Table of contents:
- What can be done to prevent the baby blues after giving birth?
- 1. Talk about your concerns
- 2. Release stress
- 3. Go to sleep when your baby sleeps
- 4. Increase your intake of Omega-3
- 5. Take time to exercise
- 6. Don't complaining want to be the perfect parent
Mood swings after the birth of a baby are common. You may become impatient, irritable, and always worry about your baby's health (even if he is fine). Not only that, you may also feel tired but can't sleep and continue to cry for no apparent reason. This condition is known as baby blues , the most common form of mild postpartum depression in most pregnant women.
About 70-80 percent of new mothers worldwide struggle with the baby blues after giving birth. Although things are commonplace, this condition can also be a tricky problem if you don't deal with it immediately. That is why pregnant women need to take anticipatory steps to prevent baby blues after giving birth.
What can be done to prevent the baby blues after giving birth?
The birth of the baby into the world is an event that invites millions of emotions. After having had an amazing pregnancy, you may feel super excited to embrace your beloved child. However, for some women, the emotional turmoil that is felt after giving birth is not always a happy relief.
So, to prevent the baby blues after giving birth, here are the steps you can try:
1. Talk about your concerns
Talk to your doctor about any worries and sadness you are currently feeling. This means always keeping your prenatal consultation appointments. Often times, health professionals can detect signs of depression that you may not have been aware of. That way, they can help you control the symptoms before they spill out of control.
Also have a careful discussion with your husband about anything that worries you about becoming a new parent soon. You can express all your worries about the future. Whether it's less time alone with your husband, or worry about overcoming problems with breastfeeding your baby later.
2. Release stress
New mothers who spend at least 15 minutes each day relieving stress are more likely to cope with household stresses than those who don't try to relax a little. This was explained by Diane Sanford, Ph.D., author of the Postpartum Survival Guide, on the Parents page.
So, so that you don't experience the baby blues, set aside time for yourself regularly during pregnancy or after delivery. You can do "me time" with a variety of positive activities. Call it meditation, deep breathing exercises, beautifying yourself in the salon, or just coffee-coffee meeting and exchanging stories with prospective moms and other mothers about your complaints.
That way, you can find some relief knowing that you are not alone, and that parenting is a unique experience for every mother.
3. Go to sleep when your baby sleeps
Everyone has heard this classic advice, "Go to sleep when baby sleeps." Unfortunately, too many mothers fail to really do it. Yes, most mothers often use baby-free time to clean up the house or shop for baby supplies before they forget it. Indeed, there is nothing wrong with both of them. However, you shouldn't miss a golden opportunity to steal your time off.
According to a study by Michael O'Hara, Ph.D., of the University of Iowa, new mothers who are able to make up for lost sleep tend to feel more relaxed and immune to stress.
“You may need friends, family members, or hired help to help out with everything details household so you can get the restful sleep you so deserve, ”says Dr. O'Hara, author of Postpartum Depression: Causes and Consequences.
Therefore, don't hesitate to ask for help from others. You can ask for help from your husband, mother, or hire a household assistant to take care of housework or care for the baby. As a result, in addition to not being completely drained of your energy, you can also avoid stress.
4. Increase your intake of Omega-3
A number of studies have shown that consumption of omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA) can reduce the risk of preterm birth and prevent baby blues in new mothers. Omega-3s are essential fatty acids that cannot be produced naturally by the body, and therefore must be obtained from food. Women who eat enough high-quality fish during pregnancy or high-quality fish oil supplements tend to be more resistant to postpartum depression.
In addition, inadequate maternal omega-3 intake has also been linked to risk factors for type 1 diabetes in children as well as delayed verbal development during development. Studies show that the supply of omega-3s to the fetus is specifically transported directly from the mother's personal supply during pregnancy, particularly from the mother's brain, to the developing fetal placenta.
5. Take time to exercise
One study found that mothers who exercised regularly before and after giving birth tended to feel better emotionally and were more sociable than those who didn't.
Even so, don't force yourself to do strenuous exercise. Just light exercise, focus on getting your blood flowing, not on burning hundreds of calories or tightening your abdominal muscles.
"You can walk in a city park, get fresh air, and enjoy nature to refresh your perspective," says Karen Rosenthal, Ph.D., a psychologist in Westport, Connecticut.
6. Don't complaining want to be the perfect parent
You may plan to be the perfect parent for your baby, and even have the image of the ideal parent engraved in your mind. You may feel guilty if you don't get everything right and think that other moms are doing a much better job than you. As a result, you impose unrealistic expectations on yourself. Apart from being open to heart, the best way to prevent the baby blues is to have realistic expectations.
Babies are unpredictable. Parenting is a difficult and difficult job to predict. Maybe you often hear funny stories about mothers rushing out of the house wearing their clothes upside down or forgetting to put diapers on their babies after bathing. One-one is not a little, it doesn't matter. Being careless does not necessarily mean that you fail to be a good parent.
Instead of freaking out every now and then realizing how messy your life is right now, try to relax a little and appreciate every spontaneity.
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