After giving birth, it's very common for the new mom to have a surge of all kinds of emotions. Being able to hold your baby and look at them after waiting all those months is so amazing and can make anyone happy, but there's also a lot of stress that comes with getting used to having the new baby too. You're exhausted, stressing over every little thing when it comes to your newborn, and worrying that you may not be doing the best you can. The first couple of weeks after having your baby are the most tiring and stressful, so it's extremely common to experience the baby blues. However, the baby blues are different from postpartum depression, so it's very important to take care of yourself and talk to someone if you're worried that you may be depressed.
After delivering your baby, your body is going through tons of changes, getting back to normal after carrying the baby around. All the hormonal changes can cause an emotional imbalance, and so can all of the sleep deprivation. On top of the hormones, all the worry and stress, and even some negative thoughts about your new appearance and motherly instincts, can cause random bursts of sadness and crying.
Bringing the baby home initially, you can feel like you won't be able to take care of your baby properly on your own. You can find yourself crying in the middle of the night during a feeding because you haven't gotten much, if any, sleep. You can't get the baby to stop crying or fussing, and you find yourself in tears as well. Feeling like you're just not doing good enough can pop up out of nowhere.
It's very common for some or all of these things to happen after having your baby. You find yourself sobbing while cuddling your newborn. The most important thing that you need to remember if you're having some negative feelings is that in situations when you're getting upset or frustrated, if you have to, lay the baby down and step out of the room for a few minutes to calm down. It's hard to ignore your baby's cries, especially if you're emotional about it yourself, but if you're crying and getting upset while holding your baby, it's best to lay them down so that nothing happens while you're holding them.
If your significant other or someone you live with is able to help, then do not hesitate to ask for help in moments like this. There were a few times in the first couple of weeks when I would be up in the middle of the night with my son and couldn't get him to calm down enough to latch onto my nipple to nurse, and it would make me cry, so I would ask my husband to wake up and help me. He would help me with latching and then he would reassure me and help me to feel better about myself. I hope that every new mom has some kind of support system, especially in times like these.
In short, the baby blues are simply bad moments or days in which you feel generally sad and upset. Baby blues usually occurs within the first few weeks or months postpartum, but can still occur throughout the following months as well, jut not as often. If you find that you are feeling upset and sad for more than a couple of days and going through your day gets harder and harder, do not hesitate to talk to your doctor; postpartum depression is very serious and potentially dangerous for you and your baby. Remember that it gets easier and that you'll get through the hard times very soon; you are still a great mother, even when your baby is crying and won't sleep. You'll look back on those hard times and feel good about yourself because you were able to push through them for your baby, and that is an amazing feeling.
If your significant other or someone you live with is able to help, then do not hesitate to ask for help in moments like this. There were a few times in the first couple of weeks when I would be up in the middle of the night with my son and couldn't get him to calm down enough to latch onto my nipple to nurse, and it would make me cry, so I would ask my husband to wake up and help me. He would help me with latching and then he would reassure me and help me to feel better about myself. I hope that every new mom has some kind of support system, especially in times like these.
In short, the baby blues are simply bad moments or days in which you feel generally sad and upset. Baby blues usually occurs within the first few weeks or months postpartum, but can still occur throughout the following months as well, jut not as often. If you find that you are feeling upset and sad for more than a couple of days and going through your day gets harder and harder, do not hesitate to talk to your doctor; postpartum depression is very serious and potentially dangerous for you and your baby. Remember that it gets easier and that you'll get through the hard times very soon; you are still a great mother, even when your baby is crying and won't sleep. You'll look back on those hard times and feel good about yourself because you were able to push through them for your baby, and that is an amazing feeling.
