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The birth of a child is a long-awaited moment in the life of young parents. Unfortunately, what happens after giving birth often surprises them, especially a new mom. Contrary to appearances, baby blues is a common affliction of young mothers. However, keep in mind that this is not postnatal depression. How to deal with baby blues?
Women are often ashamed of their feelings after the baby is born. They think that the birth of a child should arouse only positive emotions in them, forgetting that, apart from joy, it also means a lot of work and fatigue. What is baby blues and how is it different from postnatal depression?
Baby blues – what is it?
Baby blues is postpartum sadness, often mistakenly equated with postpartum depression. It occurs in the first days after giving birth and worsens on days 5 or 6. Baby blues lasts from 2 weeks to a month and is an affliction that affects more than 50% of women, especially during the period of milk attack. Baby blues, unlike the aforementioned postpartum depression or postpartum psychosis, is a minor ailment, but it should not be underestimated – some women may develop postpartum depression.
Baby blues – symptoms
Baby blues makes a woman nervous, sad and fearful. Many of them have a feeling of losing something important, but at the same time cannot define what and why they have lost. In this state, many women find it easier to lose their temper, become teary, distracted, and have trouble sleeping. In addition, they are tired and I may not want to take care of my appearance or my home.
The symptoms of the syndrome are also guilt – women think that they are bad mothers. The lack of joy caused by baby blues makes them feel guilty for not being able to enjoy motherhood. What’s more, many of the ladies even want to give their toddler up to someone else for upbringing. They are constantly accompanied by mood swings, problems with concentration and depression.
Baby blues – causes
Baby blues syndrome is still not fully understood. Nevertheless, doctors recognize that the hormones and the psyche of a woman are to blame for everything. There is a thesis that the cause of baby blues is a sudden deficiency of the CRH hormone – in the last trimester of pregnancy its level increases threefold and drops sharply after the baby is born. It is probably for this reason that the mood of new mothers deteriorates.
Baby blues occurs more often in women who work hard before giving birth. A sudden change in lifestyle related to caring for a child makes the young mother feel emptiness and anxiety and has a problem with finding herself in a new role. The depressed mood caused by heavy labor also contributes to the deterioration of mood. That is why it is so important that, especially in the first month after giving birth, she has full support from both the partner and the family.
- Find out what is happening in the woman’s body in each trimester of pregnancy
A woman during baby blues – how to help her?
Baby blues is a condition in which a woman is exhausted and irritable. The best help for a newly minted mother is to relieve her, for example in carrying out household chores. A woman in this state needs a lot of patience and care. Sometimes it is enough to call her to ask how she is feeling or to give a small gift – this will make her feel that her partner remembers about her
From time to time it is worth taking your loved one to a nice dinner, to the cinema, etc. If the wife can be persuaded, you can feed the baby yourself with milk previously expressed so that she can sleep during this time. Contrary to appearances, a woman taking care of a child does not always have time to do many household activities such as ironing, cooking and shopping – it is also worth doing her out during baby blues.
To better survive the baby blues, a woman should agree to any help from her relatives. Before giving birth, it does not hurt to familiarize yourself with the discussed issue in order to be able to better prepare for it mentally and organizationally. The period right after giving birth is a time when a woman should take care of herself, also for the sake of the child – it is worth finding a moment for yourself to take a bath, read a book or talk to your loved one.
- Check how to fight chronic fatigue
Baby blues – what should moms remember?
First of all, it’s worth knowing that baby blues is a state that passes over time. For this reason, you should not take any mood-enhancing drugs unless one is prescribed by a specialist. Even more so, during baby blues, you should not use antidepressants and be understanding towards yourself – after all, child care cannot be learned in one day.
To survive baby blues easier, it is advisable to openly talk about your emotions – it is worth talking about them, for example, with other mothers. Women who have no friends with children around can always look for help on internet forums devoted to parenting. Having a baby shouldn’t mean giving up your favorite places or hanging out with friends.
To feel good, you need to get enough sleep – lack of sleep causes irritation. While the baby is asleep, the woman should also use this moment for a short nap. Eating well is just as important as getting enough sleep – drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, eat vegetables, fruit and fish, which make you less prone to stress.
Baby blues and postpartum depression
Postpartum depression is a mental disorder that occurs at the turn of the first and second months of a child’s life. It has symptoms similar to other affective disorders, which are: depressed mood, a significant decrease in vital energy, physical malaise and sleep problems. Women with postnatal depression experience no joy, have problems with their appetite, and are irritable.
Postpartum depression is a more serious condition than baby blues – mood disorders are not only more dangerous, but also last longer, often up to six months. About 10-20% of women suffer from it. Women who have a history of depression or other mental illness, have no support from loved ones, have a sick baby, or have an unwanted pregnancy are at increased risk of postpartum depression.
If left untreated, postnatal depression can affect family life and even lead to a breakup. The bond between the mother and the child will also be at risk, and the first year after the child is born is crucial for his mental development. A mother with a mood disorder is unable to establish a proper relationship with her child – the result may be problems with the child’s motor development, trouble sleeping and feeding.
Labor depression is also a problem for some men. Still, it is a topic that is talked about much less often than about postpartum depression in women. For this reason, we know less about male depression than about female depression. Young fathers often suppress symptoms of depression and mood swings, which can lead not only to withdrawal from family life, but also to self-destruction.
How to distinguish baby blues from postnatal depression?
A woman with postnatal depression may not feel like looking after her baby. In this state, thoughts and emotions also appear about the toddler. As a result, mothers feel anger towards their charges, which after a while turns into guilt for this reason. During postnatal depression, women may not want to be left alone with their babies, as this causes them anxiety and anxiety.