Adjustments Tips for New Mom

Adjustments are most important for New Mom. They are not experienced about mom’s previous.

Family Adjustment

Your partner may feel left out because you and your new baby are receiving so much attention. Make sure that each family member knows that you still love them just as much, even though you are giving most of your attention to your baby. Try to continue doing some of the things that you did together before your baby was born. Find time to be alone as a couple.

If you already have other children, you may be worried about how they will react to the new baby. Your other children may act jealous or may begin to do things that you thought they had outgrown. Be sure to include your other children in your baby’s care and show them that you love them just as much as before your baby was born.

Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMAD)

Pregnancy and caring for a new baby can be one of the most joyful and exciting times in a woman’s life, but it’s also hard work. It is natural for a woman to experience changes in her feelings and mood during pregnancy and after giving birth, including feeling more tired, irritable or worried. However, if unpleasant feelings do not go away after a couple of weeks – or if they get worse – they could be signs of a perinatal mood disorder. After the birth of the baby, many new mothers experience what is known as postpartum depression (PPD); others experience symptoms of anxiety and/or panic attacks. A mood disorder is a medical illness that can be effectively treated.

The transition to parenting comes with joy and happiness, but also many challenges. Pregnancy and childbirth are major life events for women and their families. Some of your reactions and emotions may even surprise you, especially if they seem negative. Women of every culture, age, income level and race can develop perinatal mood and anxiety disorders.

Postpartum Support

According to Postpartum Support International, as many as 1 in 7 women may experience emotional symptoms known as perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. 1 out of 10 new mothers develop anxiety alone or in addition to depression. Symptoms can appear anytime during pregnancy and the first 12 months after giving birth. These disorders do not discriminate; any woman can develop them. Postpartum depression is the most well-known of these conditions. Many signs of the “blues” are present, but they are more intense or persistent.

Although healthcare providers are not sure what causes such extreme emotional changes, most believe perinatal mood and anxiety disorders stem from the physical and emotional adjustments of pregnancy and birth. It is important to realize that these symptoms are not signs of weakness or inadequacy. At the onset of these changes, you need to contact your healthcare provider immediately. There are effective and well-researched treatment options to help you recover. With proper treatment, most women recover fully. Above all, remember perinatal mood and anxiety disorders are real conditions and help is available.

Although the term “postpartum depression” is most often used, there are actually several forms that women may experience.

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Baby Blues

8 out of 10 new mothers experience weepiness, sad feelings, worry about being a good mother and sometimes feel overwhelmed. Having a baby is a very emotional event and like no other experience in life. As a new mother, you may have feelings ranging from happiness, joy, excitement, and love to anxiety, fear, confusion, exhaustion, and helplessness. Hormone changes and the lack of sleep in the first few days after having a baby can cause mood swings in many women. These swings can cause sudden bouts of sadness, crying, impatience, or irritability. These “postpartum blues” or “baby blues” are normal and should go away within two weeks.“Baby Blues” is the mildest and most common reaction for new mothers. It can feel like an emotional rollercoaster that usually starts within days of giving birth, when hormones drop rapidly and peaks at 4 to 5 days and lasts around 10 days. If these feelings extend beyond two weeks, notify your healthcare provider.

Common symptoms are:

• Anxiety (nervousness, worry)
• Loneliness
• Crying spells
• Fear of being alone
• Feeling overwhelmed
• Lack of confidence in mothering ability
• Mood swings
• Overly sensitive with others
• Trouble sleeping
• Burst of worry/panic that comes and goes

Postpartum Depression

1 out of 5 new mothers experience emotions beyond the baby blues known as postpartum depression (PPD). Postpartum depression has many of the same symptoms as baby blues. Feelings of sadness, guilt, fear and inadequacy as a mother can become overwhelming feelings. Postpartum depression may start as early as the second or third day after birth or may take several weeks and even up to a year to develop.

