My family and friends were not aware of this, but I had Postpartum depression after giving birth to Yani. I would cry for no reason at all. I was thinking though that it might be my hormones acting up.
Having a baby is a time filled with a lot of emotions. You can feel anything from joy to sadness, all in one day. If your feelings of sadness become too severe, you could be experiencing postpartum depression.
Symptoms of PPD usually start within a few weeks of having your baby, although they can develop up to six months afterward. They can include mood swings, trouble bonding with your baby, and difficulty thinking.
If you are depressed, you’re not alone. The mos effective way to diagnose and treat PPD is to visit your doctor, who can advise the best mix of therapy and medication to help. There are also things you can do at home to help you cope.
If you have lost your baby, this experience is very different to PPD, and you should seek more specialist support, and find helpful ways to remember your child, like children and baby funeral urns.
Exercise When You Can
Exercise can have an antidepressant effect on women with PPD. Walking with your baby in the stroller is an easy way to get some fresh air and get some gentle exercise in. Walking can be a significant way to ease your symptoms of depression.
If you can’t fit in a long exercise session, you can try just working out for ten minutes a few times on the same day. There are lots of short, simple workouts that you can do without any equipment.
Maintain A Healthy Diet
Healthy eating alone won’t cure depression, but eating nutritious foods can help you to feel better and give your body what it needs. Plan your meals for the week at the weekend and prepare what you can in advance. Whole foods, like chopped carrots or apple slices and peanut butter, are easy on the go.
Create Time For Yourself
You might feel overwhelmed by juggling caring for your baby, work, household responsibilities, and caring for older children. Ask for help. Accept offers of babysitting. Make sure your partner is pulling their weight.
Schedule some time for yourself once a week. You might not be able to get out for long, but use this time to decompress. Have a nap, do a yoga class, or go to the movies.
Make Time To Rest
You will probably have been told to sleep when the baby sleeps. This advice can get annoying to be told after a while, but it is helpful if you can manage it. Women who are able to get more sleep are less likely to experience symptoms of depression. Make time for yourself to rest. Grabbing some naps when your baby is sleeping can help with this.
In the early days, it’s likely that your baby isn’t sleeping through the night yet. Take naps and go to bed early. If you’re breastfeeding, pump a bottle before bed so your partner can take on some of the night feeds instead of you having to be the one who gets up every time.
