Simple Ways to Avoid Stress and Anxiety after birth

By Emma Joyce

All parents know that there’s nothing like having a baby and starting to feel lots of different things at the same time. And if you add the fact that you don’t know what to do and how to behave during your baby’s fussy sessions, the amount of stress can go through the roof.

It’s not uncommon for new parents to feel anxious, stressed, or even depressed in the early stages of their baby’s life. There are some things that could help you reduce and control all that stress, as well as learn how to handle stressful situations and keep your sanity.

Breathe

This may be the oldest trick in the book, but there’s a reason for that, which is why it should become your top priority as well. Parents often forget the importance of breathing and how beneficial this can be for anyone who’s feeling anxious or stressed. Take a moment during stressful situations, let your partner stay with the baby, and take as much time and space as you need to get back on track with your breathing.

By stepping away from the situations causing you to stress – anything from not having luck with breastfeeding to not being able to calm your baby – you’ll be able to restart and start breathing normally. This will then allow you to approach the situation calmly and find the best solution to avoid stress and anxiety.

Sleep

It may sound like a bad joke when someone tells a new parent to sleep, especially because you’re going to hear the famous line – Sleep when the baby sleeps – over and over again. Still, most parents use these situations to handle their chores, finish their cooking, or run their errands instead of sleeping, thus getting even more tired than before. But, if you are constantly feeling exhausted and unwilling to do anything, you’re probably drained but won’t admit it.

Take naps during the day, go to sleep early in the evening, and take some time off and just rest. This will provide you with enough energy to survive those sleepless nights and avoid being anxious, stressed out, cranky, and irritated.

Mental health

Just because you didn’t feel anxious or depressed before giving birth doesn’t mean some of those problems won’t appear now. Mental health problems with pregnant women and new moms are something people don’t talk about enough and very few of them are open to sharing, so it’s important to be vocal about situations like these.

When it comes to different ways to treat dangerous postpartum depression, there are many things you could do, but you first need to establish all the symptoms. Not all moms experience the same symptoms, so it’s crucial not to overlook some potential triggers and think that they’ll just go away on their own. Instead, be proactive and do whatever you can to address your feelings and solve the problems that might prevent you from enjoying motherhood to the fullest.

Lean on your partner

Your partner will play a major role in keeping your sanity and boosting your morale once you need to take a deep breath. It doesn’t matter how often they’re at home and what they can and can’t do, your partner is going to turn to your number one person in the world – except for your baby, of course – because you’ll be going through the same problems together and trying to figure a way to solve them. Some women have a problem leaning on their partner because they feel that they won’t be able to do enough for them, but you shouldn’t feel that way. Instead, trust your partner, teach them what to do and how to react, and tell them what you need from them so that you could feel better than ever. This will help you feel better and it will reduce your stress level, and that’s something all moms need right after having a baby.

Being pregnant can be hard and stressful, while childbirth is usually more stressful than most women can imagine. But, once that’s over, all you need to do is relax and have some fun with your newborn. And if you wish to be able to do that properly, you have to work to avoid stress and anxiety, or to minimize them as much as you can!

Author Bio

Emma Joyce is a writer who specializes in health-related topics. She covers a wide range of them, from various dieting ideas and health problems in different stages of life to leading a healthy lifestyle and introducing positive changes into your daily routine.

The views and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect all or some of our beliefs and policy.  Any links on this page do not necessarily mean they have been endorsed by Defying Mental Illness.

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