Know About the Postpartum Blues
After a baby is born, mothers are seen to have a lot of mood swings and general feelings of depression.
This condition is called the postpartum depression or postpartum blues and it is a phenomenon that has been seen in 80% of the mothers.
The condition peaks in 3 to 5 days after the delivery and can last up to 2 weeks. This is a stress condition that can be treated and dealt with easily. Only if it persists for a long time is when one should start worrying about the condition.
This condition is characterized by the mother having trouble sleeping and feeling irritable as well. She can feel sad or edgy and caves in and starts to cry at the slightest stress.
The other symptoms include the inability to enjoy any happy activities or occasions, fatigue and loss of appetite or troubled stomach. There are many reasons that have been cited for postpartum blues.
This includes the psychological stress that has majorly occurred because of the physical and the mental strain during the delivery. It is also caused due to the hormonal imbalance which tends to happen in about 48 hours from the delivery.
Women who are sensitive to hormonal changes are more susceptible to this condition. There can be a previous traumatic experience that can affect the new mother and make her stressed.
There are many physical changes in the body after delivery. These include change in the muscle tone and the inability to reduce weight is what also gives some mothers a reason to be stressed.
Soreness and pain in the area around the birth canal also is another reason. There are times when the lack of physical activity and being confined to the house also contribute to the causes of postpartum blues.
There are many ways to beat these blues. Rest and take a nap when baby does. Take a walk and always get some fresh air. Meet people and socialize. Stop worrying about the house work.
Ensure that you clean yourself thoroughly. Take a shower everyday and wear clean light clothes. Do not worry about that weight; you will have ample time to reduce it. Feel happy with the new changes as things are only bound to get better.