Common symptoms are:

• Irritability
• Crying often
• Persistent sadness
• Anxiety
• Extreme nervousness
• Feelings of hopelessness or emptiness
• Sleep all day or unable to sleep
• Loss of appetite
• No energy
• Lack of interest it the baby
• Feeling guilty or ashamed
• Dislike or fear of touching the baby
• Feeling like you are not a good mother
• Feeling like you should never have become a mother
• Frightening thoughts about the baby

Postpartum Anxiety or Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

Postpartum anxiety disorders such as panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder appear to be as common as postpartum depression and even coincide with depression. Perinatal anxiety symptoms can include the following: panic attacks, hyperventilation, excessive worry, restless sleep, and repeated thoughts or images of frightening things happening to the baby.

Common Postpartum Anxiety and OCD Symptoms include:

• Fear and worry that
• Can’t sit still or relax interrupts your
• Checking the baby over thoughts or daily tasks and over again
• Constant worry
• Racing thoughts
• Inability to sleep at night or when the baby sleeps
• Headaches, dizziness, nausea
• Scary thoughts about the baby or yourself that upsets you
• Fear of being alone with the baby

Postpartum Psychosis

1 out of 1,000 mothers are at risk for postpartum psychosis. In rare instances, symptoms of postpartum depression may become severe. These symptoms may appear 48 hours to four weeks after delivery. Postpartum psychosis risk factors are a personal or family history of bipolar disorder or a previous psychotic episode. Rapid mood changes from feeling high/manic or agitated to feeling low and depressed can occur.

Postpartum psychosis is an emergency and requires immediate help. Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following symptoms.

• Extreme mood swings
• Paranoia
• High mood with being out of touch with reality (mania)
• Confusion
• Excessively irritable or agitated
• Difficulty communicating
• Feeling paranoid or suspicious of others motives
• Irrational false beliefs(delusions)
• Inability to sleep
• Disorganized, erratic behavior
• Hallucinations (seeing, smelling, or hearing things)
• Withdrawal from family members

In some cases, the mother will experience:

• Suicidal thoughts
• Thoughts of harming her baby

Sleep

The physical demands of pregnancy and caring for a tiny human can make getting good sleep tricky for even the most dedicated women. But while a lack of sleep frustrates nearly all pregnant and postpartum women, it takes a much higher toll on those suffering from a PMAD. The relationship between sleep problems and PMADs is complex because impaired sleep can contribute to the initial development of a PMAD or make daily symptoms worse. The bottom line is that all postpartum women need good sleep in order to recover. Practicing good sleep habits — such as developing a bedtime routine, using bed for sleep and sex only, and avoiding caffeine late in the day — is a good start.

Involve your partner, family members or friends to schedule “baby shifts” and “sleep shifts” to make sure you get at least one block of uninterrupted sleep each night.

Exercise

The mood-boosting and anxiety-reducing benefits of exercise are well established, with some studies demonstrating that regular exercise reduces depressive symptoms as effectively as treatment with medication. This makes exercise an important component of treatment for pregnant and lactating women.

Activities to Prevent PMADs

Don’t be ashamed of having emotional changes after your baby is born. It is very common.

• Talk to family and friends about the changes in your mood and problems that may occur after you have your baby.
• Take care of yourself. This means eating a balanced diet, getting regular exercise and getting adequate sleep.
• Ask someone to help care for your baby so that you can get a good night’s sleep.
• Share your feelings with someone close to you; don’t isolate yourself at home.
• Don’t try to do everything for everyone. You do not need to be Superwoman!
• Don’t expect too much of yourself.
• Try to sleep when your baby sleeps.
• Allow friends and family to help with shopping and cooking.
• Ask friends and family to help care for other children.
• Maintain a relaxed, flexible home routine.
• Avoid products containing caffeine (coffee, tea, soft drinks, and chocolate).
• Don’t be afraid to ask for what you need.

Please contact your healthcare provider if you think you have any of these signs or symptoms:

• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much
• Feeling irritable, angry, or nervous
• Thoughts of harming the baby or yourself
• Lack of interest in friends and family
• Not enjoying life as much as in the past
• Feelings of being a bad mother
• Feeling guilty or worthless
• Lack of interest in the baby
• Changes in appetite
• Low energy
• Feeling exhausted
• Crying uncontrollably
• Feeling hopeless
• Trouble concentrating
• Lack of interest in sex