complex relationship between depression and sleep. In a study of 19,000 people, those that were getting less that 7-9 hours sleep a night were five times more likely to have depression. For new parents, there isn’t a simple answer to the question “how do I get enough sleep?” However there is a lot to be said for that old saying “sleep when the baby sleeps.” Even a twenty minute nap can have a marked effect on how you feel, and how you deal with everyday life.
A note on Postpartum Depression
Depression, and a milder form of this known as "the baby blues" are common for new moms. It is estimate that between 10 and 20% experience postpartum depression. Often it can be a combination of reasons that cause this, not just an adjustment in hormone levels. Sleep deprivation, exhaustion and physical discomfort after giving birth can exacerbate this. There can be feelings sadness, frequent crying, insomnia, anger and fear. You should never feel embarrassed about this and try to hide it. It is important to discuss your feelings with your partner, and with a medical professional, so that they can help you. If you feel that your state of mind is affecting your ability to look after your little one, then it is imperative that you ask for help - especially if is affecting your ability to bond with your baby.
There are many ways that postpartum depression is treated, not just with medication. Counselling and psychological therapy are often extremely effective. The Breakthrough Psychology Program can help you to deal with the symptoms, and understand your feelings and emotions better.
Finding Time For Yourself
When you are a new mom, it is important that you find a little time for yourself. Certainly you have a giant new responsibility, but even the smallest indulgence will help you to feel happy. One of the things often specified when new moms talk about the reason that they have the baby blues or postpartum depression is that they just don't feel like themselves anymore. Sometimes it takes a little reminder. It might be taking a bubble bath, or reading a few pages of a new book. It is these little things that will help you to remember that you are the same person that you were before you had a baby. Your identity hasn’t changed - you just have a little one now.
When you are a new mom, there isn’t one solitary way to ward off mental health issues. But understanding your lifestyle changes and giving yourself a break can really help you feel much better.
~ Jackie Edwards
Becoming a new mom is a huge change in your life, and can be challenging. This little bundle of joy can be exhausting, especially in the early days, and almost 20% of new moms experience some kind of mental health issue, most commonly depression. A change in hormones, from pregnancy to postnatal can often contribute, but sometimes it is simply the lifestyle change and lack of sleep that affect how you are feeling. So what can you do to help look after your mental health in those early days?
Lifestyle Change
It comes as no surprise that having a new baby involves a complete lifestyle change. To help your mental health, it is important not to be angry or resentful about this. Sometimes new parents report feeling estranged or detached from their old life. They talk about loss, rather than an addition. They grieve or mourn what they had before, or who they previously were. Therapy can help you to adjust to the changes, and look forward to the future with your new baby.
Feeling Overwhelmed
When you have brought your new baby home, it is easy to feel overwhelmed with jobs and household chores. As much as you can, try and delegate jobs - you will probably get a lot of visitors in the first few weeks, excited to see you and your new family addition. Give each of them a task, whether it’s a little washing up, or hanging out the laundry. Generally they will be more than happy to help. Asking for help is extremely important - tell your friends and family how you are feeling, and they can help you through these early stages of being a parent.
Getting enough Sleep
Lack of sleep is one of the biggest problems that affects new moms, and it can have a knock-on effect on your mental health. Surveys have shown that new moms often get less than 4 hours sleep each night. There is a complex relationship between depression and sleep. In a study of 19,000 people, those that were getting less that 7-9 hours sleep a night were five times more likely to have depression. For new parents, there isn’t a simple answer to the question “how do I get enough sleep?” However there is a lot to be said for that old saying “sleep when the baby sleeps.” Even a twenty minute nap can have a marked effect on how you feel, and how you deal with everyday life.
A note on Postpartum Depression
Depression, and a milder form of this known as "the baby blues" are common for new moms. It is estimate that between 10 and 20% experience postpartum depression. Often it can be a combination of reasons that cause this, not just an adjustment in hormone levels. Sleep deprivation, exhaustion and physical discomfort after giving birth can exacerbate this. There can be feelings sadness, frequent crying, insomnia, anger and fear. You should never feel embarrassed about this and try to hide it. It is important to discuss your feelings with your partner, and with a medical professional, so that they can help you. If you feel that your state of mind is affecting your ability to look after your little one, then it is imperative that you ask for help - especially if is affecting your ability to bond with your baby.
There are many ways that postpartum depression is treated, not just with medication. Counselling and psychological therapy are often extremely effective. The Breakthrough Psychology Program can help you to deal with the symptoms, and understand your feelings and emotions better.
Finding Time For Yourself
When you are a new mom, it is important that you find a little time for yourself. Certainly you have a giant new responsibility, but even the smallest indulgence will help you to feel happy. One of the things often specified when new moms talk about the reason that they have the baby blues or postpartum depression is that they just don't feel like themselves anymore. Sometimes it takes a little reminder. It might be taking a bubble bath, or reading a few pages of a new book. It is these little things that will help you to remember that you are the same person that you were before you had a baby. Your identity hasn’t changed - you just have a little one now.
When you are a new mom, there isn’t one solitary way to ward off mental health issues. But understanding your lifestyle changes and giving yourself a break can really help you feel much better.
~ Jackie Edwards
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