Having a baby is perhaps one of the most wonderful things that can happen to a woman. A new mom is expected to be euphoric and over the moon. Along with the happiness, there are times when she is anxious, exhausted, weepy and depressed, which is a total killjoy. New mothers usually are overwhelmed by the grueling schedule of feeding every 2-4 hours, diaper changes, sleep deprivation and feeling irritable and oversensitive.
This is totally unexpected and most mothers are confused by these unhappy feelings and mood swings, but it is a common syndrome and is generally known as “baby blues”. The hormonal changes that take place in the body after giving birth, is the reason for the blues. Read on to find out how you can tackle your “baby blues”.
Eat well
A healthy diet can help to beat your blues. Experts also suggest avoiding all white food such as white bread, rice, pasta, milk and crackers, think dairy and complex carbohydrates.
Sleep when the baby sleeps
The best way to get some sleep is to rest when the baby rests, to catch up on much needed sleep. Sleep deprivation is one of the major reasons of baby blues.
Bubble bath
Another thing you could do when the baby is asleep or being looked after by your family or spouse, is something which can perk you up and improve your mood.
Go easy on yourself
You and the baby are the priority and just looking after the baby’s needs will leave hardly any time for housework. Don’t beat yourself up about it, relax and focus on just you and your baby.
Limit your caffeine intake
Too much caffeine taxes the adrenal system and elevates your levels of cortisol, apart from impeding the thyroid. You might have energy burnouts and face the effects of destabilizing hormone levels.
Exercise
Exercises like walking and light exercise (not cardio) helps to restore your hormone levels, which can help in reducing your mood swings and irritability.
Weight lifting
Lifting weights like kettle bells and doing squats and resistance exercises helps to release positive hormones which can do wonders to beat the baby blues.
Fix the leptin
Leptin is the hormone which regulates your food and hunger metabolism. You can balance your Leptin levels by getting the required amount of sleep, and controlling your sugar intake, both artificial and natural.
Avoid the pill
Use other contraceptives rather than the pill, as it will hamper your hormones coming back to normal.
Avoid unsaturated fats
Unsaturated fats like Omega 6 prevalent in vegetable oil, margarine, peanut oil, shortening, chemical and commercial oils wreak havoc on your endocrine system, and might cause health problems such as heart disease.
Eat the good fats
Good fats like coconut oil, avocados etc are required for a functioning endocrine system. Food having a high amount of high cholesterol is necessary for new moms.
Vitamin D
The function of vitamin D is like a hormone and just as an imbalance of hormones disrupts your body, low vitamin D levels causes mood disorders. It is vital to get a vitamin D test done, as then you would know whether your daily dose of sunlight has to be supplemented with vitamin D.
Aviod toxic drugs
Avoid toxins like parabens, BPA and phthalates which are absorbed in the body through shampoos and cosmetics can also interfere with your hormones.
Try hormone therapy
Hormone replacement therapy can help if you are suffering from more than baby blues. Postpartum depression is often treated by doctors with hormone injections. This website has more information about hormone replacement therapy.
Make time for yourself
Set aside a few minutes a day just for yourself. Catch up the news or take a power nap, but do something which you love and it will help you tackle those blues.
Most new moms go through the baby blues at some point of the other due to the sudden changes in hormones. It is a tough time and difficult for most mothers to understand that the feelings of sadness and unpredictable mood swings are caused mainly by hormonal changes and is actually quite common and treatable.
Article Submitted By Community Writer