You’re not a bad mom. You are not a failure. Let’s just clear that up now. Many mothers, most new mothers in fact, will experience something mood related after having a baby. If you are wondering “Why am I sad after having a baby?” you’re not alone. It may just be the baby blues.
Feeling Sad After Having My Baby
Have you heard of ‘Baby Blues’? It’s a common term and it happens to a lot of moms – – about 80% in fact. The baby blues usually occurs within the first few days of having a baby and clears up within one to two weeks.
If you feel sad, anxious, cranky, or overwhelmed after the delivery of your baby, you’re not alone. If you’ve lost interest in eating or doing the things you typically enjoy doing simply because you’re too exhausted, don’t panic. The hormonal shift in your body following delivery is at play here.
‘Baby Blues’ may have you happy one moment and crying the next. If you have the ‘Baby Blues’, your moods will swing back to feeling okay.
Reduced sleep and adjusting to your new life of caring for a newborn are also factors in why many new moms experience these symptoms.
Being a new mother is difficult. Being a mother to a newborn is exhausting.
Still Feeling Sad After My Baby
If you’re still feeling sad, irritable, or anxious after 2 weeks, you may be experiencing Postpartum Depression.
You may be feeling a way you’ve never felt before and it may be frightening. If friends and family are telling you it’s normal, that it will go away, please understand that while Baby Blues will go away in a week or two, postpartum depression requires treatment.
The good news is that it is very treatable. And the sooner you seek treatment, the sooner you will feel better and can start to enjoy your new baby and your new life.
We will go into more detail next week about postpartum depression and what to look for.
Counseling for New Moms in Washington, PA
If you’re struggling and you’re not sure why, you don’t have to suffer alone. Postpartum is very treatable and talk therapy helps. I know it helped me 19 years ago when I was treated for postpartum depression after the birth of my son.
You don’t have to wait to feel better nor do you have to suffer alone.
If you’ve had a baby recently and you aren’t feeling like yourself, please call Ann Marie Hefferan at (724) 503-6670, or email at admin@inthenowcounseling.org, if you have any questions about postpartum depression or would like to schedule an appointment. Ann Marie is seeing clients in her office in Washington, PA, as well as via online sessions.
