| Lessons
of motherhood, No. 4: Coping with the baby blues
By Errin Stevenson
January 29, 2008 | So, what are the
baby blues? According to webmd, a popular medical site,
baby blues symptoms consist of the inability to sleep
or sleeping a lot, change in appetite, extreme concern
and worry about the baby or a lack of interest or feelings
for the baby, feeling unable to love the baby or your
family, anger toward the baby, your partner, or other
family members, irritability, anxiety or panic attacks
and a fear of harming your baby. These thoughts may
be obsessive, and you may be afraid to be left alone
in the house with your baby.
I have to say to you women out there,
being emotional, fatigue and feeling not up to the task
is a natural thing after labor. Your body has been through
one of the biggest and hardest stages it will go through.
So, be easy on yourself, you just had a baby! Relax
and don't feel guilty for having a slow start into motherhood.
It is okay to feel like you want to crawl into a hole,
but it is not okay to feel you don't want to feed your
baby.
Baby blues differ for all women.
Some women have a really hard time adjusting to the
new life of being a mom while others adjust well. According
to an article by Christy Oglesby from CNN, 70 percent
of women suffer from the "baby blues" for two weeks
after giving birth. 10 to 20 percent suffer from postpartum
depression and 1 or 2 out of 1000 new moms suffer from
psychosis. 70 percent is a high percentile; so if you
are suffering from baby blues, don't feel any guilt
or sorrow. It is natural for a lot of women to feel
the baby blues set in after giving birth.
Ways you can help yourself jump out
of the baby blues is finding something you enjoy. As
a new mom, I was panicked to take my newborn out. It
was hard to decide where I could take my newborn and
where I couldn't, but you do have to start sometime.
Taking walks, visiting family and friends, or just going
out for ice cream seemed to help me during the first
few weeks of emotions. Some other suggestions are to
go on a date; your baby will sleep a lot and most likely
sleep through your whole dinner. I always felt more
comfortable with my baby there then in someone's house
I didn't know. If you need time for yourself, find a
person you know and trust to baby sit your baby and
go get a massage or pedicure. Ask your spouse or another
child to help you with household duties; it is hard
to do everything. Scrapbook, bake or read while your
baby naps. Get active and find something that works
for you and your baby.
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