Don't Let Postpartum Depression Win, Practical Tips For New Moms

Source: Novum Psychiatry

I remember the fourth day post-delivery vividly. It felt like a sudden transition. It was almost as if I didn't find time to soak in the present moment. As much as I hate to admit it, I had begun to dislike the journey from that point in time onwards. I used to feel perpetually tired, on the edge, and a little lost trying to embrace the journey of being a new mother. 

I remember the fourth day post-delivery vividly. It felt like a sudden transition. It was almost as if I didn't find time to soak in the present moment. As much as I hate to admit it, I had begun to dislike the journey from that point in time onwards. I used to feel perpetually tired, on the edge, and a little lost trying to embrace the journey of being a new mother.  

I wasn’t looking forward to doing any of the things that new moms do or had exaggerated for me. I was nursing my baby fine for three days but then I drifted into the darkness of postpartum depression without knowing what it was. Nobody was there to help me or even recognized what I was going through. The worst part was when I convinced myself that I was just having “baby blues'' for a month straight. Thankfully, normalizing burnt-out-mom-culture doesn't happen at the place where I grew up.  

Source: Flo.Health

Baby blues and postpartum depression initially have the same symptoms but postpartum depression lasts anywhere between two weeks to a year and in some cases more than a year. Looking back I wish I had some support or at least would have heard about postpartum depression because knowing something about it would have made a difference in my motherhood journey. 

What I am about to tell you comes from my experience. I am certain that this blog post will help you in understanding how to beat postpartum blues and actually thrive in the beautiful journey of motherhood. 

Sleep is crucial to recovery and overall well-being

It's okay if you are not able to sleep on time because the baby is consuming your time erratically, but it’s not cool to have lost sleep for consecutive days altogether or sleep 24x7 and experience hypersomnia. If that’s the case then you should consult a doctor. Always try to catch up on sleep by taking naps. During the initial days, it's difficult to sync your sleep schedule with the baby’s schedule. Any chance you get to catch up on some sleep, don't miss it. 

Seek help actively from the very beginning

Don’t shy away from asking for help if you need some help with your baby or completing the chores. You are just one help away from a better mood. Trust the cues sent by your body signaling “I want some rest” and ask for it. Don’t say no to anyone helping you out. I have always been an independent person who always did all things on time without ever relying on anybody. It was just not me going about asking for some assistance until I realized that this mindset harmed me a lot when I got diagnosed with postpartum depression. 

Masking your feelings won't help

Accepting things as they are makes everything lighter and perhaps even a bit easier. Accept that you're feeling low and make your way up from there. Accept that you are lacking energy currently and know that you can work on it slowly. Accept that you will have to comparatively slow down your days and not jump on the bandwagon of trying to look like a super mommy. Acceptance helps a lot in tackling intrusive thoughts caused by new changes in life. 

Don’t feel guilty about your feelings

Unexplainable feelings can take you over.  Women’s bodies do wonderful things and you just birthed a whole human, it’s obvious for the hormones to go awry for a while, so hold on for a bit until they settle down and get normal. 

Set up a support system before the baby arrives

It won’t hurt to have your support system in place. Know what all things you can do by yourself in an emergency and whom you can rely on in case you can’t. You won't be able to rely on your partner all the time since they would be going through the journey of being a new parent themselves and if they have a full-time job it’s altogether different. Try to hire a nanny during the initial days to assist you and the baby to keep up with the daily tasks.  

Surround yourself with kind people 

Contrary to the popular culture of gatekeeping visitors, I personally believe that having supportive people visiting often can actually boost your morale. It’s a practical and wise thing to be around supportive people when your mental health is not doing great. The warmth of kindred people being by your side can actually help you heal faster. 

Lastly, if at any point you think it's going out of your hand and you feel like an emotional wreck please don't hesitate to seek medical help.