If becoming pregnant is considered tough for a woman, then managing the post partum depression or PPD is a challenge!!
By post partum depression or PPD, we mean the depression mothers get after delivering their babies and this is a common problem only. This PPD could be due to many reasons like lack of social support, domestic abuse, smoking etc. Normally, PPD would be there for the first 6 months after giving birth to a baby. It is the period when a woman would undergo different emotions and hormonal changes etc.
Truth is that this doesn`t mean that the mothers would bounce back to their pre- baby condition. The change from this PPD to the condition of the body that existed before pregnancy would be slow and steady only.
It is worth mentioning here that pregnancy is a beautiful journey and it would be a different experience for different mothers. There are several symptoms of PPD like fatigue, sleep deprivation, extreme mood swings etc.
These are the effective tips that would help the mothers to manage stress post pregnancy.
By prioritising sleep:
Mothers of newborns would have a common issue of lack of sleep due to constantly taking care of their newborns. This would affect the mental health of the mother. For the brain to recover and rest, it is important to get a good quality sleep.
By engaging in some physical activity:
To boost the mind, the mothers of the newborns must involve themselves in some kind of physical activity. It could be either doing yoga for 15 to 20 minutes or walking or workout etc. By this, the cortisol levels and anxiety would get lowered.
By practising mindfulness and relaxation:
It would be possible to calm down the nerves when the mother does meditation, breathing exercises daily. This would reduce stress and anxiety etc and would improve their mental health.
By self compassion:
Mothers must treat them with the same kindness and compassion they would give others. It is necessary to replace self criticism with self compassion.
By engaging in hobbies or interests etc:
Majority of the mothers of the newborns won`t find time to engage themselves in hobbies etc. It is essential to spare time for self care. Mothers must maintain a balance between looking after their babies and sparing time for themselvlves also and this would help the mothers to have good mental health as well as physical health. Various hobbies that mothers could do are painting, reading books etc.
By seeking professional help:
After giving birth, mothers must address the issue of PPD compulsorily and get it treated. The stress and anxiety of the mother would be treated by seeking the help of a mental health professional.
