Postpartum is a time of huge adjustment
Is becoming a new mom completely stressing you out?
What was supposed to be the happiest time of my life was one of the most difficult.
I remember coming home from the birthing center with my first baby. I had taken the birthing class, carefully articulated my birthing plan, went through labor feeling both empowered and exhausted, closer to my husband than ever before.
Then, the midwife sent us home. Home? With this precious little baby? How can I be trusted to keep her alive?!
We made it home in one piece. We kept the baby alive. But, I started to really suffer.
Even though I was constantly with my baby, I never felt lonelier. I was always anxious I was messing up, even though I couldn’t be any more careful. I wasn’t getting enough sleep. I started feeling hopeless like this wasn’t ever gonna get any better.
I didn’t know it then, but I had postpartum depression.
Recognizing Postpartum Depression
As many as 80% of moms and their partners feel symptoms of postpartum mood disorders. Up to 20% of new moms and their partners can develop this illness. This can happen to anyone, no matter where you come from or where you are. It can develop while you’re pregnant. That’s called antepartum depression. And it can develop any time within the first 12 to 24 months after birth. It can even happen to moms that adopt their baby.
Some of the symptoms of postpartum depression include:
- Crying at least once a day
- Feeling sad most or all the time
- Trouble concentrating
- Inability to enjoy the things you used to
- Difficulty sleeping
- Feeling like a failure
- Low energy and/or tired all of the time
- No appetite or at least no enjoyment of food- or craving sugar and carbs and eating compulsively
- Feeling irritable and angry with your partner
- Feeling like the future is hopeless
- Thinking you’ll feel this way forever
- Feeling like it would be better to be dead than to feel this way
Finding Hope and Healing
If you’re feeling any of these symptoms, please know that you’re not alone.
Many people struggle with this silent pain and things can get better. Finding support through professional counseling can be life-changing. I’m here to help. I want to help you. It’s one of, if not the biggest reasons I’m here doing the work that I do.
To learn more about counseling with me, contact me at 512-651-1009 and ask for me, Molly.
Molly Crenshaw is a licensed professional counselor intern supervised by Candyace Ossefort-Russell, LPC-S. She works with children and adults and has a particular passion for helping new parents and those who are processing grief and trauma.
