Postpartum depression is a severe condition that affects new moms after the birth of their babies. Around 1 in 7 women suffer from postpartum depression, and its severity can differ from person to person, meaning the signs can be hard to spot and, in many cases, put down to baby blues, which is a common phenomenon post-birth for most people.
But when things don’t clear up as the baby blues do and postpartum depression sets in, what can you do to help yourself or your loved ones get through this and come out the other side?
1. Get Help
Getting professional help for your postpartum depression is essential so you can start your journey to recovery. Help is available in different ways, from therapy to medication, but talking to your doctor can let you uncover what help is available for you. You might find you benefit most from taking medication to help you at this time or talking to a postpartum depression therapist would work better for you. But getting the right help is paramount.
2. Don’t Punish Yourself
It’s essential to understand there is nothing wrong with you or your ability to be a good parent. Postpartum depression is insidious, and understanding nothing you have done wrong or a reflection on your parenting abilities is essential to help you move forward and start your path to recovery. Postpartum depression is a serious mental health condition that can be rectified with the right course of treatment, and you shouldn’t be too hard on yourself.
3. Take Care Of Yourself
Doing the basics such as eating well, staying hydrated, exercising when you can, and getting enough sleep can help you to support your body and your mental health, and the better you feel in yourself, the more able you will be to physically take on your postpartum depression.
Make sure you’re eating a well-balanced diet, take supplements if you need to, drink plenty of water and try it, get out of the house, and do some form of exercise when you can or how you can. Even standing outside for 5 minutes to soak in the sun and boost vitamin D levels can be beneficial if you cannot get out; going for a walk or doing an online workout all of these actions can help you boost your physical and mental wellness and support you during this time.
4. Talk To People
Regardless of whether you have therapy for your postpartum depression or not, you need to talk to those around you so they know how you feel and hope you need help so you can navigate this time together. The last thing you need is to feel more isolated than you already are, so letting people in and accepting help and support can benefit your recovery and allow you to lean on others as you work through things. There is no shame in admitting how we are foreign or that you need help. So let others know what you need and how you’re foreign, and allow them to be there for you.
