Postpartum Depression (PPD)
PPD affects about 10
percent of all new moms. The symptoms differ from woman to woman, and
it’s normal to experience at least some of these after birth. It’s
important, however, to look out for the following symptoms—be honest
with yourself about how you are feeling, and talk to your doctor if you
are concerned.
Lethargy
Tearfulness
Anxiety
Guilt
Irritability
Confusion
Disturbed sleep and excessive exhaustion
Difficulty making decisions
Loss of self-esteem
Lack of confidence in your ability as a mother
Loss of libido
Loss of appetite
Difficulty concentrating
Hostility or indifference to people you normally love
Fear of harming yourself or your baby
Helplessness
Allow others to help
There is no shame in
suffering from PPD. Rest, take time for yourself, and accept any help
offered. Call your doctor if your symptoms worsen after a week.
Getting Enough Sleep
Having already
experienced difficulty sleeping in the last weeks of pregnancy, and then
the physically exhausting experience of labor, it can seem daunting to
discover that your new baby will offer you little opportunity to rest.
But sleep is essential for new moms (and dads), and there are ways to
juggle things so that you get what you need.
Sleep when your baby sleeps—if she’s a night owl and keeps you up every night, then go with it until you feel energetic enough to try to adjust her routine
Forget about housework and all other chores—it’s more important that you rest when you can
Try not to feel guilty about spending time watching TV with your feet propped up while your baby is at your breast, or catching a nap when she dozes off to sleep
Don’t panic—you’ll
need to make a mind shift and forget about the idea of getting seven or
eight hours of uninterrupted sleep in a row; if you accept your sleep
is going to be broken, you’ll feel calmer and less stressed
Even 10-minute naps will help to relieve the sleep drought, and recharge your batteries
You may find it hard if you are normally organized and energetic, but take up all offers of help so that you can rest and sleep
Pay a visit to mom and dad or a kindly friend, who will welcome the opportunity to pamper you and spend time with your little one while you rest
Figure out who is the owl and who is the lark—if
your partner loves getting up early, then hand over baby after nursing
and go back to sleep; if you don’t mind late nights, then take over
while your partner goes to bed
Get organized—if you get yourself into some sort of a routine, you’ll know when you can sleep and when you’ll have some time for yourself
Finally, pamper yourself a little:
have a long bath scented with relaxing aromatherapy oils then take a
book to bed while someone else watches baby—you may only read a page or
two, but this time to yourself will help you unwind, and you’ll drift
into a restorative sleep
Surviving sleeplessness
One study found that new
moms sleep, on average, only four hours a night—and sometimes less if
they are breastfeeding—so it’s not surprising you’re tired. The most
important thing you can do is avoid panicking. Try not to watch the
clock, which will only remind you of how little sleep you are getting.
Fall into rhythm with your baby, and remember, once she’s established a
healthy sleep cycle, you’ll quickly be able to catch up on yours.
