If you feel down, low, helpless,
anxious or teary despite the joyous occasion
in the family, despite feeling enthralled
with motherhood, well you are not alone.
Your emotions may be totally unexpected
but they are real and not imaginary. Some
facts you probably didn't know:
• According to research some form
of emotional upsets - fear, self-doubt,
irritability, angry feelings towards baby,
etc - take over a large percentage of all
new mums (75-80%).
• Termed baby blues, these symptoms
are common and therefore considered a normal
phase of pregnancy.
• These feelings typically set in
immediately after childbirth (1-3 days after
childbirth)
• If you had to deal with PMS before
becoming pregnant, you can expect a more
dramatic version of symptoms now.
• Raging hormone is but one factor
responsible for baby blues.
• These 'down' feelings can be attributed
to a lack of sleep
• Physical ailments you may be experiencing
also play a role.
• Lack of spousal or family support
especially at this time serves to push matters
over the hill.
For no clear reason you may:
1. cry easily
2. have trouble sleeping
3. have poor appetite
4. become indecisive
Many new mothers are confronted with feelings
of inadequacy, fragility, helplessness and
loneliness; some even begin to doubt their
ability of handling their newborn and therefore
see themselves as bad mothers. Baby blues
usually lasts for a short time - a few hours
to a week or so - and go away without the
need for treatment. The typical cycle of
this phase:
• it sets in 1-3 days after delivery;
• peaks between the 5th and 7th day;
• and makes an exit within the next
72 hours
However women will still continue to feel
emotional, tear easily over the smallest
of issues for the next month or so but generally
with each new day, there is a marked improvement
until the old self resumes.
When
it is postpartum depression
