The baby blues is something that can strike any new mother, no matter how thankful they are to have their child. For these mothers, postpartum depression can be terrifying. They are unsure how to explain it. It is simply there.
And this could affect your relationship with your partner, your family, and your child, which is the last thing you want and need at this time. So how can you beat the baby blues? There are several approaches to consider, and here are six of the most effective.
Be Kind To Yourself
Recently, there has been more focus on the link between self-talk and depression, especially when this self-talk is negative. When you feel overwhelmed by depressive feelings and emotions, it’s too easy to fall into the trap of telling yourself you are not good enough, and that you may be a terrible mother.
Of course, this will not benefit you at all. While it might seem easy to default towards negative, you must be kinder to yourself. This is especially true if it is your first child, as you don’t know what type of mother you will be, so you will be more motivated to do your absolute best and ignore any doubts in your mind.
Remember To Breathe
It sounds like such a simple solution, but breathing exercises can reduce the stress and anxiety you feel when you encounter baby blues. Being a mother can be overwhelming, and many use panic as a crutch, but this is not an effective coping mechanism to rely on.
Instead, it is best to stop and breathe. If you are holding your baby, gently rock them in time with your breaths, as this will make you feel more connected, like you are experiencing the same thing together. If you feel like there is too much going on, take a seat for a few minutes to regroup so you can get back to what you were doing.
Reach Out for Support
There is a wealth of support for new mothers, whether from local parenting groups, medical professionals, or your family and partner. You mustn’t ignore the support available, as these sources can provide exceptional advice that you may not have considered.
Often, your situation is not unique, so there will be someone you can speak to who can tell you how they dealt with it. This approach may not work for you entirely, but it can inspire another coping method that helps you beat the blues.
Be Thankful
It’s easy to forget how grateful you are for having a child when you consider the amount of work you need to do to keep them safe and happy. But, many mothers have managed to turn their emotions around by writing in a gratitude journal about how happy they are.
You can use details about your baby to highlight why you love them so much. You can make notes about how your partner has helped you through your tougher moments. When you feel like things become too overwhelming again, you can read back on your entries to level yourself.
Don’t Forget the Important Things
There is also the opportunity to highlight and remember the most important things in your life. At the minute, this is your baby and your family, and you can use these as inspiration to deal with the baby blues. They don’t want you to feel down, so you can work on any problems to ensure you get better for them as much as you want to do it for yourself.
Do Everything You Can
If you feel like you are in over your head and don’t know what you’re doing, you can still do everything you can to ensure a healthy and happy baby.
This could be staying with them and keeping them comfortable, or it could be drinking breastfeeding tea rather than regular tea to help them get all the vital nutrients they need to grow. The more you feel you’re doing, the better you will see yourself. This can help alleviate any doubts and postpartum depression, enabling you to be the mother that you always hoped to be, and what everyone always expected of you.
Beating the Blues
You will experience a range of feelings after giving birth, and you may not be prepared for many of them, especially if no one warned you about them. Knowing how to beat the blues and being equipped to overcome emotions that you cannot explain or control will help you feel better, and allow you to embrace your baby the way you had always wanted to.
Photo by Isaac Quesada on Unsplash
Author: Mandy Kloppers
Mandy is a qualified therapist who treats depression, anxiety, OCD, PTSD, trauma, and many other types of mental health issues. She provides online therapy around the world for those needing support and also provides relationship counselling.
