Post Delivery Depression

These days many new moms suffers from post delivery depression at some extent. After pregnancy, the hormonal changes in a women's body may trigger symptoms of depression. I think there might be other factor also that adds to it.

Mostly, moms which are in nuclear family seems to face this issue more. Since, they are going through lot of pressure of handling a new born and struggle of understanding her new born's needs and that too all alone or may be only one to help her, mother or mother-in-law. In addition to that, continuous sleepless days and nights, make her task more difficult. Moreover to it, on initial days after child birth, mother is so weak, physically and mostly mentally, that small incidence of discussion over small things make her very much upset. Or recalling of some bad incidence from past make her upset. Of course, mothers in joint families may also suffer from it. But I think its percentage is lesser than shown in mothers from nuclear family. The reason behind it is, there are many elders, with their own experience to help new mom, and other family members also take care of baby in joint family. In joint family mother don't feel alone, and there is some one with her every time to accompany her. So they can divert her mood from bad to good, make her laugh or keep surrounding atmosphere happy and alive. So mothers in joint families are less likely to have that issue.

I have gone through this depressing phase. At that time, when someone used to tell me, enjoy your motherhood since this time is very precious and not going to come back. I really didn't understand, How can someone enjoy it, where one didn't have get enough sleep since so long. When one is so restless. How can someone enjoy motherhood !!! Please explain me. I was like, I just don't understand my baby and his needs. I was really afraid of my baby. And I am sure many new moms may be feeling the same.

Many pregnant working women use to work till expected date of delivery or may be 4 to 3 weeks less than that or during the most of the time of pregnancy. After delivery they are suddenly in all new work field. Now, They are not doing the things, they used to do earlier. Mothers might have left their job for may be maternity period or may be for more than that time. Mothers do know that, they are leaving the job for their baby's good care only. But it will take some time to accept this whole new situation. This can also cause depression in mothers.



To overcome this issue, I really suggest new mothers to stay away from your baby for at least half an hour a day. Just divert your mind from your baby and your motherhood duties for sometime in a day. Ask your husband or other family members to take care of your baby for half an hour. Let your husband, mother, mother-in-law, masi, or chachi do the care of your baby for some time. You can do things which you like, in that half an hour. It can be.....

• Watch your favorite TV show
• Watch your favorite movie
• Listen to your favorite music 
• Read a good motivational book or any other fiction book which is of your interest
• Even better talk to your friends, may be on phone or meet them in personal
• Invest your time in searching name of your baby

Normally, friends and relatives come to see new born and mother, on child's birth. That ritual can also help at some extend to divert mothers attention to some other things. I my case, when my baby was asleep, I used to invest my time in searching good name for my baby.

Main motive is to detach from your motherhood duties at least for half an hour a day. I know, on initial days after your baby born, it may not be possible for new mothers to go out. At that time, just do things that is possible in house and can divert your mind for little while from your baby. Trust me, this will work like magic. This will refresh and rejuvenate you and makes you happy. Once you are happy, you will do your duties as mother with more enthusiasm. You are happy means, your baby will going to be happy and you really will start to enjoy your motherhood. This practice of detaching with motherhood duties is also effective for me even when my baby is 2 years old now.

Fathers have big role in overcoming this depression issue in new moms. New fathers, if your wife have get started to upset on very minor matters, don't misunderstand her. She is going through a lot, and trying to deal with lot of issues. Don't even panic, she just need your love, support. She just needs to be understood by you. She just want that, you listen to her. She just want to feel appreciated, that's it. If she is upset, you try to be clam, and just listen to her. She don't even need any solution, since she knows that, this phase will pass soon. Just listen to her, try to make her laugh, try to divert her attention to some refreshing things, try to give her as much time as you can. She will be fine soon.



I hope my article will help new mothers in overcoming depression issue at some extend. I would like to know your thoughts on this article. Please give your comment in below comment section. Thank you.