The truth about the baby blues
I’m going to be totally honest with you, I had heard about the baby blues before having my baby at antenatal classes, in magazines etc but I never really thought that it would happen to me. I also didn’t realise after I opened up to a few other mums how common it is. I’m going to share with you my very candid experience of the baby blues and how I managed to get out of that phase.
The baby blues are common and normal in women who have just given birth and is different from postpartum depression. It usually occurs in the first week or two after giving birth and is caused by sudden changes in hormones and chemicals in your body. Symptoms can include feeling down and irrational, being emotional, crying for no apparent reason and feeling irritable and touchy. I’m telling I felt all of these symptoms!
I just remember feeling so OVERWHELMED. I have this little human being I am now responsible for, everything was new for me, I was not getting enough sleep, there were so many visitors and well wishers around every day wanting to see me and baby, I was worried if I was doing a good job and then I felt guilty that I didn’t feel happy even though I was really happy and grateful that me and baby were healthy and then I felt guilty for feeling guilty....
At first I bottled up how I was feeling because I didn’t want anyone to think I couldn’t handle being a mum but I just had to speak to someone after a few days of feeling terrible and I remembered in my antenatal classes they had mentioned you may feel like this and it was completely normal. After I opened up and did some research on it, I felt a bit more at ease knowing that I wasn’t the only one and that the feelings would pass after a while.
I had to remind myself everyday that I am so blessed to have a child and remember to talk to someone to share how I am feeling when any negative thoughts started to creep in. It sounds silly but it also helped to speak to my baby and laugh and play around with him and to get as much bonding time with him as possible.
Postpartum depression on the other hand usually occurs between two to eight weeks after birth. Symptoms can include feeling depressed and despondent, having a loss of interest in the baby, feeling hopeless and unable to cope, not being able to enjoy anything, loss of appetite, panic attacks and feeling extremely anxious about the baby. If you think you are experiencing this you must talk to your midwife, health visitor, GP or a member of you family to get some help.
Please remember that both baby blues and postnatal depression are not signs you are a bad mother and unable to cope. It’s important to speak to someone and seek help like you would with any illness or ailment, just don’t suffer in silence!!!
Until next time x