Preparing for the baby blues

Many women will experience feelings of sadness after giving birth, but it's quite natural.


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The first few hours and days after bringing your baby into the world will be a joyful and exciting time. However, for many women it is also a time of unexpected feelings of sadness and gloom. These are known as the baby blues, and it is quite separate from post-natal depression (PND). Feelings of sadness affect the majority of women who have just given birth, and are nothing to worry about.

Whereas PND is a serious condition and requires treatment, the baby blues should pass in a few days. Many women worry that their feelings mean they will not be a good mother to their new child, but this mood is completely natural and only temporary. By preparing yourself for the possibility of experiencing the baby blues, you'll be more able to cope with them if they do occur.

What are the baby blues?

Baby blues are the feelings of sadness and exhaustion that 60-80 percent of woman experience directly after giving birth. You may feel inexplicably anxious, morose, and cry for no reason - and you may worsen these symptoms by worrying why you are feeling sad when this should be such a joyous time. Many women describe situations directly after giving birth where they have a beautiful baby in their arms, a loving partner close by, in fact everything in the world they've always wanted - and yet all they want to do is cry or hide away.

These feelings can last from as much as a few hours to a few days. However, if you are still experiencing feelings of melancholy 2 or 3 weeks after your baby has been born, you may want to consult your doctor - especially if you have a history of depression. Baby blues that don't go away could well be the first signs of PND.

Where do they come from?

Baby blues are thought to be caused mainly by hormonal changes in your body, as your pregnancy hormones will now be dissipating and the ones that control production of milk will start to kick in. Such havoc with your hormones is sure to cause mood-swings in even the most level-headed person! It can also be caused by a sense of anti-climax as you begin to cope with the reality of being a mother.

Symptoms you may experience include:

• Weepiness
  
  
• Moodiness
  
  
• Irritability
  
  
• Nervousness
  
  
• Exhaustion
  
  
• Feelings of helplessness

What can I do to feel better?

It is important to remember that these feelings of sadness will pass in a few days' time (if they don't, consult your doctor). In the meantime, though, there are several things you can do to help ease the blues.

• It's essential you get enough rest. Your body as well as your mind will be exhausted at this time, and you'll need time to recuperate. The feeling of being rested will do wonders for your mental wellbeing.
  
  
• Try not to let yourself worry or become stressed out about anything in your life. Recognise that fretting about anything at this time will not help you solve problems any quicker, and will only prolong any feelings of sadness.
  
  
• Turn to your partner, family and friends for support. That's what they're there for. Don't be afraid to lean on them emotionally - they will be more than willing to help you feel better.
  
  
• Talk to someone. The more you bottle up feelings, the more out of proportion they will become. As soon as you start telling your partner or family about what you are experiencing, you will start to feel better. Perhaps your mother or a friend has been through a similar emotional rollercoaster after birth and can give you valuable advice.
  
  
• Cry if you need to. Don't feel silly or wonder why you are crying - after doing so you'll feel a weight lifted.

It's important to remember that suffering from the baby blues is completely understandable in this early stage of motherhood. After giving birth your body and your emotions will have gone through huge changes and it is only natural that you will need some time to recover.

Patience is key at this time, as is the knowledge that you will soon feel better. Your life has changed - you are now a parent and responsible for a human life, a feeling that can be overwhelming. But it's likely that you will adapt to motherhood more easily than you expect.