How to Decrease the Likelihood of Postpartum Blues

Women can experience postpartum blues after the birth of their baby as pregnancy hormones drop dramatically. Typically, sadness, crying jags, mood swings, anxiety, and trouble concentrating appear a few days after birth and last only a couple of weeks. The postpartum blues typically resolve on their own as hormones stabilize.

However, postpartum depression is a more severe condition that can develop a few weeks after birth and last months. The symptoms of postpartum depression are persistent sadness, hopelessness, panic, anxiety, a fear of being alone, and thoughts of self-harm or harming the baby. Women with postpartum depression need to seek professional help from a licensed therapist immediately.

Tips to avoid postpartum blues.

To prevent postpartum blues, prepare for the hormone decline as early as possible in your pregnancy. Then, just like you are preparing for the birth of your baby by setting up the nursery and making arrangements at work, make sure that you plan for the first few weeks at home with your newborn.

Now is the time to recruit help and automate systems in your home. Regarding home maintenance, ensure that all tasks are done before the baby is born or wait until at least six months after the baby’s arrival to tackle big projects again. You will need the first several weeks (if not months) to revolve around the new baby and the physical, emotional, and mental changes you will experience.

Learn what causes postpartum blues.

The more knowledge you have, the less scary postpartum blues can feel. Once you know the causes and symptoms of the condition, the less likely you will be caught off guard by sudden emotional crying or a mood swing.

Educating yourself about postpartum depression is just as crucial. As many as 6% to 20% of new mothers develop postpartum depression. If you recognize the signs early, you can seek help. New mothers with a history of depression, younger than 25 years old, or have a family history of depression are more likely to develop the condition.

In a journal, you may want to record your thoughts and emotions before and after birth. This will make it easier to pinpoint any problems in your reasoning. You can also prepare your journal ahead of time with notes to yourself of positive affirmations and reminders that the postpartum period is a brief recovery time. The late nights, mood swings, and sleep deprivation will not last forever.

Make arrangements for help before the birth.

It is usual for a new mother to believe she should be able to juggle a newborn with other children, cooking, cleaning, and other household chores and errands. But why run yourself into the ground? For the sake of your physical, emotional, and mental health, begin making arrangements for help before the baby is born. Ask yourself:

• Can someone come in once a week and do light house cleaning?
• Do you have a family member who wouldn’t mind caring for your smaller children for the first week or two at home?
• Do you have a supportive partner willing to alternate nightly feedings with you so that you can sleep a little longer?

If someone offers to help you, don’t let your ego turn them away. Instead, please take advantage of their kindness during the first few weeks of postpartum.

Prepare meals in advance or meal plan.

The first few weeks at home with a newborn can be chaotic, and you may try to sneak in sleep when the baby sleeps, leaving little time for meal preparation and cooking. Before the baby arrives, consider preparing meals and freezing them. For example, you can pick up inexpensive foil pans that can move seamlessly from the freezer to the oven to heat casseroles. You can also find easy recipes for homemade protein bars and other treats that freeze well.

If you cannot cook meals in advance, try to menu plan instead. Choose a rotation of easy-to-make meals for the first month the baby will be home. When you grocery shop before the baby arrives, pick up enough items for the pantry so that you only have to worry about picking up perishable items like milk and bread.

Get clearance to exercise before and after giving birth.

To recover faster from pregnancy, it is best to stay in shape before giving birth. Get your doctor’s approval, and never push past your limits. Monitor your progress and speak to your obstetrician before doing any matwork exercises that place too much pressure on your abdomen.

Feel free to explore various workouts and exercise programs. Now is a great time to strengthen your pelvic floor muscles with Kegel exercises. Walking is another low-impact exercise that will keep your joints flexible.

Depending on your fitness level before pregnancy, your physician may clear you to continue to lift weights. Exercising also fights depression and lifts your mood. After the baby is born and the doctor clears you for exercise, physical movement will boost your self-esteem and confidence.

Find your people.

If you are a single mother or your husband works full-time out of the home, you may feel as if you are trying to juggle motherhood alone. However, there are mother’s organizations and support groups available. You may need to research groups online or ask your hospital if they know of any groups that meet locally. Most mom groups, like MOPS, allow you to bring your child to the meetings, and you can remain a member through your child’s fifth birthday.

Since the pandemic, more support groups have found a home online through Zoom or Facebook Live. These groups meet virtually, which may be easier for you to manage with your schedule. You can also ask around at church and other community events about any new mother organizations that meet.

Avoid making big decisions.

Having a baby is a significant life event. Your entire world is turned upside down with this new little person. On top of that, your hormones are shifting and causing you to be overly emotional. Now is not a good time to make major decisions affecting your future.

Some life events are unavoidable, such as the death of a loved one. Aside from losing a loved one, other decisions such as making a large purchase, moving to a new home, or leaving a job can often be made at a later time.

When you feel overly sensitive and sleep-deprived, every little thing your partner does can grate your nerves; pet peeves become triggers for arguments. But before leaving your spouse, wait to see if your reaction is due to the hormone shift. Wait until your hormones stabilize and you feel more secure in your baby’s first year before tackling those tough decisions.

Take recovery slowly.

Most obstetricians recommend a period of five to six weeks or longer to recover from pregnancy and childbirth. However, even after this time, you may still not feel 100% back to being yourself, especially if you had a rough delivery or complications during the pregnancy.

What you went through to grow and produce a human being is incredible. Your body needs time to recover from this miracle. Don’t try to jump back into your old routine too soon.

You may have loved ones that verbally compare their postpartum period to yours, and their words may leave you feeling as if you don’t measure up. You will need to learn how to tune those voices out. Every woman is different, and every pregnancy is different. If it takes you longer to recover, use that time to heal your body and bond with your baby.

Christian counseling for postpartum blues.

Although you can prepare for the arrival of your little one and try to avoid the effects of postpartum blues, a newborn in the home changes your routine. Are you experiencing postpartum blues? Do you need extra support? Reach out to our office today to speak with a therapist who can help you through this season of your life. We are here for you.