Tick Off Stress from the Postpartum List

Postpartum Depression is a Medical Condition & You are at No Fault!

Sperms and eggs collate and bingo, there is your baby! Months of passionate care during pregnancy builds up the confidence in mums-to-be preparing them for the delivery. Out comes the baby after unwavering hours or days of labor pain. Family members and your husband gush with happiness but what surrounds you is a feeling of doom, frustration and fear. The ensuing weeks or months post pregnancy seem to be a complete blur attending to the baby’s feeding needs, suffering from sleep deprivation and recovering from childbirth. Amidst all this, many new mums feel doubtful about their own ability to play the role of a mum and suffer from stress.

Postpartum stress and anxiety are primarily due to lack of sleep and continuously caring for another human neglecting your needs and health. You are in pain still recovering from your pregnancy and childbirth effect, and stress decreases the production of oxytocin and endorphins-hormones that ease pain and reduce it greatly during and after birth. Simple yet effective steps to combat depression and take these in your stride include:

Be the ‘Bond’ Mum: Touch is fascinating and helps you gel closely with your baby. The bond that grows between a mom and her child determines various other things in life. Constantly being available to your baby when he/she needs you, cuddling your child, picking him/her and soothing when he/she cries strengthens the bond and helps the child sharpen his/her cognitive skills. Even studies show that kids who don’t emotionally bond with their parents suffer academically and experience behavioral problems as well. While the sight of their baby makes some parents overwhelm with love and affections, some other parents take time (it might be a few weeks or even months) to bring out the attachment within them. Physical contact with the little one releases happiness hormones (oxytocin) which makes you compassionate towards others and more responsive to cues from your kid.

Smile at your little one, hold his/her tiny fingers while breastfeeding and massage and sing to your infant. You are his/her entire world. The little smile on the face and the gurgles are sure to take away all your stress and frustration.

Attend to your Needs: Delivering a child does not mean an end to your needs and wants. Take care of yourself-this is one of the best ways to relieve postpartum depression. Precautions against getting into postpartum depression starts right from pregnancy. Eat plenty of omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy to lower the risk of depression. Sleeping well is yet another way to ward off stress after delivery. Time and again we hear people around suggesting taking a nap while the baby sleeps as there cannot be a better time for a power nap. Lack of sleep is sure to push anyone towards depression. Ensure to squeeze as much time as possible to get enough rest.

The bright sunshine has the power to improve your mood and energize your spirits. Go for a walk keeping your baby on a stroller and enjoy the outside air. Try to relax yourself by watching any of your favorite series, take a bubble bath or read your favorite book.

Exercise: Physical activity is the best way to increase your emotional well-being. It strengthens abdominal muscles, relieves stress, promotes sleep and uplifts energy. Walking is the best exercise to start with. There are no side effects and even when you have only 10 minutes to spare, you can walk around your house. If you are one of those who feels that splitting your exercise schedule is futile, you are absolutely wrong and you can find concrete evidences supporting this by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com.

Be surrounded by people: Having friends, family and people around us make us feel better and happier. Interacting with people and sharing your thoughts and ideas make you suffer less from stress. Staying with your baby all the time can leave you feeling lonely and isolated. Loneliness is a strong devil that can lead to high BP, low immunity and increased risk of heart attack. Search for baby classes and enroll your toddler into one of them.

Relax your Mind: If none of the above prove helpful, go to a therapist with whom you can discuss your concerns and fears openly. The physician recommends antidepressants only when depression is severe and other treatments prove futile.

Becoming stressed or anxious, getting into postpartum depression and suffering from it is not your fault. It is a medical condition that needs immediate attention. Ask for help, seek out solutions and don’t shy away from exploring new strategies to cope with your anxiety/stress.