The Case of Baby Blues

I sat down to dinner with my new baby, at home, on my own.  My mum had gone home, after spending the first 10 days with me in case I needed help.  My partner was at work.  Until giving birth, I would have been at work too.

It was strange to be thrust from being busy all the time, with people coming and going, to quiet.  At home.  On my own.  Except I wasn’t alone, because now I had a baby.

As I sat eating my dinner, the thought suddenly occurred to me, “this is what my life is going to be from now on…at home.  On my own.  Every night.”

A couple of tears almost fell…

Then I stopped and thought to myself, no.  You have a choice.  You do not have to sit here alone.  You can go out and see people.

So that’s what I did.  That night.

Here are some other tips to help you beat the Baby Blues:

1. Talk to someone who has been through it before.  I was lucky enough to have an older sister who lived close, with two daughters only slightly older than mine.  It was great to have someone who could say, “It’s ok, it’s normal”.
2. Join a mothers group if you don’t have family or close friends you can talk to. You can find them on the net, or ring your local council or church. If you feel a bit awkward at first, don’t worry, as they will be feeling the same.  Everyone is learning.
3. If friends and family offer help of any kind; meals, a load of washing done, visits – accept it!  You may not feel like saying yes, but do it anyway.  When a friend comes to visit and they say, “Go have a shower and I’ll watch little Jack”, there is no sense at all in responding with, “No, it’s fine, I’ll have one later.” (sure you will). Just take some guilt-free time for you!
4. Any opportunity you get to catch up on sleep – take it.  Don’t turn the tv on, put your phone on silent, close the blinds, clear your mind.  Sleep aides learning, memory and insight, and helps with speed of thinking.  It gets you in a better mood, and reduces the risk of depression.
5. Eat healthy food – something fresh or perhaps organic?  Seems obvious, but it will make you feel better, and is better for your baby when you breastfeed.
6. Get some exercise, fresh air and sunshine.  Get the endorphins working again.  Baby Blues are brought on with the drop in endorphins when estrogen and progesterone plummet after giving birth.  Exercise is one way to rustle them up and get some balance in your body!
7. Expect it will take time to adjust; that you wont keep up with housework; and that your hair and makeup wont be done every day.
8. Tell your partner what you need from them, and allow them to help.  They may not know how to make the perfect dinner, or get the settings right on the washing machine, but if you never let them try, they never will!

If you think it’s more serious than the blues, or you’re just not sure, call you doctor and get a professional assessment, for the wellbeing of you and your baby.

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