How To Overcome Postpartum Depression

Pregnancy and childbirth is a wonderful experience, but childbirth brings about a train of emotions with you being overjoyed at one moment and in tears at another. These emotions could turn into a disorder when it continues for more than 2 to 3 weeks; known as postpartum depression, it affects every 1 in 7 mums.

Some of the causes forpostpartum depressionare having a history of anxiety, stress or depression, being a perfectionist, nurturing a feeling that your close family and spouse do not support you.

Ways to overcome postpartum depression:

• If you are feeling that something is wrong, it is best to take your emotions seriously and confide in someone you consider as a validated support.


• If you feel like crying, by all means do it; your hormones are in full force during the last trimester of pregnancy and after child-birth and tears are one of the natural ways the body secretes hormones.  


• Breastfeed your baby but only if you can and want to; if you force yourself to breastfeed your postpartum depression could become worse. However certain studies show that breastfeeding the child up to at least 2 to 4 months makes one less prone to have postpartum depression.


• Take care to take a well balanced diet that gives you energy; it would be best to avoid alcohol and caffeine.


• Confiding in your spouse about how you feel could not only be a great source of strength, but could also improve on your relationship. However this is contra-indicated in cases where the spouse is not understanding and supportive.   


• It is vital that a new mother gets enough sleep; it would be great if your spouse or any other family member could pitch in at least 2 days. If this seems not possible, it would help to relax when your baby sleeps.


• Exercise could be hard when you are feeling blue, but workout boosts endorphins and helps ease postpartum depression. You could head to the gym or go out for a walk with the baby. 


• Child-birth brings in a new responsibility and requires the re-evaluating of your time to divide between your work, your child and other responsibilities. It would be good to be realistic about how much you can take and to discuss your collective responsibilities with your spouse.


• Overcoming postpartum depression also means having people that love you around you to talk to when you feel down and to avoid those that agitate you. 

Lastly to overcome depression arising out of the baby and you not bonding due to your not tuning to the baby’s cry it would be great to do infant massages; it would also help to take up massage packages for both the baby and you.