Post Natal Depression

If you are expecting a child or have recently had a baby you may be wondering how to combat those “baby blues” or post natal depression that seems to be every where you look. It has been widely reported in the media - newspapers, news programs and magazines. There are some hints and tips that you can make use of to beat those baby blues and get on with being a mother to your new baby.

Keep a diary. This might sound a bit strange seeing as you don’t even have the time to wash your own hair at this hectic period, but keeping a diary is useful for you to be able to capture your thoughts and also the things that are bothering you or making you happy when you experience them. With the things or situations that make you unhappy, you can try to avoid them in the future and when you are feeling down you can look back at the happy times that you have noted to give yourself a little boost. This journal can also help if you are feeling particularly forgetful at this time, which most new mothers are, and it can ensure that you are never late for an appointment or miss out on anything vital that you wanted to plan for.

If you are a single mother, or are in troublesome circumstances with your new baby, its time to accept them for what they are and get on with life. Single motherhood doesn’t have to be as hard as everybody makes it out to be and you will find that there are plenty of people around you that will be more than willing to help you out.

Try and be as active as possible with your new baby and take them out for walks to get fresh air and also to clear your head. This works for great mother-baby bonding time as well and can keep postnatal depression at bay. Try to aim for at least one ten minute walk a day, even it is to go to the shops and get a bottle of milk or a paper. You could even treat yourself and buy yourself a chocolate bar as the effects of chocolate on happiness have recently been proved!

Set aside some time for yourself. This could be anything from half an hour or the whole day. See if a relative or trusted friend will take your baby for a little while so that you can wash your hair and have a bath and generally make yourself feel better. You can take advantage of this time to catch up with any television programs you may have been missing out on or read a good book. You could also try and catch up with friends, but what you will probably enjoy the most is being on your own and having a little time to pamper yourself.

There are plenty of ways in which you can prevent yourself from getting the baby blues or post natal depression and with a little thought and planning you will find that you will soon be enjoying your new baby and the joys of mother hood.